IMMIGRATION OF FISHES THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL!

ADAM BEN·TuVIA2

ABSTRACT

The number of Red Sea fishes found in the eastern Mediterranean amounts to 36 species. Twelve immigrants, namely: Spratelloides delicatulus, Herklotsichthys punctatus, Tylosurus choram, Sebas­ tapistes nuchalis, Epinephelus tauvina, Autisthes puta, Pelates quadrilineatus, Silago sihama, Rhon­ sicus stridens, Crenidens crenidens, Rastrelligerkanagurta, Scomberomorus commerson, were found in the last 12 yr. The southward migration, from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea is almost negligible. Only Liza aurata, Dicentrarchus punctatus, and perhaps Carcharhinus plumbeus can be regarded as Mediterranean immigrants.

In studying the immigration offishes through the and Smith 1971; Ben-Tuvia 1971a, 1973; Por Suez Canal, three zooecological areas must be 1971a, b). taken into consideration: 1) the northern Red Sea; Thirty-six Red Sea or cosmopolitan species can 2) the eastern Mediterranean; and 3) the Suez be regarded as Suez Canal immigrants. Twelve of Canal itself in which many marine animals from them were found within the last 12 yr. Evidently, the two neighboring areas have found a perma­ immigration is a continuous process, and over nent habitat (Steinitz 1968). time the probability of suitable species of fishes Theprevailinghydrographic conditions differ in entering the Suez Canal and colonizing the new these three areas, although the salinities and region increases. Time also plays an essential role summer temperatures are to some extent similar in the biological processes of adaptation of the (Morcos 1967, 1970; El-Saby 1968; Oren 1970; species to the modified conditions of life. More Oren and Hornung 1972). Temperature and salin­ resistant species, endowed with greater plasticity ity are the main abiotic factors influencing the ofgenetic characters, canform local "races" within distribution of organisms over large zoogeo­ a few generations by natural selection in the new graphical areas. Often they also have a decisive environment (Kosswig 1974). But first they need a influence on the ecological distribution of species firm foothold on the other side of the Canal, geo­ in various biotopes of an area. graphically close to the parental stock and in The process of immigration is highly selective. places where conditions are not drastically dif­ Common species ofthehome seas are not necessar­ ferent from their normal habitat. ily successful immigrants in a new region. Similar Recently I had an opportunity to collect samples effects have been shown to occur in many forms of from the GulfofSuez (Ben-Tuvia and Grofit 1973), colonization (MacArthur and Wilson 1967). The Suez Canal (Steinitz and Ben-Tuvia 1972), and adaptation of a species to a new area requires Bardawil Lagoon (Ben-Tuvia 1975a) which re­ adjustment of its reproductive processes, espe­ vealed interesting data on the distribution of im­ cially with regard to the correct timing ofspawn­ migrants. Many ofthe species which havesuccess­ ingin orderto ensuresuitable physical and ecolog­ fully colonized the easternMediterranean, suchas ical conditionsfor the development and survival of Saurida undosquamis, Leiognathus klunzingeri, the young stages. Upeneus moluccensis, and U. asymmetricus, and It is evident that the direction ofimmigration is which are abundant there, are also dominant mainly from the Red Sea into the Mediterranean species on the trawling grounds ofthe GulfofSuez. (Figure 1). The possible causes of such one way High percentage of Red Sea fishes found in the immigrationhave been discussed elsewhere (Aron hypersaline Bardawil Lagoon on the northern coast of Sinai indicates that it may serve as a lThis paper was read at the 17th International Zoological CongreBB in Monte Carlo, 25-30 September 1972; some changes stepping stone in the immigration of Red Sea were introduced to include more recent information on immi­ fishes into the Mediterranean, especially ifwe re­ grants. 2Department of Zoology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, gard it as a part ofthe system oflakes and lagoons Jerusalem, Israel. of the Isthmus of Suez (Por 1971a). Among 55

