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
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
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
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
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)
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
Ecology
Margaret E. Hunter, Caitlin E. Beaver, Nathan A. Johnson, Eleanor K. Bors, Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni, Brian R. Silliman, Dayne Buddo, Linda Searle, Edgardo Diaz-Ferguson
Summary: The study shows that after examining mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences from lionfish collected in different regions, it was found that Florida was not the sole source of the introduced red lionfish, supporting alternative invasion scenarios.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Dimitris Poursanidis, Kostas Kougioumoutzis, Vasileios Minasidis, Niki Chartosia, Demetris Kletou, Stefanos Kalogirou
Summary: The Mediterranean Sea is a global marine invasion hotspot, with nearly 700 alien species introduced due to a multitude of human pathways. The lionfish Pterois miles is considered the fastest spreading invasive fish species of the last decade, reaching all countries of the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Luis Malpica-Cruz, Stephanie J. Green, Isabelle M. Cote
Article
Ecology
Stephanie J. Green, Eric R. Dilley, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Alexandra C. D. Davis, Kurt E. Ingeman, Tye L. Kindinger, Lillian J. Tuttle, Mark A. Hixon
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kristen M. Green, Jennifer C. Selgrath, Timothy H. Frawley, William K. Oestreich, Elizabeth J. Mansfield, Jose Urteaga, Shannon S. Swanson, Francisca N. Santana, Stephanie J. Green, Josheena Naggea, Larry B. Crowder
Summary: The study found that adaptive responses at the community level only occurred when the community had access to assets, along with other factors such as diversity and flexibility, learning and knowledge, and natural capital. In contrast, access to assets was not essential for adaptive responses at the household level, which instead relied on strong governance and institutional support. The findings highlight the importance of standardized metrics of adaptive capacity in designing effective policies and understanding the interactions between social and ecological aspects of communities.
Article
Fisheries
Courtney E. Stuart, Stephanie J. Green, Oksana Vernygora, Aaron R. H. LeBlanc, Mary H. Bertschi, Maria Brown
Summary: The study explored the patterns, rates, and unexpected socio-ecological consequences of tooth replacement in serrasalmids and characids of the Peruvian Amazon. It was found that approximately 22.9% of fish collected per day from these species featured incomplete dentition, with potential influences from ontogeny, seasonality, or environmental quality.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christi Linardich, Cole B. Brookson, Stephanie J. Green
Summary: The predatory impact of invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish on marine fishes in multiple ocean basins is concerning. A quantitative framework based on morphological and behavioral traits has been developed to assess the vulnerability of fish species to lionfish predation. The framework has identified vulnerable species hotspots in the Bahamas, Belize, and Curacao, as well as endemic species in Brazil that may face extinction if lionfish spread to the region.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Stephanie J. Green, Jordan K. Matley, D. Elizabeth Smith, Bernard Castillo, John L. Akins, Richard S. Nemeth, Clayton Pollock, Kynoch Reale-Munroe
Summary: Tracking studies on invasive lionfish in the Western Atlantic revealed that home range size and movement have been underestimated, with significant variability among individuals. Movements were found to be longer and not related to fish size or lunar phase. Nighttime movement was lowest, while crepuscular periods saw the greatest activity, with acceleration increasing with water temperature.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Korryn Bodner, Carina Rauen Firkowski, Joseph R. Bennett, Cole Brookson, Michael Dietze, Stephanie Green, Josie Hughes, Jeremy Kerr, Melodie Kunegel-Lion, Shawn J. Leroux, Eliot McIntire, Peter K. Molnar, Craig Simpkins, Edward Tekwa, Alexander Watts, Marie-Josee Fortin
Summary: The need for rapid and science-based decision making in the face of accelerating human-induced environmental change has led to increased opportunities to use ecological forecasts. To effectively inform environmental decision making, forecasts should be reliable and designed with clear communication of assumptions, uncertainties, and results. Practical guidelines outlined in this study aim to improve forecasting skills and facilitate the integration of forecasts with decision making, ultimately making them more accurate, precise, transparent, and useful for informing environmental decisions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Courtney E. Stuart, Lisa M. Wedding, Simon J. Pittman, Stephanie J. Green
Summary: Coastal habitats have undergone significant degradation and fragmentation due to interacting ecosystem stressors. To conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, coastal managers and restoration practitioners need to identify priority areas for protection and develop innovative approaches to habitat restoration. MaxEnt shows promise as a scalable tool for informing models of seascape connectivity and guiding coastal conservation efforts, demonstrating a more realistic approach compared to penalized logistic regression.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kaylin R. Clements, Philip Karp, Holden E. Harris, Fadilah Ali, Alli Candelmo, Sara Juliana Rodriguez, Cristina Balcazar-Escalera, Alexander Q. Fogg, Stephanie J. Green, Jennifer N. Solomon
Summary: This study assessed the engagement of public and citizen scientists in lionfish research and management by 71 organizations in the Western Atlantic. Findings show that the public is most frequently engaged in raising awareness, promoting consumption, organized culling/removal, tournaments, and data collection. Organizations indicated that data collected by the public has contributed to scientific publications, management, and government agency research and policy.
Review
Biology
Stephanie J. Green, Cole B. Brookson, Natasha A. Hardy, Larry B. Crowder
Summary: Trait-based approaches are valuable for predicting global change, but most studies are descriptive and few focus on ecological effects. There are significant opportunities to expand trait-based thinking across systems and taxa.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kyle M. Shanebeck, Anne A. Besson, Clement Lagrue, Stephanie J. Green
Summary: Parasites can have sub-lethal effects on their hosts, affecting their ability to adapt to the environment and maintain homeostasis. This study synthesizes numerous studies on helminth parasites in mammals and finds consistently strong negative effects of infection on host energetic condition across taxonomic groups. The study also highlights the importance of study design, sampling protocol, and host-parasite life history in determining the magnitude of health effects.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Studies
Nathan Andrews, Nathan J. Bennett, Philippe Le Billon, Stephanie J. Green, Andres M. Cisneros-Montemayor, Sandra Amongin, Noella J. Gray, U. Rashid Sumaila
Summary: This study examines the impact of oil development on the environment, small-scale fisheries, and coastal communities, highlighting the displacement of fishers and catastrophic effects of oil spills. While the oil sector generally has negative impacts on fisheries livelihoods and coastal communities, these effects vary across locations, ecosystems, species, activities, and groups.
ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alex K. Bogdanoff, Kyle W. Shertzer, Craig A. Layman, Jennifer K. Chapman, Marc L. Fruitema, Jennifer Solomon, Julie Sabattis, Stephanie Green, James A. Morris
Summary: This study introduces the concept of optimum lionfish yield (OLY) to manage invasive lionfish fisheries, considering local ecological health and using indicators to quantify management targets. Results suggest that fishing at rates above MSY levels significantly reduces population abundance compared to rates below MSY, with minimal impacts on yield.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Stephanie J. Green, Edwin D. Grosholz
Summary: Dealing with invasive species remains a challenge globally, particularly in marine and freshwater habitats where resources for eradication often fall short. Establishing targets for suppression of invasions based on achieving functional eradication is crucial, requiring key ecological information such as density-impact functions and recolonization rates.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie J. Green, Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Heather Mannix