Second Records of the Lessepsian Fish Migrants Priacanthus Sagittarius and Platax Teira and Distribution Extension of Tylerius Spinosissimus in the Mediterranean
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Aquatic Invasions (2011) Volume 6, Supplement 1: S7–S11 doi: 10.3391/ai.2011.6.S1.002 Open Access © 2011 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2011 REABIC Aquatic Invasions Records Second records of the Lessepsian fish migrants Priacanthus sagittarius and Platax teira and distribution extension of Tylerius spinosissimus in the Mediterranean Daniel Golani1*, Oren Sonin2 and Dor Edelist3 1Department of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel 2Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, P.O. Box 1213, Kiryat Haim, 26105, Israel 3The Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel E-mail: [email protected] (DG), [email protected] (OS), [email protected] (DE) *Corresponding author Received: 19 November 2011 / Accepted: 24 January 2011 / Published online: 29 January 2011 Abstract The Red Sea (Lessepsian) migrant fish, the arrow bulleye, Priacanthus sagittarius, and the spotbelly batfish, Platax teira, are recorded for the second time from the Mediterranean, suggesting the establishment of new populations. The record of another Lessepsian migrant, the spiny blaassop, Tylerius spinosissimus from Israel, constitutes a considerable extension of its distribution range in the Mediterranean. Key words: Priacanthus sagittarius, Platax teira, Tylerius spinosissimus, Lessepsian migration, Mediterranean Introduction Materials and methods The ongoing influx of Red Sea biota into the The specimens of Priacanthus sagittarius and Mediterranean Sea since the opening of the Suez Tylerius spinosissimus were collected by Canal has drawn the attention of the scientific commercial bottom otter trawl with a low community (Ben-Tuvia 1966; Por 1978; Galil opening, and a mesh size of 42 mm in the cod 2009; Golani 2010). This phenomenon end. The former specimen was collected at a incorporates almost all marine taxonomic depth of 50 m while the latter at a depth of 120- groups. Close to 80 species of Lessepsian fish 140 m. The specimen of Platax teira was have been recorded to date in the Mediterranean. collected at a depth of 8 m by a three walled While it is universally accepted that the bottom trammel net; the mesh size of the outer immediate publication of the first record of an walls was 150 mm, while the middle net wall invasive species in the Mediterranean is was 70 mm. The exact coordinates were not essential, it is no less important to publish provided by the fishermen. All specimens were second and subsequent records of the same deposited in the Hebrew University Fish invasive species, in order to verify establishment Collection (HUJ). Counts and measurements and distribution extension in its new habitat. followed Hubbs and Lagler (1947). In the present paper we report the collection of the arrow bulleye, Priacanthus sagittarius and the Results and discussion spotbelly batfish, Platax teira from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. For both species this report constitutes PRIACANTHIDAE the second record from the Mediterranean. In addition, this record of spiny blaassop, Tylerius spinosissimus Priacanthus sagittarius Starnes, 1988 greatly extends its known distribution that together Material examined: HUJ 20015, 181 mm SL, 22 with P. teira, was hitherto recorded only from the October, 2010, from the southern edge of Haifa southwest Aegean Sea. Bay, Trawl at 50 m. (Figure 1). S7 D. Golani et al. Figure 1. Priacanthus sagittarius HUJ 20015, 181 mm SL, 22 October, 2010, Haifa Bay, Israel. (Photograph: D. Golani). Description of the Mediterranean specimen: The first ray the longest (34.8% of SL). Preoperculum serrated with a stout spine at its Body ovate, deep (33.2% of SL) and compressed. lower edge, reaching slightly beyond operculum Head 40.4% of SL with straight upper profile. margin. Lower margin of suborbital bone Mouth oblique with projecting lower jaw. Upper serrated. Entire body and head covered with jaw 31.9% in SL, reaching back to the vertical of small ctenoid scales, 72 in the lateral line. the anterior on-third of eye; its posterior depth Color: Body red, becoming slightly pinkish in 53.1% of head length. Upper jaw with two rows posterior part. All fins red. Dusky patch on the of small, slightly backward recurved teeth in its upper margin of the first dorsal margin. Posterior anterior third. The two rows merge into a single end of soft dorsal ray portion and caudal fin with band. A wide gap at the symphesis. Two short light grey zone and dusky margin. Membrane rows of teeth at the lower jaw merge into a between 1-3 pelvic rays orange-brown with black single row. A narrow toothless gap at the dot at base. Membrane between third ray to symphesis. A few small teeth at the vomer apex abdomen with