Lionfishes, within the semantic constraint of a biological genus, most plausibly refer to the genus Pterois (family Scorpaenidae), comprising marine ray-finned fishes characterized by elongated, venomous dorsal, anal, and pelvic spines and conspicuous pectoral fins. Species in this genus are demersal predators, typically inhabiting coral and rocky reefs in the Indo-Pacific, where they use cryptic coloration and slow, hovering locomotion to ambush teleost and invertebrate prey. Pterois venom, delivered via spines, contains heat-labile proteinaceous toxins that induce intense pain and systemic effects in vertebrates. Several species, notably Pterois volitans and Pterois miles, are also model organisms for invasion biology due to their rapid spread and ecological impacts in the western Atlantic and Caribbean.
Every cell carefully builds and positions thousands of proteins that allow it to sense and respond to its surroundings. Even small changes to these proteins often determine whether they work properly or are destroyed before ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 28, 2026
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6
Minor cuts and scrapes usually heal in time, but losing a finger or a whole limb? For most vertebrates, that's a done deal. Unless, of course, you've got the self-healing machinery of an axolotl.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 28, 2026
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11
Why can zebrafish regenerate damaged gut nerves while humans largely cannot? Michigan State University researchers have developed a new research tool that allows them to remove gut neurons in zebrafish and watch them regenerate ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 23, 2026
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What did the very first complex vertebrate brain look like? To find out, scientists turned to an unlikely time traveler: the lamprey, a jawless, eel-like fish whose body plan has barely changed in roughly 360 million years.
Evolution
Jun 27, 2026
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Sertraline is one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants in the world. Global sertraline sales are expected to keep growing, projected to expand from an estimated US$1.94 billion in 2025 to approximately US$3.13 billion ...
Ecology
Jun 26, 2026
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11
Even in darkness, many animals retain a sense of orientation because their nervous system sustains a memory of heading encoded by the activity of head-direction (HD) cells. Animals continuously update this internal compass ...
Evolution
Jun 23, 2026
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9
The supergiant bathynomid is a deep-sea isopod famous for surviving more than five years without food. Despite residing in an extremely low-nutrient habitat, these organisms exhibit pronounced body gigantism, a trait that ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 5, 2026
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792
Embryonic development is one of the most dynamic biological processes in nature. Cells and tissues organize and reorganize themselves following incredibly precise patterns, while remaining flexible and robust. Scientists ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 2, 2026
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9
A new advance in animal husbandry involving a popular aquarium fish should speed the pace of discovery in laboratory studies of host-microbe interactions, researchers report. The new findings by researchers from the University ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 1, 2026
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7
There is a forever chemical lurking in the world's oceans that could be fundamentally altering the biology of marine life before it even hatches. PFOS, a notorious member of the PFAS family of chemicals, is known for its ...
Plants & Animals
May 29, 2026
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