Devil firefish (Pterois miles)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Pterois miles
- Common name
- Devil firefish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Scorpaenidae
- Genus
- Pterois
- Size
- 20–35 cm
- Depth
- 1–60 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Venomous
- Habitats
- reef
- Behaviours
- solitary, nocturnal, ambush-predator
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Indian Ocean & Red Sea, Mediterranean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Pterois miles reaches 35 cm. Very close to P. volitans (Caribbean invasive), native to the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Became invasive in the eastern Mediterranean since the 1990s via the Suez Canal, and also present in the Caribbean where it hybridizes with P. volitans. Spectacular pectoral fan with brown-red and white stripes, highly venomous dorsal spines. Voracious predator of small reef fish. Very painful sting.
Photo of Devil firefish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Devil firefish?
- Devil firefish (Pterois miles) reaches 20–35 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Devil firefish?
- Devil firefish is found between 1–60 m deep.
- Is the Devil firefish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Venomous.
- What is the conservation status of the Devil firefish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Devil firefish?
- Found in: Caribbean, Indian Ocean & Red Sea, Mediterranean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Pterois
- Pterois volitans - Red lionfish
- Pterois radiata - Clearfin lionfish
- Pterois antennata - Spotfin lionfish
Other species in the family Scorpaenidae
- Scorpaena scrofa - Red scorpionfish
- Dendrochirus zebra - Zebra lionfish
- Dendrochirus brachypterus - Shortfin lionfish
- Scorpaena mystes - Pacific scorpionfish
- Scorpaena guttata - California scorpionfish
- Scorpaena porcus - Black scorpionfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 218077)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2334433)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia