Also known as zebra lionfish, the venomous beauties Dendrochirus zebra have spines that, at certain angles, resemble the tails of turkeys, hence earning their nickname. “Zebra Turkeyfish” are native to the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific, and have 13 spines along their backs. These fish are generally peaceful and slow-moving, and spend a great deal of time hiding. They were historically known to be solitary animals, but have recently been observed hunting in groups of two or three, herding their prey into inescapable areas and flaring their spines to create a barrier to escape. This group hunting behavior has also been observed in many other species of lionfish, who we have published about in the past. You can read more about all of them HERE

PS. Fun fact: all lionfish are immune from each others’ venom!