The occurrence of royal flagfin Aulopus filamentosus (Bloch, 1792) in Mersin bay (North-Eastern Mediterranean) Turkey

Abstract

Three specimens (1 male and 2 females) of royal flagfinAulopus filamentosus(Bloch, 1792) were caught at a depth of 184 m off Erdemli, Mersin Bay (northeastern Mediterranean, Turkey) in June 2015. The present paper reports the first occurrence and is the confirmation of royal flagfinA. filamentosusfrom the northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. Since it has been recorded only once in the last sixty years, this species could be considered as exceptionally rare in the easternmost area of the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey.

Trypauchen vagina (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) a new established species in the Southwestern Atlantic

“…Two of the records made in the Mediterranean Sea were made next to important ports (Galil et al., 2019; Nour et al., 2021) which could also indicate a ballast water transportation; however, most of the records were made far away from major ports (Akamca et al., 2011; Çiftçi & Ayas, 2018; Ergüden et al., 2018; Siokou et al., 2013). Apart from the ballast water hypothesis of dispersion, the introduction into the Mediterranean Sea is often credited to Lessepsian migration (Spanier & Galil, 1991), it is a reasonable hypothesis since the Red Sea is connected to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal.…”

“…The occurrence records of T. vagina were obtained from multiple sources: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, https://www.gbif.org; n = 438), Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS; n = 161) and specialized literature ( n = 35; Akamca et al., 2011; Alavi‐Yeganeh et al., 2015; Al‐Daraji et al., 2017; Çiftçi & Ayas, 2018; Ergüden et al., 2018; Kachhi et al., 2020; Larson et al., 2008; Murdy, 2006; Nour et al., 2021; Salameh et al., 2010; Siokou et al., 2013; Thakkar et al., 2018; Trevisan et al., 2022; Figure 3). These records were analysed in conjunction with new records to assess environmental suitability.…”

“…The records in Brazil were not the first outside the original range of occurrence for the species. It has been reported from Israel (Galil et al., 2019; Salameh et al., 2010), Turkey (Akamca et al., 2011; Çiftçi & Ayas, 2018; Ergüden et al., 2018; Siokou et al., 2013) and Egypt (Nour et al., 2021), all records safely identified as T . vagina .…”

“…Trypauchen vagina is considered an estuarine animal with amphidromous behaviour (Riede, 2004). However, it has been commonly found living in marine environments (Çiftçi & Ayas, 2018; Ergüden et al., 2018; Nour et al., 2021; Salameh et al., 2010), being even reported as food source for marine pelagic fishes (Kutty, 1962), which suggests a wide habitat plasticity. In addition, some studies claim that it lives inside of a self‐dug hole rarely leaving (Reide, 2004), while others affirm that it only buries itself seeking for shelter and leaves during the night to hunt (Nayar, 1951).…”