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Photo copyright Tim Nicholson.
Pterois volitansLionfish or Turkeyfish
Lady Bowen, Australia.
The lionfish can give an extremely painful sting from the spines on its back, which can be fatal. They live on coral reefs down to 50 m - often under ledges by day. At dusk they come out to hunt, feeding on fish and crustaceans. Relying on the distinctive colouring for protection, Lionfish are bold and easy to photograph.
This is the most common type of lionfish, apart from in the Red Sea and the Andaman Sea where it is replaced by P. miles. Colours range from pink to black.
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