First record of the West Atlantic Ariopsis felis (Linnaeus, 1766) (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Ariidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

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Published: Jun 12, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.36177
Keywords:
Rare fish introduced species cryptogenic species Mediterranean Sea Gaza Sea DNA barcoding
JEHAD Y. SALAH
Department of Fisheries, General Directorate of Fisheries Gaza (DoF), Al Rasheed St. 191/1000, Gaza, Palestine
MOHAMMED A. ABUTAIR
Department of Marine Environment, General Directorate of Fisheries Gaza (DoF), Al manar St. 3/49, Abasan alkabira, Khanyunis , Palestine
SARA A.A. AL MABRUK
Department of General Nursing Technology, Higher institute of Science and Technology, Cyrene, Libya & Marine Biology in Libya Society, El Bayda, Libya
BRUNO ZAVA
Wilderness studi ambientali, via Cruillas 27, 90146 Palermo, Italy & Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Comiso, Via degli Studi 9, 97013 Comiso (RG), Italy
MARIA CORSINI-FOKA
Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes, Cos Street, 85100 Rhodes, Greece
ALAN DEIDUN
Department of Geosciences, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2080, Malta
ANTONIO DI NATALE
Aquastudio Research Institute, Via Trapani 6, 98121 Messina, Italy
VALENTINA CROBE
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
FAUSTO TINTI
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
Abstract

A single individual of Ariidae was captured in 2022 in the Palestinian waters off the Gaza Strip, eastern Mediterranean. A comprehensive description of the morphological and meristic characters of the specimen was conducted. Molecular identification was performed through sequence analysis of the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI). The specimen was identified as Ariopsis felis, both morphologically and genetically. The natural range of this species is the western Atlantic and, to the best of our knowledge, the species has never been reported before from Mediterranean waters. The singular occurrence of this fish in the basin prompts further discussion, raising questions about the possible vectors that may be responsible for this new introduction in the Mediterranean Sea.

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