FIRST RECORD OF STRIPED EEL LINEATUS (THUNBERG, 1787) FROM EGYPTIAN WATERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

Tarek Temraz 1* and Jamila Ben Souissi 2 1 Marine Science Department- Suez Canal University - [email protected] 2 National Institute of agronomy Tunisia

Abstract On October 2012, the lessepsian migrant Plotosus lineatus was captured offshore Damietta coast (Egypt, Eastern ). This represents the first record of this species along the Egyptian waters.

Keywords: , South-Eastern Mediterranean, Suez Canal

Introduction: The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level water way running Indian Ocean, Western Pacific and East [5]. Recently in 2006 it was south to north across the Suez Isthmus to connect the Red Sea with the recorded among the 100 worst invasive species in the Mediterranean [6] and Mediterranean. The canal was opened for navigation on 17th of November recorded in the seventy nine Lessepsian migrant fish species up to 2010 [7]. 1869 and was closed five times; the last time was the longest one as it lasted As a migrant species it was recorded in the Red Sea and represents the only for eight years. The canal was reopened on 5th of June 1975. The canal member of the family plotosidae [8], very early record in late 1800s took encompasses various benthic habitats. At Port Said and surroundings the place in Gulf of Suez [9]. While it was recorded in southern Suez Canal in soil is mainly of silt and clay (drifted from the Nile estuary this formation the early 1930s [10] no range of extension along the canal was recorded. The extend bout 40km south wards to Kantara. The middle part between majority of the Red Sea migrants spread along the Israeli coast and Kantara and Kabrit consists of fine and coarse sand, while the southern consequently among the Levant littoral as a result of the permanent region composed of dispersed rocky layers entrapping soft sediment and sea alongshore anti-clockwise current. As this species showed euryhaline grass beds in between [1]. Science the opening of the Suez Canal the capacities [1] the Bitter lakes didn’t pose a barrier for migration across the migration of species between the two ends was questioned and the Suez Canal and it was reported to cause injury to swimmers and beach users Northward migration process named “Lessepsian migration” [2] The striped at Kabrit (personal communications). The abundance of the striped catfish eel catfish Plotosus lineatus was first recorded in the Mediterranean [3]. along the northern region of the Suez Canal was relatively recent 4 to 5 years Since then it was rapidly becoming a dominant component of the benthic ago. On the other hand the migration is more likely related to availability of biota of the Levant [4]. During annual environmental monitoring program off suitable food source, substrate composition and environmental conditions as Damietta coast at (N 31° 30.50’ 20” E 31° 43’ 43.20”) (Figure, 1). well as lack of predators and competitors for space and food. Further studies are needed to indicate the reasons for the Plototus lineatus delay in migration to the Mediterranean (140 Years) and to indicate whether the proliferation along Damietta coast is as a result of the spreading along the Israeli coast or from recent dominance along the Northern region of the Suez Canal. Furthermore, this may suggest a role for Suez canal as earlier monitoring stations for potential migrants to the Mediterranean.

References 1 - Sharaf G Abou-Zeid (2009) Ecological and Biological studies on ascidians (Urochordata, Tunicates) in Suez Canal. PhD Thesis, Mar Sci Dept, Suez Canal Uni,Egypt, 209 p 2 - Por FD (1978) Lessepsian migration- the influx of Red Sea Biota into the Mediterranean by way of the Suez Canal. Ecological studies, vol 23. Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-NewYork 3 - Golani D (2002) The Indo-Pacific striped eel catfish Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787), (Osteichtyes: Siluriformes) a new record from the Fig. 1. Sampling location and specimen photo Mediterranean. Sci Mar 66(3):321-323 4 - Edelist D, Golani D, Rilov G, Spanier E (2012) The invasive venomous Sampling of benthic habitat resulted in catching 7 specimens of Plotosus striped eel catfish Plotosus lineatus in the Levant: possible mechanisms lineatus. The survey was conducted on muddy substrate. The stinging facilitating its rapid invasional success. Mar Biol catfish was newly introduced to the Egyptian Mediterranean waters were 5 - Wakwabi E, Mees J (1999) The epibenthos of the backwaters of a local fishermen name it (Shelan) similar to the name of small Nile catfish. tropical mangrove creek (Tudor Creek, Mombasa, Kenya) Netherlands. J Description of the specimens: The specimens’ dorsal color was dark Zool 49(3): 189-206 brown with 2 whitish lateral strips originating from the snout, the ventral 6 - Streftaris N, Zenetos A (2006) Alien marine species in the surface whitish to creamy with pale brown dendritic organ. The fins have Mediterranean- the 100 ’worst invasives’ and their impact. Med Mar Sci 7 darker borderline. Four pairs of barbels; one nasal and one maxillary barbels (1):87-118 extend slightly beyond the posterior borders of eye. The inner pair of mental 7 - Golani D, Appelbaum-Golani B (eds) (2010) Fish invasions of the barbels is shorter than the outer pair. The upper jaw overhanging with Mediterranean Sea-change and renewal. Pensoft Ser Faun, Sofia Bulgaria pointed teeth while the lower jaw has conical ones anteriorly and molar like 8 - Ali M, Abdel-Baki AAS, Abdel-Ghaffar F (2007) Zschokkella egyptica posteriorly. Smooth (no scales) elongated body with broad head and n. sp. (Myxosporea: Bivalvulaida) infecting the gallbladder of the eel catfish laterally compressed after anus. The specimens weight varied from 4.836 - Plototus lineatus Thunberg, 1787 and the freckled goatfish Upeneus tragula 6.983 g, total length 112 to137 mm, head length 22-26,snout length 4.2- 4.4, Richardson, 1846 in the Red Sea, Egypt. Parasitol Res 100:625-628 eye diameter 4.5-4.7, caudal fin 4.4 -4.7, first height 12.5 -13.1, 9 - Rüppel E (1837) Neue wirbelthiere zu der fauna von abyssinien gehöring. first dorsal fin base 7.6 -7.9, second dorsal fin height 3.1-3.3, second dorsal Fische des Rhoten Meeres. Part3. Frankfurt am Main 53-80 fin length71-75, pectoral fin length 7.9 -8.2, pectoral fin base 3.9- 4.1, anal 10 - Chabanaud P (1932) Poissons recueillis dans le Grand Lac Amer fin height 2.4-2.6, anal fin length 65.3 – 69.1. The count of spines and rays; (Isthme de Suez) par M. le Professur A. Gruvel en 1932. Bull Mus Natn first dorsal fin with one serrate spine and four rays, second dorsal fin with Hist Paris Ser 2(4):822-835 78- 86 rays, pectoral rays 10-11, pelvic rays11-12, and anal rays 63-68. Discussion: Plototus lineatus widespread over the ecosystems in

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