Shortfin Lionfish

Photo: Ian Banks · CC BY-NC

This smaller, macro-sized cousin of the common lionfish is a specialist ambush predator that hunts by corralling small shrimp and fish into crevices using its fan-shaped pectoral fins. It is far less conspicuous than its larger relatives, often sitting half-concealed under coral ledges and achievable only by a careful search of the reef's undersides. Macro photographers rate it among the most rewarding subjects on Abu Dhabi reefs for its intricate fin patterning and cooperative stationary posture.