Manuscript accepted June 1977. 249 FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 76. NO.1. 1978. zoo 0' '0' '0'

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1iJ ff 10· 10· gj :a FIGURE 1.-DistributionofRed Sea fishes in the Mediterranean Sea: coast ofIsrael andSinai with 34 species; coast ofLebanon with 27 species; Aegean Sea with 9 species. -< Numbers in circles refer to the following fishes: 1. Signaus luridus, 2. S. riuulatus, 3. Stephanolepis diaspros, 4. Leiognathus klunzingeri, 5. Pranesus piTllfuis, and c:til 6. Pare:wcoetus mento. t"' t"' ~ < 0 !'"'... ?' Z P BEN·TUVIA: IMMIGRATION OF FISHES species collected in Bardawil Lagoon, 14 species Spratelloides delicatulus (Bennet) 51 mm longwas (25.5%) are Red Sea immigrants in comparison collected with rotenone on 4 June 1973 in a shal­ with about 11% estimated for all the fishes col­ low bay about 3 km south of Atlit (Ben-Tuvia, lected in the eastern Mediterranean (Ben-Tuvia unpubl. data). The occurrence ofCrenidens creni­ 1971b). dens and A utisthes puta is restricted to the hyper­ The following Red Sea immigrants were col­ saline Bardawil Lagoon. lected in Bardawil Lagoon: Hemiramphus far, It is ofinterest to note that some ofthe Red Sea Aphanius dispar, Atule djeddaba, Pelates quad­ immigrants have been found in recent years in rilineatus, Leiognathus klunzingeri, Upeneus new localities west ofLevant(Figure 1); Stephano­ moluccensis, Crenidens crenidens, Liza carinata; lepis diaspros in the Gulf of Taranto, south Italy Pranesus pinguis, Siganus luridus, S. rivulatus, and Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia (Tortonese 1967); Sphaeroides spadiceus, and recently Herklot­ Siganus rivulatus off Tobrouk, Libya (Tortonese sichthys punctatus and Autisthes puta. 1970). In addition to the Red Sea immigrants, four With the exception of perhaps two fishes, cosmopolitan species were also found in Bardawil Saurida undosquamis and Siganus luridus, very Lagoon: namely, Sardinella aurita, Lobotes little information is available on the rate of in­ surinamensis, Mugil cephalus, and Echeneis nau­ creaseofthe immigrantpopulation andthe ecolog­ crates. ical influence of their appearance in the new re­ gion. The first Mediterranean specimen of RED SEA FISHES IN Saurida undosquamis, 145 mm standard length, THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA was collected in Haifa Bay, by a trawler, in De­ cember 1952. Additional specimens (160-171 mm) In my previous summary of the immigration of were collected in Haifa in February 1953. Accord­ Red Seafishes into the Mediterranean (Ben-Tuvia ing to my observations in August 1953, taken on 1966), 24 species were listed; 12 additional immi­ the deck of a commercial trawler, this fish was grants were since found, most of them are rare fairly common in the Gaza-El'Arish area, and fishes at this time. Their names, distribution, and 10-20 specimens were usually caughtineach haul. the maximum size observed in the Mediterranean There is also some information on the trawling Seaare given inTable 1. As yet, only one specimen activities in the Gulfoflskenderun and Mersin on of Tylosurus choram (Collette and Parin 1970), the Anatolian coast of Turkey. In August 1952, I Rastrelliger kanagurta (Collette 1970), Sebas­ participated in a commercial trawling cruise to