Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
M. F. Huseyinoglu, V Demir, Y. Arda, M. Draman, M. B. Yokes
Summary: This study explored the rapid expansion of the invasive lionfish in the southwestern coast of Turkey, providing an understanding of the expected range expansion based on a temporal perspective. Fish count observations were conducted using underwater visual census and citizen science approaches, revealing an increasing trend in fish numbers. Conservation efforts to decrease the lionfish population have already been initiated in the region.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura del Rio, Zenaida Maria Navarro-Martinez, Dorka Cobian-Rojas, Pedro Pablo Chevalier-Monteagudo, Jorge A. Angulo-Valdes, Leandro Rodriguez-Viera
Summary: This review analyzes the biology and ecology of lionfish as an invasive species, with a focus on Cuba. It is found that lionfish has successfully established in Cuban waters, with high population density and reproductive capacity. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of lionfish on ecosystems and develop effective control strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eric G. Johnson, Angelina Dichiera, Danielle Goldberg, MaryKate Swenarton, James Gelsleichter
Summary: The study found that mercury levels in lionfish increase with size, vary by location and sex, but overall, the mercury levels in lionfish are lower than other commonly consumed marine fishes, posing a low risk to consumption.
Article
Biology
Ashley N. Peterson, Matthew J. McHenry
Summary: This study examines the strategy of red lionfish in pursuing faster prey. The behavior of successfully capturing prey is defined as the "persistent-predation strategy", which includes pure pursuit, uninterrupted motion, and high success rate in strike.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Karla Fernanda Loya-Cancino, Luis Enrique Angeles-Gonzalez, Carlos Yanez-Arenas, Carlos Napoleon Ibarra-Cerdena, Ivan Velazquez-Abunader, Alfonso Aguilar-Perera, Victor Manuel Vidal-Martinez
Summary: This study evaluated the current and future potential risk of lionfish populations during climate change scenarios using the MaxEnt model. The results showed that lionfish may expand their suitable habitats to higher latitudes under mild warming scenarios, but may become less suitable in tropical latitudes under the warmest scenario. These findings are important for resource managers for fisheries and consumption planning.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hanaa Sarhan, Redouan Bshary
Summary: The decision rules underlying cooperative hunting can vary from simple to complex. In an experimental study, active recruitment, coordination, and alternating striking were observed in dwarf lionfish Dendrochirus zebra, which received significant attention. It was hypothesized that coordinated hunting may also contribute to the successful invasion of another lionfish species, Pterois miles, in the Caribbean. However, no recruitment signaling was found in P. miles in its native range, the Red Sea. The study further tested for coordinated movements and alternation in strikes, and found that P. miles in the Red Sea does not use any coordination to hunt prey.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hanaa Sarhan, Redouan Bshary
Summary: The study investigated an invasive lionfish species in the Red Sea and found no evidence of cooperative hunting in the field. Laboratory experiments also showed that the fin flaring pattern observed in lionfish was not directed at potential partners, suggesting it may be a swimming mode rather than a cooperative hunting signal.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tal Gavriel, Renanel Pickholtz, Jonathan Belmaker
Summary: This study found large individual-level variability in depth preference and diel activity in the common lionfish, which may contribute to its success in invading the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, the behavioral differences among individuals could impact mitigation efforts, as nocturnal individuals from deeper waters may replenish diurnally culled shallow-water populations.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
J. Valdez Iuit, P. Ortega Tun
Summary: The invasive lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico, particularly in the state of Yucatan, poses a potential threat to commercial fisheries. A study aimed to analyze and provide an early warning to authorities regarding the lionfish population around the Yucatan coastline. An adult lionfish measuring 338 mm in length and weighing 568 g was captured by fishermen in Dzilam de Bravo.
REVISTA BIO CIENCIAS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Adnan Caglar Oruc, Tugce Sensurat-Genc, Aytac Ozgul, Altan Lok
Summary: This study presents an update on the northward progression of the lionfish in the Aegean Sea, which is an aquatic invader and disruptive predator for marine ecosystems.
