Dissections and sampling were performed of the gills, external surface, and gastrointestinal tract of lionfish and several ecologically similar species at each location, focusing on macroparasitic fauna (trematodes, cestodes, nematodes, monogeneans, copepods, etc.).

Description of values in 'parasite' column:
gut_digenean = dignean parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
gut_cestode = cestode parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
gut_nematode = nematode parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
gut_didymozoid = didymozoid parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
gut_acanthocephalan = acanthocephalan parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
gut_metazoan = metazoan parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
gut_other = all other (unidentified) parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of the host.
heart_didymozoid = didymozoid parasites found in the host heart.
gill_monogenean = monogenean parasites found in the anterior two gill arches of each side of the host.
gill_copepod = copepod parasites found in the anterior two gill arches of each side of the host.
gill_isopod = isopod parasites found in the anterior two gill arches of each side of the host.
gill_other = all other (unidentified) parasites found in the anterior two gill arches of each side of the host.
skin_didymozoid = didymozoid parasites found on the external surface of the host, as sampled by a freshwater bath in the ectoparasites dislodge via osmotic pressure.
skin_monogenean = monogenean parasites found on the external surface of the host, as sampled by a freshwater bath in the ectoparasites dislodge via osmotic pressure.
skin_copepod = copepod parasites found on the external surface of the host, as sampled by a freshwater bath in the ectoparasites dislodge via osmotic pressure.
skin_isopod = isopod parasites found on the external surface of the host, as sampled by a freshwater bath in the ectoparasites dislodge via osmotic pressure.
skin_other = all other (unidentified) parasites found on the external surface of the host, as sampled by a freshwater bath in the ectoparasites dislodge via osmotic pressure.