Natural History Notes: Following their invasion of the northern Caribbean waters, lionfish which originated in the Indo-Pacific have found their way to Bocas del Toro. Divers including Jon Schneiderman have reported spotting lionfish in several locations around the islands, and other reports have them reaching all the way to San Blas. Lionfish have been known to exist in the Bahamas for several years and the first studies of the invaders were published around 2004 when a much larger number of the fish were discovered than what had been anticipated. These fierce predators are a threat to native populations of fish and shrimps, amongst others, which are unused to the predatory tactics used by the newcomers. Lionfish also have sharp spines which contain a poweful venom that can cause days of swelling and discomfort, even paralysis to humans. They grow to be about a foot long, and have no known predators in the Caribbean. How lionfish first got to the Caribbean is still a mystery, they may have been released from the aquarium and tropical fish trade, considering the heavy trade in lionfish for aquariums in Florida. Whatever the cause, they are now suddenly spreading fast. People have taken various measures to try to control the spread, including setting traps and inventing tasty dishes sold at restaurants, with hopes that fishermen will contribute to the effort of diminishing the population.