Pterois antennata

Geographic Range

Broadbarred firefish (Bloch, 1787) are found in the Indo-West Pacific region. This species ranges from east Africa to the Marquesan and Mangaréva islands and from northern Japan to Queensland, Australia, and can also be found in the waters surrounding the Kermadec and Austral islands.

• Biogeographic Regions
• indian ocean
  • native native
• pacific ocean pacific ocean
  • native native

Habitat

Broadbarred firefish are inhabitants of near and offshore coral and rocky reefs to depths of 50 meters. This species displays an obvious preference for sheltering under ledges or in caves and crevices by day, coming out to hunt over the reef at night.

• Habitat Regions
• tropical tropical
• saltwater or marine saltwater or marine

• Aquatic Biomes
• reef reef
• coastal coastal

Physical Description

Broadbarred firefish show the typical morphology of members of the genus Pterois , with a laterally compressed, somewhat deep body and elaborate dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins. The first dorsal fin contains 12 to 13 spines, the second contains 11 to 12 soft rays, the anal fin is composed of 3 spines followed by 6 soft anal rays, and the pectoral fin contains 17 unbranched, soft rays. Teeth are numerous and very small, occurring on the upper and lower jaws in densely packed bilateral clusters and in a small patch on the anterior roof of the mouth. Coloration varies between individuals, but is typically reddish to tan with many dark vertical bars on the body, with the interradial membranes of the pectorial fins containing multiple scattered, dark-colored spots. Adults also have bluish black blotches near the bases of their pectoral fins. There is no difference in color pattern between sexes. Juveniles have structures called supraorbital tentacles located above their eyes (which may persist into adulthood) that show differences in shape and color between Pterois species. In broadbarred firefish, these tentacles are black, with brown bars.

• Other Physical Features
• ectothermic ectothermic
• heterothermic heterothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry
• venomous venomous

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes alike

Development

In Pterois species, early embryo formation is evident approximately twelve hours after fertilization. The head and eyes become moderately developed about 18 hours post-fertilization. Eventually, invading microbes deteriorate the mucus wall of the egg capsule, and 36 hours after fertilization, the larvae hatch. Broadbarred firefish larvae, like those of many reef fishes, are planktonic and invest most of their energy in growth early in life. Four days after egg fertilization, the larvae are already good swimmers and are able to feed on small ciliates. Larvae settle out of the water column after approximately 25 to 40 days, at a length of 10-12 mm.

Reproduction

Information regarding specifics of the mating system of broadbarred firefish is currently unavailable. Pterois species are generally solitary, but form spawning aggregations. When preparing to spawn, males become darker and more uniformly colored, as their stripes become less apparent. Females with ripening eggs become paler and their belly, pharyngeal region, and mouth become silvery white. As a result, the females are easier for the males to detect visually. Courtship behavior begins at dusk and is always initiated by the males. After a male selects a mate by visual indicators, he circles the female. After circling several times, the male then ascends to the water surface followed by the female. The two may descend and ascend several times before they spawn. On the final ascent, the male and female will swim around just beneath the surface of the water while the female releases her egg masses. Mating is promiscuous, with one male usually spawning with several females.

Breeding Pterois males are particularly aggressive, especially when a competitor invades the territory of a male courting his female. The aggressive male will approach the intruder and spread his pectoral fins, swimming back and forth in front of the intruder with his head pointed down, pointing the venomous dorsal spines forward. If this display does not deter the challenging male, the aggressive male shakes its head prior to charging the intruder in an attempt to bite the intruder's head. This may result in the intruder having parts of its mouth torn off, and the aggressor may become impaled on the spines of the intruder.

• Mating System
• polygynous polygynous
• polygynandrous (promiscuous) polygynandrous (promiscuous)

Although information regarding specific reproductive behaviors in broadbarred firefish is not available, general reproductive behaviors have been found to be fairly similar between other Pterois species. Spawning appears to occur year-round. Fertilization is external, with the female releasing egg masses containing up to 15,000 individual eggs. These masses are comprised of two hollow mucus tubes, which float just below the surface. Within 15 minutes, the tubes absorb seawater and become oval balls 2-5 cm in diameter. As the female spawns, the male releases sperm, which penetrates the mucus balls and fertilizes the eggs within. Fertilized eggs usually hatch within 36 hours.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• year-round breeding year-round breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• fertilization fertilization
  • external external
• oviparous oviparous

As broadcast spawners, broadbarred firefish provide no parental investment beyond the nutrients that females provide via the yolks of their eggs.

• Parental Investment
• no parental involvement
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

Information regarding the lifespan of broadbarred firefish in the wild and in captivity is currently unavailable.

