![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212028/.GettyImages_886838266.mp4.1440_0_1.jpg)
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212012/lionfish.720_0_1.png)
45centimeters(18inches) long
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212013/lots_of_fish.400_0_1.png)
Lionfishpreyonmorethan100species,andonelionfishcaneat5,000fishina year.
Theycanliveupto15yearsinthe wild.
Lionfishreproduceatarapidrate.Afemalecanproducemorethantwomillioneggsperyear.Fewpredatorsconsumetheeggsbecausetheyarefilledwithaharmfulchemical.Theeggshatchafteronlytwodays.Thebabylionfishwillbereadytoreproduceinlessthana year.
Lionfishareprotectedbyvenomousspinesattachedtotheir fins.
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212015/venomous_spines.240_0_1.jpg)
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212016/map_overlay.480_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212017/map.480_0_1.png)
presentinvasion zone
expectedinvasion zone
North
America
South
America
Pacific
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
LionfishhaveinvadedtheEastCoast,theCaribbean,andtheGulfof Mexico.
Theyareexpectedtocontinuespreadingsouthtoward Brazil.
Invasivelionfishcanseverelydamagecoral reefs.
before invasion
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212021/invasion_coralfish_before.320_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212019/invasion_coral_before.320_0_1.png)
after invasion
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212018/invasion_coral_after.480_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/212020/invasion_coralfish_after.320_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/pathfinder_march_2019/deadly_predator/979936/cloudinary_2_jane_20goodall_20id_20chimps.960_0_1.jpg)