tapistes nuchalis (Froiland 1972), and Silago the Gulf of Mersin between Karadash-Burnuun sihama (Mouneimne 1977) have been reported and Bagase, during which no Saurida undosqua­ from the eastern Mediterranean. mis were collected. But in 1956, this fish was Froiland (1972), who studied scorpaenids from common on the same trawling grounds and fished Cyprus in the collection ofthe Hebrew University in commercial quantities. According to catch data, Zoological Museum, reported one specimen of S. undosquamis started to appear in commercial Sebastapistes nuchalis (Gunther) 58 mm long. quantities in the year 1955, first on the southern This species is known from the Indo-Pacific, in­ fishing grounds (EI'Arish to Tel Aviv) and towards cluding East Africa, but no records are available the end of the same year and especially during from the Red Sea, Suez Canal, and other localities 1956 also on the northern fishing grounds such as in the eastern Mediterranean besides Cyprus. Haifa Bay, and even in the GulfofIskendrun and Froiland assumed that this scorpaenid "migrated Mersin (Ben-Yami 1955; Oren 1957). through the Suez Canal." Itis worthwhile noticing thatno specimensofS. Epinephelus tauvina (Ben-Tuvia and Lourie undosquamis were found before December 1952, 1969), Pelates quadirilineatus (Lourie and Ben­ although Mediterranean fishes were collected in Tuvia 1971), and Scomberomorus commerson Israel during earlier years by the staff of the Sea (George and Athanassiou 1965) were collected on Fisheries Research Station, Haifa, and by scien­ several occasions and do not seem to be very rare. tists of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Herklotsichthys punctatus and Rhonciscus stri­ No less interesting is the sudden appearance of dens have been found recently in the eastern Siganus luridus (Ben-Tuvia 1964). Not a single Mediterranean at several localities (Ben-Tuvia specimen was found before February 1955,inspite 1967, 1977; Mouneimne 1977). One specimen of of extensive collecting activities in Israel during 251 FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 76, NO. I

TABLE I.-Data on Red Sea fishes found in the Mediterranean.

Occurrence in Geographical distribution eastern Ecological SL1 Indo- Red Suez Species Mediterranean distribution (mm) Pacific Sea Canal Mediterranean' Garcharhinus brevipinna Common Inshore-pelagic 1,200 + + Israel Himantura uarnak Common Demersal '1.200 + + + Anatolia Dussumieria acuta Very common Inshore-pelagic 155 + + + Anatolia Herklotsichthys punctatus Rare Inshore-pelagic 76 + + + Lebanon Etrumeus teres Single record Inshore-pelagic 170 + + Israel Spratel/oides de/icawlus Single record Inshore-pelagic 51 + + + Israel Saurida undosquamis Very common Demersal 335 + + + Anatolia Paraexocoetus menta Common Pelagic 111 + + Aegean Sea; Gulf of Sidra Hemiramphus far Common Inshore-pelagic 340 + + + Aegean Sea Tylosurus choram Single record Inshore-pelagic + + + Lebanon Aphanius dispar Gammon Sublittoral 46 +4 + + Israel Pranesus pinguis Very common Inshore-pelagic 120 + + + Anatolia; Libya Holocentrus ruber Common Inshore-pelagic 177 + + Aegean Sea Sebastapistes nuchalis Single record SUblittoral 58 + Cyprus Plalycephalus indicus Rare Demersal 550 + + + Lebanon Epinephelus tauvine Rare Demersal 790 + + + Israel Autisthes puta Rare Sublittoral 133 + + Bardawil Lagoon Pe/ates quadri/ineatus Rare Demersal 116 + + Lebanon Apogonichthyoides nigripinnis Common Sublittoral 77 + + + Lebanon Silago sihama Single record Sublittoral 115 + + Lebanon Atule djeddaba Very common InShore-pelagic 230 + + + Lebanon Leiognathus klunzingeri Very common Demersal 77 + + + Aegean Sea; Lampedusa Rhonciscus str/dens Rare Demersal 128 + + + Lebanon Upeneus asymmetricus Common Demersal 140 + + + Anatolia