Piscis non grata in the Mediterranean Sea: Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828)

Abstract

Pterois miles is currently considered a marine invader, especially in the western Atlantic where the species has been introduced in the middle of 1980's, at about the same time the species first appeared in the eastern Mediterranean. West Atlantic experience and the relevant literature told us that 'a P. miles invasion has begun in the Mediterranean'. Here, the research is presented providing important integrating data from the invasion by the same species in the Atlantic, the current status and historical distribution of P. miles in the Mediterranean with a northernmost occurrence of the species from the Aegean Sea (off Didim coast, Turkey).

Occurrence of lionfish, Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) in the coast of Aegean Sea (Turkey): The northernmost dispersal record

“…And over the last years, the species has expanded towards the northeast Aegean Sea. Up to the present, a northernmost occurrence of the species from the Didim coast off Turkey (Yapıcı, 2018). This ichthyologic note presents the northernmost record, updating our present knowledge on the distribution of Lessepsian P. miles for the Aegean Sea.…”

“…However, Özgür-Özbek et al (2017) reported that the P. miles continued feeding in low winter temperature (14.9°C) in the Mediterranean Sea. Although most recordings were obtained in the summer, seawater temperatures ranged from 14.3°C to 29.0°C (Yapıcı, 2018). In this study, the individual was observed in the period when the water temperature was high.…”

“…In their original habitats, they occur along coral reefs and rocky shores down to depth of 50 m (Froese and Pauly, 2019). All records from various parts of the Mediterranean Sea report this species generally from depths of 2-110 m (Bariche et al, 2013;Oray et al, 2015;Kletou et al, 2016;Bilge et al, 2017;Yapıcı, 2018). Characteristics such as location, date, total length, observation method, habitat type and depth were obtained from peer-viewed publications to examine the journey of the species in the Mediterranean Sea (Figure 2; Table .2).…”

Maximum length record and some biological characters of devil firefish Pterois miles Bennett, 1828 for Aegean Sea, Turkey

“…The probable results of the invasion are habitat and ecosystem destruction due to their potential to directly consume or outcompete native species. Although the introduction of the species to the Mediterranean is still scarce (aquarium release, ballast water transfer, Atlantic based dispersal or passage through the Suez Canal) (Yapıcı, 2018), observations of established populations with juvenile individuals in the Mediterranean Sea is a strong proof of colonization .…”

Türkiye kıyılarında aslan balığı zehirlenmesinin etkileri, farkındalığı ve yönetimi

“…The movement of lionfish into the Mediterranean Sea is considered to have most likely occurred via the Suez Canal, although their release from aquaria cannot be excluded (Al Mabruk and Rizgalla, 2019).The devil firefish P. miles was recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea at Haifa Bay in 1991 and later the devil firefish P. miles were reported from Lebanon coast and Cyprus coast and then sighted in Turkey, Rhodes in Greece (Golani and Sonin, 1992;Bariche et al, 2013;Turan et al, 2014;Crocetta et al, 2015;Özgül, 2020). The invasion of the species has spread from the southern coast of Turkey towards the Aegean Sea (Özgül, 2020;Turan and Öztürk, 2015;Yağlıoğlu and Ayas, 2016;Turan et al 2017;Bilge et al 2017;Yapıcı, 2018). It is also reported in Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Tunisia, Italy, Libya, and Croatia (Al Mabruk and Rizgalla, 2019;Jimenez et al, 2016;Dailianis et al, 2016;Azzurro et al, 2017;Dragičević et al, 2021).…”