The red lionfish, Pterois volitans, has beautiful red stripes, streaming fins, and a fearless disposition, and it is deadly. Native to the Pacific Ocean, the red lionfish was first discovered on coral reefs in the Bahamas in 1985. The species has spread to over 3 million square kilometers of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico from Rhode Island to Panama. Lionfish have a voracious appetite for native fish, are armed with venomous spines, produce thousands of eggs every four days, and have no natural predators in their new range.

Part A

DNA studies suggest that the lionfish invasion began with just a few females released off the coast of Florida, probably from a fish tank. Based on your knowledge of ocean currents, predict the direction in which the lionfish dispersed most quickly.

A. The North Pacific Current flows in an anticlockwise direction, so the prevailing current on the Florida coast would be north to south, and it would disperse lionfish down the coast.
B. The Equatorial Counter Current flows in an east direction, so the prevailing current on the Florida coast would be west to east, and it would disperse lionfish to the left from the coast.
C. The North Atlantic Gyre flows in a clockwise direction, so the prevailing current on the Florida coast would be south to north, and it would disperse lionfish up the coast.
D. The Labrador Current flows in an anticlockwise direction, so the prevailing current on the Florida coast would be north to south, and it would disperse lionfish down the coast.