SU URUNLERI DERGISI
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Foivos A. Mouchlianitis, Georgia Kalaitzi, Periklis Kleitou, Ioannis Savva, Demetris Kletou, Kostas Ganias
Summary: The study provides evidence of successful spawning and detailed analysis of ovarian dynamics of lionfish Pterois miles in the Mediterranean Sea. Results suggest a prolonged oocyte recruitment and development season, with spawning primarily occurring during summertime. Multiple oocyte batches are released per spawning season, with potential inhibition of year-round spawning activity due to seasonal variations in water temperature.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Periklis Kleitou, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Ioannis Savva, Demetris Kletou, Margarita Hadjistylli, Ernesto Azzurro, Stelios Katsanevakis, Charalampos Antoniou, Louis Hadjioannou, Niki Chartosia, Maria Christou, Yiannis Christodoulides, Ioannis Giovos, Carlos Jimenez, Sonia Smeraldo, Sian E. Rees
Summary: The EU Regulation 1143/2014 aims to control Invasive Alien Species, with only one marine species listed. The recent invasion of lionfish in the Mediterranean has had profound impacts on fisheries and biodiversity, yet the process to include them on the EU IAS list is ongoing. There is an urgent need to improve the regulation and risk assessment process to protect marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raven D. Blakeway, Alexander Q. Fogg, Michelle A. Johnston, Jay R. Rooker, Glenn A. Jones
Summary: This study assesses the population characteristics and removal efforts of Indo-Pacific lionfish in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The results show that lionfish in FGBNMS have lower densities, slower growth rates, and can reach older ages compared to lionfish in other regions. This suggests that FGBNMS may exhibit natural resilience to the lionfish invasion.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Ethan T. Woodyard, Arielle E. Bierman, Jonnel J. Edwards, J. Christine Finney, Thomas G. Rosser, Matt J. Griffin, David P. Marancik
Summary: This study discovered myxozoan plasmodia parasites in the invasive red lionfish, P. volitans, which is the first report of its kind. Examination of the lionfish tissues revealed severe inflammation and tissue necrosis associated with the parasites, providing rare evidence of pathogen-associated lesions in invasive lionfish.
DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Nathan M. Bacheler, Christina M. Schobernd, Stacey L. Harter, Andrew W. David, George R. Sedberry, G. Todd Kellison
Summary: The introduction of lionfish has posed challenges to the sustainable management of reef fishes along the southeast United States Atlantic coast. However, our study found that increasing lionfish densities did not negatively affect fish community structure. Demersal habitat plays a significant role in shaping fish community structure.
BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Michelle A. Johnston, John A. Embesi, Ryan J. Eckert, Marissa F. Nuttall, Emma L. Hickerson, George P. Schmahl
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinping Hu, Marissa F. Nuttall, Hongjie Wang, Hongming Yao, Cory J. Staryk, Melissa R. McCutcheon, Ryan J. Eckert, John A. Embesi, Michelle A. Johnston, Emma L. Hickerson, George P. Schmahl, Derek Manzello, Ian C. Enochs, Steven DiMarco, Leticia Barbero
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Michelle A. Johnston, Emma L. Hickerson, Marissa F. Nuttall, Raven D. Blakeway, Travis K. Sterne, Ryan J. Eckert, George P. Schmahl
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Michelle A. Johnston, Marissa F. Nuttall, Ryan J. Eckert, Raven D. Blakeway, Travis K. Sterne, Emma L. Hickerson, George P. Schmahl, Michael T. Lee, James MacMillan, John A. Embesi
BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryan J. Eckert, Michael S. Studivan, Joshua D. Voss
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Ryan J. Eckert, Ashley M. Reaume, Alexis B. Sturm, Michael S. Studivan, Joshua D. Voss
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
D. L. Dodge, M. S. Studivan, R. J. Eckert, E. Chei, J. Beal, J. D. Voss
BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexis B. Sturm, Ryan J. Eckert, Juliett Gonzalez Mendez, Patricia Gonzalez-Diaz, Joshua D. Voss
