Temporal Fluctuations and Settlement Patterns of Native and Lessepsian Herbivorous Fishes on the Lebanese Coast (Eastern Mediterranean)

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (December 2017)

“…Rabbitfishes (S. luridus and S. rivulatus) have triggered dramatic changes in community structure and in native food webs and are competing with native herbivorous fishes such as salema, Sarpa salpa (Sparidae), along the Levantine coast (Bariche et al, 2004). Due to signs of an established population of this species in the eastern Adriatic Sea (especially in the southern part), similar effects may be also expected in the near future in the Adriatic environment.…”

Fecundity and condition of successful invaders: <I>Siganus rivulatus</I> and <I>S. luridus</I> (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Siganidae) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

“…Our study assessed the fecundity values in the two species, S. rivulatus and S. luridus, that displayed a different invasive potential in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the former species being the most abundant and successful (George 1972, Bariche et al 2004. Generally speaking, it is extremely difficult to identify those biotic and abiotic variables that lead to becoming a successful invad- er.…”

“…Rabbitfishes have since established large populations in the eastern Mediterranean and have acquired considerable economic importance (Aleem 1969, George 1972, Ben-Tuvia 1985, Papaconstantinou 1990. They have triggered dramatic changes in community structure and in native food webs (Galil 2007) and are competing with native herbivorous fishes such as salema, Sarpa salpa (Sparidae), along the Levant coast (Bariche et al 2004).…”

“…Recently S. rivulatus was reported from the Adriatic (Dulčić and Pallaoro 2004) and S. luridus has settled new populations in the Sicily Channel (Azzurro and Andaloro 2004), extending northwards as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea and the French coast, near Marseilles (Castriota andAndaloro 2005, Anonymous 2008b). Due to their increasing importance in the Mediterranean Sea, various biological and ecological traits of these species have recently been studied or reviewed (Bilecenoglu and Kaya 2002, Bariche et al 2004, Bariche 2005, 2006, Azzurro et al 2006, 2007b and new information now exists on their reproduction (Lahnsteiner and Patzner 1999, Bariche et al 2003, Azzurro et al 2007a). However, little and very scattered data has been published regarding their fecundity and condition in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea (Hashem 1983, Amin 1985, Hussein 1986, Azzurro et al 2007c.…”

First substantiated record of a Lessepsian migrant—the dusky spinefoot, <I>Siganus luridus</I> (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Siganidae), in the Adriatic Sea

“…Along with its congener-Siganus rivulatus-it became very common in most coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean. It is speculated that the reason for the colonizing success of these two species is the occupation of unsaturated niche characterized by the scarcity of indigenous herbivorous fish, but also their greater adaptability and competitiveness over indigenous herbivorous salema, Sarpa salpa (L.), and partially herbivorous parrotfish, Sparisoma cretense (L.) (see Golani et al 2002, Bariche et al 2004). The westernmost S. luridus populations are reported in the north-east of Tunisia (Ktari-Chakroun and Bouhlal 1971), the island of Linosa in the Sicily Strait (Azzurro and Andaloro 2004), in Cape d'Orlando, northern Sicily (Castriota and Andaloro 2008), and in Sausset-les-pins, French coast (Daniel et al 2009).…”