Florida Tech Researcher In Need of Live Lionfish

Miranda Carroll
150 W. University Blvd., Melboure, FL  32901
(808) 234-8026  /  mcarroll2012@my.fit.edu

Awareness of the detrimental impacts that invasive lionfish have on the native marine life of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean has greatly increased over the past several years, but certain aspects of their biology still remain a mystery. I am a student at the Florida Institute of Technology conducting research on the vision of lionfish for my Master’s of Science degree. I am writing because I would like your help to collect as many live lionfish as possible to continue my research.

As lionfish are found in such a large variety of habitats of varying light quality, they may be rapidly adapting their vision to their environment. Using a method similar to electrocardiography (EKG), which measures heart activity, I will use a technique that measures the electrical activity in the eyes of live lionfish in response to light.  I will determine the adaptive capabilities of lionfish vision, and use this information to predict their success in different environments and help develop appropriate management plans for their removal from their invaded range.

I’m SCUBA certified with the American Academy of Underwater Sciences and am willing to assist in their collection, to travel around Florida to take them off your hands, or pay for their shipping.

Please feel free to contact me by phone at (808) 234-8026 or by email at mcarroll2012@my.fit.edu. I would greatly appreciate any assistance that can be offered. Thank you in advance for your help including your ideas on how to accomplish this.

Above: Photo by Alexander Vasenin