Abstract

In 2010, non-native lionfish (Pterois volitans, P. miles) were first legitimately detected in northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) waters. Since then, reports and collections of lionfish throughout the GOM have increased considerably showing that they are established in the region (Schofield 2010, Fogg et al. 2013) and have been detected in waters off of Texas as early as 2011. Lionfish have been shown to have negative effects on native reef fish communities (Albins and Hixon 2008) and that they are capable of surviving a wide range of environmental conditions, including low temperature (10°C) and low salinity (see Jud et al. 2011). Little is known about the reproductive biology of lionfish in their invaded range, however. The information that is available for non-native lionfish in the Atlantic Ocean (North Carolina and Bahamian waters) concludes that lionfish can spawn about every four days, year around (Morris 2009). That, coupled with their prolonged larval stage, can account for how quickly they have been able to invade the region. As part of a larger life history project, we describe here some aspects of lionfish reproductive life history in the northern GOM.

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