Lionfish

The distinctive, vivid appearance of almost all lionfish species makes them easy to identify. All lionfish species, which are found in the Indo-Pacific, are vibrant and beautiful to look at. If you see one while diving in one of their habitats, you might even want to swim over to get a better look. However, if you get too closely, they may bite you and inject one of the ocean's most deadly venoms.

For those who are allergic to it, lionfish venom can result in a variety of deadly symptoms including delirium, convulsions, disorientation, heart attacks, loss of consciousness, high temperature, and even death. They make up for their rarely lethal bites by being exceptionally aggressive toward divers and terrifying the living daylights out of them. Additionally, they are among the most invasive species on the planet. Their habitat currently encompasses the waters of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico due to their invasive nature.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Tribe: Pteroini
Genus: Pterois