Predation on the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Pisces: Scorpaenidae), by native groupers in the Bahamas

Predation on the invasive red lionsh, Pterois volitans (Pisces: Scorpaenidae), by native groupers in the Bahamas

Received: 7 March 2008 / Revised: 11 March 2008 / Accepted: 11 March 2008 / Published online: 28 March 2008 Springer-Verlag 2008

On 26 January 2008, a tiger grouper, Mycteroperca tigris (472-mm standard length [SL]), was caught off New Providence (25 04.6N, 77 20.6W), Bahamas and found to contain a single red lionsh, Pterois volitans (61-mm SL)in its stomach. This observation was considered an anomaly given both the venomous nature of lionsh, and their relatively recent introduction to the Bahamas (Snyder andBurgess 2007).

Anecdotal evidence provided by shers, however, suggested that native grouper species...