Habitat and diet of lionfish in the northern Gulf
Habitat-specific density and diet of rapidly expanding invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans, populations in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Invasive lionfish were first reported in the Gulf of Mexico in the summer of 2010. Their density and size distributions were examined from the fall of 2010 to 2013 to examine their potential impacts on native fish communities. During the sampling period, lionfish populations increased exponentially. Lionfish density at artificial reef locations was two orders of magnitude higher than at natural reef sites. Their diet varied among habitats, seasons, and size classes. Results indicate that lionfish are mesopredators in the northern Gulf becoming more piscivorous at larger sizes. Their diet was more varied at the artificial reef sites where they were foraging on open substrates away from the reef structures. The study has implications for tracking lionfish invasions in the nGoM as well as estimating their impacts on native reef fish communities.
