Zack Jud, a marine biologist, claims that Lauren Arrington's breakthrough "discovery" about lionfish habitat is nothing but a lie.

The 13-year old Arrington was earlier reported to have discovered that venomous lionfish can survive in nearly freshwater environments. Lionfish are widely believed to live only in the salty Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Like Us on Facebook

Jud claims the girl was taking credit for research he had published three years ago. He said that his name was intentionally left out of the stories.

Jud earned his Ph.D. in biology from Florida International University. He said he published a paper, whose results claimed by Lauren Arrington as her own, back in 2011. Lauren's father, Dr. Albrey Arrington, was a co-author on that paper. 

Jud said the girl did a science fair project based on his published discovery of lionfish living in low-salinity estuarine habitats.

"My years of groundbreaking work on estuarine lionfish are being completely and intentionally ignored," he told the Washington Post.

"At this stage in my career, this type of national exposure would be invaluable if only my name was included in the stories," he added.

Jud isn't alone in debunking Arrington's claim.The Central Florida Aquarium Society compiled a list of sources  it says "immediately discredit Arrington's claim." 

Dr. Arrington said that what Jud said shocked him. He explained that just few days before, he and his daughter were good friends with Jud.

He also explained that when he told his daughter about what was happening Lauren looked at him confused and said that she thought Dr. Jud and him were friends.

Despite feeling terrible for Lauren for being caught in the mess, Jud said he came out not because of the media attention she received but because his research has been neglected.

Lauren, on the other hand, is very much aware of the controversy but decided not to talk about it.

Her father said his daughter knows that everyone who has read her story is reading Jud's paper.

Lionfish is a genus of venomous marine fish native to the Indo-Pacific. It is distinctive for its venomous fin rays. The potency of lionfish venom makes them excellent predators and poisonous to fishermen and divers.

The lionfish aggressively preys on small fish and invertebrates. Lionfish have a generally hostile attitude and are territorial towards other reef fish.