Upeneus moJuccensis Very common Demersal 170 + + + Aegean Sea Grenidens crenidens Rare Demersal 150 + + + Bardawil Lagoon Uza carinata Rare Inshore-pelagic 128 + + + Egypt; Israel Sphyraena chrysotaenia Very common Inshore-pelagic 225 + + + Anatolia Cal/ionymus filamentosus Common Demersal 110 + + + Lebanon Siganus luridus Common SUblittoral 215 + Aegean Sea; Tunisia Siganus rivulatus Very common Sublittoral 223 + + + Aegean Sea; Ubiya RastrelKger kanagurta Single record Pelagic 215 + + Israel Scomberomorus commerson Rare Pelagic 460 + + Lebanon DoJlfusichthys sinusarabici Common Demersal 110 + + Lebanon Stephenoiepis diaspros Common Demersal 124 +' + + Aegean Sea; south Italy; Tunisia Sphaeroides spadiceus Rare Demersal 245 + + + Aegean Sea

1Maximum length observed in Mediterranean. 'Farthest point of distribution. 'Length of disc. 41ndian Ocean only. 'Persian Gulf only. the preceding years. Then the fish suddenly ap­ It is a common feature of invading organisms peared to be fairly common along the whole that after an initial period ofsuccessful adaptation Mediterranean coast of Israel, although it re­ to the new and basically favorable environment, mained inferior in numbers to a previous Red Sea they may suddenly increase in number and spread immigrant, S. rivulatus. Recent observations and to adjacent areas (Elton 1958). Various factors reports show that S. luridus spread rapidly in the such as decrease in salinities of the Bitter Lakes Mediterranean towards the west and north. It is and cessation ofthe Nile flood after the completion common in Lebanon (George and Athanassiou of the Aswan Dam may facilitate the passage or 1967), Cyprus, Rhodes, and has even reached dispersion ofRed Sea species. There is speculation Tunisia (Ktari-Chakroun and Bouhlal 1971), a that this immigration was also favored by a series distance of more than 1,000 n.mi. from the Suez of warm years (Oren 1956; Ben-Yami and Glaser Canal. 1974). 252 BEN·TUVIA: IMMIGRATION OF FISHES MEDITERRANEAN FISHES IN was collected on 6 August 1971 in Dahab, Gulf of THE RED SEA Aqaba; the second specimen, a gravid female, 1,764 mm was collected on October 1975 in Ras The occurrence in the Red Sea of the two Muhammad at the entrance to the Gulf of Suez Atlanto-Mediterranean and one cosmopolitan (Baranes and Ben-Tuvia in press). Five additional species (Table 2) is assumedtobethe resultofSuez specimens varying in length between 1,500 and Canal migration. The discovery ofDicentrarchus 1,800 mm have been found very recently in the punctatus in the lagoon of EI Bilaiyim, situated same region (unpubl. data). Carcharhinus plum­ about 180 km south of the entrance to the Suez beus (known also under the name ofC. milberti) is Canal (Ben-Tuvia 1971a), is one of the few indis­ common on both sides of the Atlantic and is well putable evidences of the immigration of a known inthe Mediterranean Sea (Tortonese 1956; Mediterranean fish into the Gulf of Suez. How­ Ben-Tuvia 1971b; Compagno 1973). The recent ever, we have to bear in mind that the conditions of appearance of the sandbar shark in the northern EI Bilaiyim differ considerably from those of the Red Sea could be due to immigration through the Gulfproper. Salinities are much higher (50-60%0 Suez Canal although the possibility ofpenetration according to measurements taken in June 1968) from the western Indian Ocean should not be and most probably the seasonal and diurnal fluc­ excluded. tuations are greater than those of surrounding Special consideration should be given to Ser­ waters. Inthis particularbiotope, less competition ranus cabrilla, which is common in all parts ofthe is expected than in the open coastal waters. Dicen­ Mediterranean, in the Suez Canal, and also in the trarchus punctatus is known to inhabit