Date of Award

4-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Levell, Samantha

Area of Concentration

Marine Biology

Abstract

Lionfish (Pterois spp.) are an invasive species in the Gulf of Mexico that originated from the Indo-Pacific. They have no natural predators within this area and are known to prey on anything they can fit into their mouths, as well as having a high fecundity rate. This thesis investigated the habitat preferences of the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on depth distribution and substrate preference. Specifically looking at quantifying depth-related patterns in lionfish abundance across shallow (< 20 m), intermediate (20–40 m), and mesophotic (>40 m) zones, assessing the influence of habitat structure, including artificial and natural habitats, on lionfish distribution, and identifying locations where lionfish densities are highest and removal efforts would be most impactful based on these qualities. Looking at data collected from FWC between 2010 and 2023, Pterois spp. were found to have an average depth of approximately 52 meters and prefer substrates with more complexity such as high-relief rock, artificial structures, and hard coral. This is most likely due to a lack of predators in the Gulf, as well as having more points to ambush their prey. In order to manage lionfish populations in the future, there should be a focus on more complex structures in the mesophotic zone in order to deplete their populations and improve local species growth.

Rights

The author has granted New College of Florida the nonexclusive right to archive, make accessible, and distribute for educational purposes this work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The copyright of this work remains with the author.

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