Behavior

Broadbarred firefish are nocturnal fishes that swim by slowly undulating their soft dorsal and anal fins. Although most of the lionfish’s feeding occurs within the first hour of the night, it will remain active and out in the open until daylight. Once daylight occurs, individuals retreat within the shelter of coral and rocks. In these areas the species exhibits a nearly motionless posture, with the head tilted slightly downward, with the venomous dorsal spines pointing towards the entrance of the crevice. This species congregates in small schools as juveniles and while mating. However, they are solitary for the majority of their adult life.

• Key Behaviors
• natatorial natatorial
• nocturnal nocturnal
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• solitary solitary
• territorial territorial

Home Range

Broadbarred firefish do not stray far from the areas closely surrounding the coral, rock outcroppings and caves they use as shelters. Home range may be several square meters in area. They will fiercely defend these areas against conspecifics and congeners using their venomous dorsal spines. Male lionfish are more aggressive than females.

Communication and Perception

Communication appears to occur mainly via visual cues. If a male encounters another male during foraging, the more aggressive male will turn a darker color and point its venomous, spiny dorsal fins at the other individual. The less dominant lionfish will usually fold down its pectoral fins and swim away.

Like other bony fish, lionfish possess sensory structures to perceive vibrations and pressure (the lateral line), chemicals (nares), and eyes that may distinguish polarized light.

• Communication Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile

• Other Communication Modes
• vibrations vibrations

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• polarized light polarized light
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• vibrations vibrations
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Broadbarred firefish are important predators in many coral reef environments, feeding mostly on crustaceans, as well as other invertebrates, and small fishes, including juveniles of their own species. They are known to feed on juveniles of many commercially fished species, like Lutjanus campechanus (red snapper), Plectropomus leopardus (coral trout), and Stenopus hispidus (banded coral shrimp). This species consumes an average of 8.2 times its body weight (up to 45 kg of prey) per year. As juveniles, they consume 5.5 to 13.5 g per day and 14.6 g per day as adults.

Broadbarred firefish are skilled hunters, using specialized bilateral swim bladder muscles to provide precise control of their position in the water column, allowing a fish to adjust its center of gravity to better attack its prey. When they stalk their prey, they raise their pectoral fins in a shielding fashion. This display, along with the body coloration of this species, decreases the visibility of the firefish to potential prey, blending its body outline into the irregular background patterns of coral branches, feather stars, and sea urchin spines. The firefish attacks with one swift gulping motion, sucking the prey into its mouth.

• Primary Diet
• carnivore carnivore
  • piscivore piscivore
  • eats non-insect arthropods

• Animal Foods
• fish
• aquatic crustaceans
• other marine invertebrates

Predation

Anti-predator adaptations of broadbarred firefish include aposematic coloration, motionless/still behavior during daylight hours, and venomous glandular tissue that produces painful toxins sheathing the dorsal, pelvic, and anal spines.

• Anti-predator Adaptations
• aposematic aposematic

Ecosystem Roles

Pterois species are important secondary and tertiary consumers in coral reef ecosystems.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Although broadbarred firefish are valued as food in many parts of its native range, its economic benefit to humans as a staple of the trade in aquarium fishes far exceeds its value as table fare. This species also plays a role in tourism, as recreational divers in areas where broadbarred firefish are found count this species among the many attractions of diving over a tropical coral reef.

• Positive Impacts
• pet trade pet trade
• food food
• ecotourism ecotourism

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Two of the 15 currently recognized Pterois species ( Pterois volitans and Pterois miles ) have established themselves as significant invasive species. Although eradication of these exotic species is desired, the fact that members of this genus are able to reproduce monthly throughout the entire year means that in order to successfully remove the species, monthly control efforts must be undertaken to ensure population control. Research suggests that invasive lionfish are already having substantial negative impacts on Atlantic coral reefs, causing significant reductions in the recruitment of native fishes. Furthermore, these species are aggressive towards humans and should be treated with caution at all times. Worldwide, scorpionfishes (a taxonomic order that includes Pterois species) rank second only to stingrays in total number of human envenomations by fish species. Puncture wounds from Pterois species' spines can cause extreme pain, potentially lasting for days, accompanied by sweating and respiratory depression. Experimental evidence suggests that stonefish ( Synanceia verrucosa ) antivenom has some detoxifying effect on lionfish venom.

• Negative Impacts
• injures humans
  • bites or stings
  • venomous venomous

Conservation Status

Broadbarred firefish are not currently listed as threatened or endangered. However, continued degradation of coral reefs is expected to reduce populations of many of the fish and crustaceans that they feed on. If they are unable to exploit alternate food sources, their populations may also decrease. Although broadbarred firefish are widely distributed, the status of their various populations should be monitored. Additional genetic research may reveal that this widely distributed species is in fact a species complex awaiting further scientific description.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Padgette' Steer (author), San Diego Mesa College, Paul Detwiler (editor), San Diego Mesa College, Jeremy Wright (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

References

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