# Red lionfish (*Pterois volitans*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/red-lionfish  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a bony fish in the family Scorpaenidae, subfamily Pteroinae. It belongs to the order Perciformes, suborder Scorpaenoidei, and the class Teleostei. The red lionfish is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is not an IUCN threatened category. Other English names for this fish include Lionfish, Firefish, Zebrafish, Turkeyfish and Turkey-fish.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | up to 47 cm |
| Lifespan | 10 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | coral_reef |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Perciformes
- family: Scorpaenidae
- genus: Pterois
- species: *Pterois volitans* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Brachirus zebra*, *Gasterosteus volitans*, *Pterois zebra*, *Scorpaena volitans*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the red lionfish?

The red lionfish is a bony fish in the family Scorpaenidae and the order Perciformes.

### What is the scientific name of the red lionfish?

The scientific name of the red lionfish is Pterois volitans, in the genus Pterois.

### Who named the red lionfish and when?

The scientific name authority for Pterois volitans is (Linnaeus, 1758).

### Is the red lionfish endangered?

No. The red lionfish is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is not an IUCN threatened category.

### What other names does the red lionfish have?

Other English names for the red lionfish are Lionfish, Firefish, Zebrafish, Turkeyfish and Turkey-fish.

### What family does the red lionfish belong to?

The red lionfish belongs to the family Scorpaenidae and the subfamily Pteroinae.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Red lionfish (Pterois volitans). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/red-lionfish