Diving Safety Tip - Reduce Contact With Lionfish

Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) have invaded many popular scuba diving locations in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

- Jorge Dario Gomez Castillo, M.D.

Aside from causing possible harm to swimmers and divers, this voracious predator can dramatically affect populations of native marine animals in the ecosystems to which they have been introduced.

Lionfish are venomous and belong to the Scorpaenidae family. These fish and those of the Synanceiidae family (such as Synanceia, or stonefish) comprise most of the existing venomous fish. Without putting life at risk, envenomations caused by scorpionfish and lionfish can cause significant symptoms due to the systemic action of their venoms.

Lionfish have spines that are covered by an epithelial sheath containing venom-producing glands in the grooves of the upper two-thirds of the long and slender spines. The dorsal fin has 12 or 13 rays or spines, the pelvic fin has two, and the anal fin has three. When the ray of the fin penetrates the victim’s skin, venom flows to the wound. Possible contact with various marine life occurs during diving, fishing and food handling. Even though most fish stings are benign, some lionfish stings require urgent medical treatment.