whitish spots. Iris red with black and its extensions and on the palatine. Elliptical pupil. anterior nostril just in front of large elongated posterior nostril, starting at the upper edge of eye and reaching the horizontal line of the upper Remarks third of eye. First gill arch with 5 gill rakers on the upper limb and 18 on the lower limb. The Priacanthus sagittarius has a wide Indo-west first three rakers on the upper limb and the last Pacific distribution from the Red Sea to Japan, three rakers on the lower limb are reduced. Australia to Samoa (Starnes 1988, 1999). Prior Dorsal fin continuous with 10 spines increasing to this report it was recorded from the in size (the tenth 2.3 times the second) and 14 Mediterranean by a single specimen collected by rays. The second dorsal ray, the longest (24.2% trawl at a depth of 40 m on November 2009 in of SL). Anal fin with 3 spines and 15 rays. the vicinity of Tel Aviv (Goren et al. 2010). The Caudal fin emarginated with 21 rays, the upper finding of a second specimen in the and lower two rays much smaller. Pectoral fin Mediterranean in less than a year from its with 18 rays. Pelvic fin with one spine and five previous record suggests that this species is rays connected to the abdomen by a membrane. establishing a population in its new region. S8 Records of the Lessepsian fish migrants P. sagittarius is a nocturnal species occurring Color: Body grey with two dusky vertical in its original distribution range between surface bars, the first runs from nap through the eye to to 400 m. It reaches a length of 34 cm SL. It can the origin of pelvic fin, the second is wider and be distinguished from its two cogeneric species runs from dorsal fin origin through the pectoral in the Red Sea, P. blockii Bleeker, 1853 and fin to the posterior of the pelvic fin. Pectoral fin P. hamrus (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775) (see: light grey, all other fins dusky. Golani and Bogorodsky 2010) by having black marks on the pelvic fin base, a dusky mark on the upper margin of the membrane between 1-2 Remarks dorsal spines, in addition to the long 10th dorsal Platax teira has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution, spine (more than twice the length of the 2nd from the Red Sea, South Africa to Japan and dorsal spine). The low number of gill rakers (23) northern Australia (Heemstra 2001). It was first can distinguish it from its Atlantic cogeneric recorded from the Mediterranean by a single P. arenatus Cuvier, 1829. specimen from Bodrum, Turkey at the southern Aegean Sea by Bilecenoglu and Kaya (2006), EPHIPPIDAE who assumed that its occurrence in the Platax teira (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775) Mediterranean resulted from an aquarium escapee. However, the finding of a second Material examined: HUJ 20014, 242 mm SL, 12 specimen in the Levant indicates that the most October, 2010, Ashdod, Trammel net at 8 m. likely origin is from the Red Sea (Lessepsian (Figure 2). migrant), that has established a small population in its new region. It is interesting to note that Description of the Mediterranean specimen: recently other Red Sea species with a similar Body very deep and strongly compressed, its habitat, such as Pomacanthus imperator (Bloch, depth from origin of dorsal fin to origin of anal 1787) and Pomacanthus maculates (Forsskål in fin 1.1 times SL. Head 31.0% of SL, its profile Niebuhr, 1775), were reported in the Levant very steep. Small mouth, cleft not reaching the (Golani et al. 2010; Bariche 2010, respectively). vertical of eye. Bands of tricuspid teeth; the Two species of the family Ephippidae occur in middle cusp on each tooth slightly longer than the Red Sea: Platax teira and P. orbicularis (see the lateral cusps. Blunt snout (40.7%), small eye Golani and Bogorodsky 2010). The former (19.7%) and wide interorbital (44.2%) all as differs from the later by having 29-34 dorsal soft percentages of head length. Anterior nostril rays as compared to 34-29 and less anal rays 21- round, located above center of upper jaw. 26, as compared to 25-30 in P. orbicularis. Posterior nostril elongated ellipsoid, almost slit- like, located above and closer to eye at its lower Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) margin. Preoperculum smooth. Dorsal fin with 5 concealed spines, the first minute, the last one Material examined: HUJ 19946, 27.4 mm SL, 5 the longest, almost 5 times the penultimate. Very May, 2010, Ashdod- Tel Aviv, Trawl at 120-140 long triangular soft ray portion, with 30 rays, the m between 07:30 to 12:15 (Figure 3). first ray longest, 72.3% in SL. Anal fin with 3 concealed spines, the first two Description of the Mediterranean specimen: very small, the third nearly 5 times longer. Soft Round body, head round with blunt snout, head ray portion triangular with 23 rays, the third ray 45.6% of SL, predorsal 71.1%, preanal 73.7%, longest, 60.3% of SL.