the Bar­ Red Sea. However, it cannot be regarded as an dawil Lagoon on the northern (Mediterranean) example ofSuez Canal immigration, since a 17-cm coast ofSinai, where salinities may reach 80%0. It long specimen was collected by Hemprich and was noted already by Tillier (1902) that this fish Ehrenberg in the Red Sea before the completion of was common in the Suez Canal and reached its the Canal (Klunzinger 1884). According to my ob­ southern entrance. Evidently, it settled in the servations in September 1970, S. cabrilla is com­ Canal soon after its opening. mon in the northern part of the Gulf of Suez. In­ A taxonomic study of Red Sea mugilids (Ben­ dividuals were easily observed on sandy patches Tuvia 1975b) revealed that another Mediterra­ between coral heads and rocks in the shallow coast­ nean immigrant, Liza aurata is common in the al waters offRas Masalla and Ras Sudar. A total of northern Red Sea. An earlier record of its presence 10 specimens, 52-100 mm, were collected from the was made by AI-Hussaini (1947) who examined Gulf of Suez plus 1 specimen, 70 mm standard the intestine of this mullet that was captured off length,from the GulfofAqaba. The abundance ofS. Ghardaqa. Liza aurata is known to be euryhaline cabrilla in the northern section of the GulfofSuez and could cross the Suez Canal or an earlier fresh­ indicates the possibility that the present distribu­ water connection that was established by the an­ tion might be related to the proximity of the Suez cient Egyptian pharaohs and Persian kings be­ Canal. However, further taxonomic and behavioral tween the Mediterranean and the Red Sea using studieswill be neededto ascertaintherelationships an arm ofthe River Nile. This fish was reported in between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean popu­ the Suez Canal by Tillier (1902). I found it to be lations. common in Great Bitter Lake (Ben-Tuvia 1975a). Serranus cabrilla in the Mediterranean shows Recently two specimens of a sandbar shark, greatplasticityand adaptabilitytovarious ecolog­ Carcharhinus plumbeus, were found in the Red ical conditions. This fish is found in shallow coast­ Sea. One specimen, a male, 1,600 mm total length al waters on sandy beaches and among rocks. It is

TABLE 2.-Data on Mediterranean fishes found in the Red Sea. Geographical distribution OCcurrence Ecological Sl' West East Suez Red Sea Scisntific name in Red Sea distribution (mm) Atlantic Atlantic Canal record Carcharhlnus plumbeus Rare Pelagic 1,764 + + Gulf of Aqaba Gulf of Suez Dlcentrarchus punctatus Rare Demersal 245 + + Gulf of Suez Uza aurata Vsry common Inshore pelagic 320 + + Gulf of Aqaba Gulf of Suez 'Maximum length observed in Red Sea. 253 FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 76. NO.1 also occasionally found on trawling grounds in Knowledge of the comparative life histories of various depths, at least up to 100 m. It is common the immigrant fishes in the two areas is essential throughout the Mediterranean but rare in the for understanding the selective mechanisms con­ Black Sea. In the eastern Atlantic, it occurs from trolling passage through the Suez Canal and the English Channel to Angola. Smith (1961) evaluating extensive ecological changes that the quoted its presence in South Africa (Nata}), but it invading species may produce in the new areas of seems not to have been recorded from any other their distribution. part of the Indian Ocean. Gruvel and Chabanaud (1937) reported that this fish is common through­ LITERATURE CITED out the Suez Canal. AL-HUSSAINI, A. H. 1947. The feeding habits and the morphology of the CONCLUSIONS alimentary tract ofsome teleosts living in the neighbour­ hood ofthe Marine Biological Station, Ghardaqa, Red Sea. Fouad I Univ., Publ. Mar. BioI. Stn. Ghardaqa (Red Sea) The occurrence of large numbers of circum­ 5:1-61. tropical-cosmopolitan species in the eastern ARON, W. I., AND S. H. SMITH. Mediterranean deserves special attention. They 1971. Ship canals and aquatic ecosystems. Science demonstrate the distinctfaunistic character ofthe (Wash., D.C.) 174:13-20. fish population in this area. Of the 290 species of BARANES, A., AND A. BEN-TUVIA. In press. The occurrence of the sandbar shark Car­ marine fishes identified from the Mediterranean charhinus plumbeus (Nardo 1827) in the northern Red coast oflsrael and its immediate neighborhood, 40 Sea. Isr. J. Zool. species are circumtropical-cosmopolitan. Many of BEN-TUVIA, A. them are found also in the Indo-Pacific and Red 1964. Two siganid fishes ofthe Red Sea origin in the east­ ern Mediterranean. Bull. Sea Fish. Res. Stn. (Haifa) Sea regions. Thus, summing up the Red Sea and 37:1-9. cosmopolitan fishes in the eastern Mediterranean, 1966. Red Sea fishes recently found in the Mediterra­ there are 76 species which constitute about one­ nean. Copeia 1966:254-275. quarter of all fishes identified from this region. 1971a. On the occurrence ofa Mediterranean serranid fish Dicentrarchus punctatus (Bloch) in the Gulf of Suez. The remaining species belong to the Atlanto­ Copeia 1971:741-743. Mediterranean fauna. 1971b. Revised list of the Mediterranean fishes of Is­ The Red Sea element in the eastern Mediterra­ rael. Isr. J. Zool. 20:1-39. nean is particularly pronounced among demersal 1973. Man-made changes in the eastern Mediterranean fishes. This is evident by the large number of de­ Sea and their effect on the fishery resources. Mar. BioI. (Berl.) 19:197-203. mersal immigrants and by their common occur­ 1975a. Comparison of the fish fauna in the Bardawil La­ rence. About 17 species are bottom-living fishes, goon and the Bitter Lakes. Rapp. Comm. Int. Mer and at least 6 ofthem are of commercial value. I Mediterr. 23:125-126. estimate that they constitute about 21% (by 1975b. Mugilid fishes of the Red Sea with a key to the Mediterranean and Red Sea species. Bamidgeh 27:14­ weight) of the Israeli trawl catches and 8% ofthe 20. inshore fishery (Ben-Tuvia 1973). George and 1976. Fish col1ections from the eastern Mediterranean, Athanassiou (1967) in their analysis of beach­ the Red Sea, and inland waters of Israel. Zool. Mus., seine catches of St. George Bay, Lebanon, found Heb. Univ. Jerus., 32 p. that among 26 commercially important fishes, 5 1977. New records of Red Sea immigrants in the eastern Mediterranean. Cybium, 3e Ser., 1:95-102. (19%) were Red Sea immigrants. BEN-TuVIA, A., AND A. GROFiT. For a better understanding of Suez Canal im­ 1973. Exploratory trawling in the GulfofSuez, November migration, additional taxonomic and biological 1972. [In Heb., Engl. abstr.J Fish. FishBreed. Isr. 8:8-16. investigations are required. Comparison of racial BEN-TUVIA, A., AND A. LOURIE. characteristics of immigrant fishes could help to 1969. A Red Sea grouper Epinephelus tauvina caught on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Isr. J. Zool. 18:245­ clarify the question of the origin and relationship 247. between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean popu­ BEN-YAMI, M. lations. It is suspected that in some cases, ex­ 1955. Overfishing or bad season? [In Heb.J Fishermens' change of fauna may have taken place before the Bull. 1(6):10-14. BEN-YAMI, M., AND T. GLASER. opening ofthe Suez Canal as a result ofthe eleva­ 1974. The invasion ofSaurida undasquamis (Richardson) tion of sea level and undulation of the Isthmus into the Levant Basin-An example ofbiological effect of during the Pleistocene. interoceanic canals. Fish. Bull., U.S. 72:359-373. 254 BEN·TUVIA: IMMIGRATION OF FISHES

