North Carolina trip pics

Hi Bob,

The main different between the 2 species according to what you wrote in this thread and in your articles are:

Pterois Miles:

-Has no Papillae or antenna.

-More active during daylight.

-More linear lines.

Pterois Volitans:

-Has Papillae.

-More intricate facial markings.

The different in the line pattern I can hardly see.

I looked in fishbase and went more confused, in both species photo pages there are few with antennas and few without:

Valitans

Miles

So how do I know what species I see?

Check out also the differences in the pectoral skirt patterns, they differ also, and body girth - There is another common species similar to volitans the name of which escapes me. Papillae, I'll stand by that.

This is an interesting debate and I hope it will continue until we are all satisfied!!!

I will however, move the thred into the Galley where it now belongs.

I first read about lionfish being spotted in the Atlantic about a year ago. I hope that some eventually find their way into the Caribbean.

Mind if I ask why you hope this happens? Seems to me that introducing a foreign species into a new ocean might have negative consequences in addition to the obvious positive consequence of not having to fly so far to photograph one . . .

The migration of species to wherever is happening on a almost daily basis where there are interconnecting water ways such the Panama Canal, Suez Canal or even fry sucked in and spat out of ship cooling systems and ballast tanks. It was inevitable that species as hardy as Lionfish would begin to populate new areas sooner or later. After all, their cousins the scorpionfish can tolerate waters below 4 degrees C.

Alto: I checked over that web link, is it my eyes or are there 5 or 6 different species of volitans???

After reading all of the post and again looking at my lionfish pictures from NC, I am wondering if there are 2 different species there. The first picture I posted has antenae. Is this Volitans? The next 3 seem to be Miles but I question the first shot.

Thanks for differentiating the flamingo tongue and McGinty's cyphoma. I have a picture of McGinty's cyphoma with the shell exposed.

I checked over that web link, is it my eyes or are there 5 or 6 different species of volitans??? 

Its looks like every photo there is different specie

Is it mandatory that lionfish with antenna it's Volitans and without it it's Miles ?

Arnon

I think your first shot is neither Miles or Volitans - It is the third species I cannot remember the name of...

Sorry to join in so late in the conversation. Shark Diver just did an expedition at Morehead City for sand tiger sharks. We got plenty of footage and I've posted some pic here:

http://www.sharkdivermag.com/images/north_...thcarolina.html

DVD set to come out in the fall.

We saw plenty of sharks at both the Caribsea and the Papoose. But I would have liked to have seen some lionfish.

Just took a dive trip to Morehead City, NC. Had fantastic weather and great diving. Went diving 7 days in a row. Must be a record in NC.

Let me know what you think.

 

 

Can you believe we now have lion fish in the Atlantic? This was taken on the wreck of the Naeco in 140 ft of water. This is the 3rd year I personally have seen them there. They seem to be doing well. I saw 6 in the limited amount of time I had on the wreck. They are now featured in the Aquarium in NC. (where you can see another of my lionfish pictures).

 

DivinDiva,

Are you still photographing McGinty's Cyphoma on your NC wrecks?

Thanks, AnneDiver