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Alexis B. Sturm, Ryan J. Eckert, Ashley M. Carreiro, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: The study reveals that certain areas within the Florida Keys, especially upper mesophotic habitats, maintain relatively healthy coral communities and may play an important role in maintaining coral metapopulations. The level of genetic connectivity between shallow and upper mesophotic populations varies significantly based on location, with distinct differences across depth in some areas.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ian R. Combs, Michael S. Studivan, Ryan J. Eckert, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: Since 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has caused significant declines in reef-building corals in Florida. This study combined SCTLD prevalence assessments with colony-level monitoring to understand disease dynamics, revealing that disease prevalence varied among different locations but did not change significantly over time. By using 3D photogrammetry to track the fate of infected coral colonies, researchers found that total colony area and healthy tissue area decreased significantly over time.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexis B. Sturm, Ryan J. Eckert, Ashley M. Carreiro, Nuno Simoes, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: This study shows that genetic differentiation across depth has a significant impact on both coral hosts and their algal endosymbionts in the Campeche Bank reefs in Mexico. The level of depth-dependent genetic structuring varies between reefs, with the mesophotic communities in Alacranes having limited refugia potential. However, there is relatively high horizontal coral connectivity between the two reefs, suggesting Bajos del Norte may play an important role in the maintenance and management of the coral's regional metapopulation.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michelle A. Johnston, Michael S. Studivan, Ian C. Enochs, Adrienne M. S. Correa, Nicole Besemer, Ryan J. Eckert, Kimberly Edwards, Ryan Hannum, Xinping Hu, Marissa Nuttall, Kelly O'Connell, Ana M. Palacio-Castro, George P. Schmahl, Alexis B. Sturm, Blake Ushijima, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: East and West Flower Garden Bank in the Gulf of Mexico experienced a disease outbreak in August 2022, with disease-like lesions observed on seven coral species. Rapid response cruises were conducted to characterize the disease, treat affected corals, and collect baseline images. This provides an opportunity to study coral disease in a relatively healthy ecosystem and inform mitigation efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Erin N. Shilling, Ryan J. Eckert, Alexis B. Sturm, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: Coral reefs in southeast Florida have suffered from severe coral loss and reduced diversity due to disease outbreaks, bleaching events, and human activities. In response, there has been an increase in weedy coral species like Agaricia spp. and Porites spp. in the region. The abundance of Porites astreoides, in particular, has notably increased in St. Lucie Reef in Martin County, the northernmost boundary of Florida's Coral Reef. The genetic structure analysis of P. astreoides populations in southeast Florida suggests that the recent increase in abundance may be driven by successful genotypes with high fecundity and long-range dispersal.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael S. Studivan, Ryan J. Eckert, Erin Shilling, Nash Soderberg, Ian C. Enochs, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a highly deadly and fast-spreading disease that affects Florida's Coral Reef and the wider Caribbean. Researchers are working together to find strategies to mitigate the spread of SCTLD, including using disease-resistant genotypes, genetic rescue, and therapeutics. Through experiments, they have found that antibiotic treatment can help reverse the damage caused by SCTLD and improve coral immune responses.
Article
Fisheries
Brianna V. Cahill, Ryan J. Eckert, Kim Bassos-Hull, Thomas J. Ostendorf, Joshua D. Voss, Breanna C. Degroot, Matthew J. Ajemian
Summary: This study analyzed the diet of the whitespotted eagle ray in Florida waters using visual-based gut content analysis and DNA barcoding. The results indicated that the diet mainly consists of bivalves and gastropods, with some crustaceans included. However, there was no evidence of consumption of hard clams, an important shellfish species in Florida. These findings highlight the diverse role of the whitespotted eagle ray in regulating coastal benthic communities.