COMPAGNO, L. J. V. MACARTHUR, R. H., AND E. O. WILSON. 1973. Carcharhinidae. In J. C. Hureau and Th. Monod 1967. The theory of island biogeography. Princeton (editors), Check-list of the fishes of the northeastern At­ Univ. Press, Princeton, N.J., 203 p. lantic and of the Mediterranean, Clofnam I, p. 23­ MORCOS, S. A. 31. Unesco, Paris. 1967. Effect ofthe Aswan High Dam on the currentregime COLLETI'E, B. B. in the Suez Canal. Nature (Lond.) 214:901-902. 1970. Rastrelliger kanagurta, another Red Sea immigrant 1970. Physical and chemical oceanography of the Red into the Mediterranean Sea, with a key to the Mediterra­ Sea. Oceanogr. Mar. BioI. Annu. Rev. 8:73-202. nean species of Scombridae. Bull. Sea Fish. Res. Stn. MOUNEIMNE, N. (Haifa) 54:3-6. 1977. Liste des poissons de la cOte du Liban (Mediterranee COLLETI'E, B. B., AND N. V. PARIN. orientale). Cybium, 3e Ser., 1:37-66. 1970. Needlefishes (Belonidae) of the eastern Atlantic OREN,O. H. Ocean. Atl. Rep. 11:7-60. 1957. Changes in temperature of the Eastern Mediterra­ EL-SABY, K. K. nean Sea in relation to the catch oftheIsrael trawl fishery 1968. Effect of the Aswan High Dam on the distribution of during the years 1954-55 and 1955-56. Bull. lnst. salinity in the Suez Canal. Nature (Lond.) 218:758-760. Oceanogr. Monaco 1102:1-2. ELTON, C. S. 1970. The Suez Canal and the Aswan High Dam, their 1958. The ecology of invasions by animals and plants. effect on the Mediterranean. Underwater Sci. Technol. Methuen, Lond., 181 p. J. 2:222-229. FROILAND, 6. OREN, O. H., AND H. HORNUNG. 1972. Fishes of the family Scorpaenidae from Cyprus, in­ 1972. Temperatures and salinities off the Israel Mediter­ cluding three new records. Bull. Sea Fish. Res. Stn. ranean coast. Bull. Sea Fish. Res. Stn. (Haifa) 59:17-31. (Haifa) 59:5-16. POR, F. D. GEORGE, C. J., AND V. ATHANASSIOU. 1971a. One hundred years ofthe Suez Canal-acenturyof 1965. On the occurrence of Scomberomorus commersoni Lessepsian migration: Retrospects and viewpoints. Syst. (Lacepede) in St. George Bay, Lebanon. Doriana, Ann. Zoo!' 20:138-159. Mus. Civico Storia Nat. Genova 4(157):104. 1971b. The zoobenthos of the Sirbonian lagoons. Rapp. 1967. A two-year study ofthe fishes appearing in the seine Comm. Int. Mer Mediterr. 20:247-249. fishery of St. George Bay, Lebanon. Ann. Mus. Civico SMITH, J. L. B. Storia Nat. Genova 76:237-294. 1961. The sea fishes of Southern Africa. 4th ed. Central GRUVEL, A., AND P. CHABANAUD. News Agency Ltd., Capetown, 580 p. 1937. Missions A. Gruvel dans Ie Canal de Suez. II. Pois­ STEINITZ, H. sons. Mem. Inst. Egypt. 35:1-30. 1968. Remarks on the Suez Canal as pathway and as KLUNZINGER, C. B. habitat. Rapp. Comm. Int. Mer Mediterr. 19:139-141. 1884. Die Fische des Rothen Meeres. E. Schweizer­ STEINITZ, H., AND A. BEN-TUVIA. bartsche Verlag, Stuttg., 133 p. 1972. Fishes of the Suez Canal. Isr. J. Zool. 21:385-389. KOSSWIG, C. TILLIER, J. B. 1974. Modificability, a neglected factor for area expansion 1902. Le Canal de Suez etsa faune ichthyologique. Mem. in marine fish. Istanbul Univ. Fen Fak. Mecm., Ser. B, Soc. Zoo!. Fr. 15:279-318. 39(1-2):1-7. TORTONESE, E. KTARI-CHAKROUN, F., AND M. BOUHLAL. 1956. Leptocardia, Ciclostomata, Selachii. Fauna Ita!. 2, 1971. Capture ofSiganus luridus (Riippell) das Ie Golfe de 334 p. Tunis. Bull. Inst. Oceanogr. Peche SalammbO 2:49-52. 1967. Un pesce plettognato nuovo per i Mari ltaliani: LOURIE, A., AND A. BEN-TuVlA. Stephanolepis diaspros Fr. Br. Ann. Mus. Civico Storia 1971. Two Red Sea fishes, Pelates quadrilineatus (Bloch) Nat. Genova 4(181):1-4. and Crenidens crenidens (Forsskall in the eastern 1970. On the occurrence of Siganus (Pisces) along the Mediterranean. Isr. J. Zool. 19:203-207. coast of North-Mrica. Doriana 4(191):1-2.

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