Plaintail turkeyfish (Pterois russelii)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Perciformes · Family: Scorpaenidae · Genus: Pterois.

Accepted name: Pterois russelii · Authority: Bennett, 1831 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218082.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Pseudomonopterus kodipungi (Bleeker, 1852); Pterios russellii Bennett, 1831; Pterois geniserra Cuvier, 1829; Pterois kodipungi Bleeker, 1852; Pterois russeli Bennett, 1831; Pterois russelli Bennett, 1831; Pterois russellii Bennett, 1831.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218082 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Pterois russelii. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 30 cm · Depth range: 15–60 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 26.6 of 100 · Fishery importance: minor commercial · Aquarium trade: public aquariums.

FishBase notes: Benthic (Ref. 68964). Found on muddy substrates, from well-protected shallow estuaries to quiet, deep offshore reefs (Ref. 9710, 48635). Also found in bays and coastal waters, solitary (Ref 90102).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 6404) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Pterois-russelii.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

622 georeferenced occurrence records for Pterois russelii are published through GBIF from 29 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 218 distinct locations from a sample of 622 records, omitting 33 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Australia (370); Malaysia (33); Thailand (32); Indonesia (27); Philippines (23); China (21); India (21); Singapore (15); Chinese Taipei (15); Viet Nam (12); Mozambique (8); Bangladesh (6); Japan (6); United Arab Emirates (5); Myanmar (5).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone; Madagascar; Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone; Somali Exclusive Economic Zone; Tanzanian Exclusive Economic Zone; Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; South Africa (country).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2334447) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2334447&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218082 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Pterois russelii Bennett, 1831 as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 50903260) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/50903260/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2334447) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2334447/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Pterois russelii was first formally described in 1831 by the English naturalist Edward Turner Bennett with the type locality given as Coromandel Coast in India. Molecular studies, and some morphological data too, have indicated that this species and the luna lionfish (P. lunulata) are the same species, P. russelii.

Etymology

The specific name honours the Scottish surgeon and herpetologist Patrick Russell, who had illustrated and described, without naming, this species in 1803. Bennett, misspelt Russell's name by leaving out the final l, as Cuvier and Valenciennes did on a consistent basis.

Distribution and habitat

Pterois russelii has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution from the coast of eastern Africa as far south as South Africa. It then occurs from Oman east to Japan and Australia. It has been recorded in the Red Sea but this was only confirmed in 2016.

In Australian waters Russell's lionfish is found from the Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia around the northern tropical coasts to the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

It occurs at depths of 15 to 60 m, where it is found in areas of muddy substrate in shletered shallow estuaries, bays and coastal waters down to deeper waters in quiet offshore reefs.

Description

Pterois russelii has 13 spines and between 10 and 12 soft rays in its dorsal fin and 3 spines and 7 or 8 soft rays in its anal fin.

It has a whitish body striped vertically with reddish brown. This species has no rows of small dark spots on the soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins which are a feature of related species, and it has comparatively short dorsal-fin spines.

The maximum published standard length of Russell's lionfish is 30 cm.

Biology

Pterois russelii is a solitary species which has venom bearing spines. It feeds on smaller fishes, crabs and shrimp.

Pterois russelii is infrequently found in the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Pterois russelii — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterois_russelii (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.