Distribution, abundance and biological features of anglerfish (<i>Lophius piscatoirus</i> and <i>Lophhius budegassa</i>) (Osteichthyes: Lphiiformes) in the Mediterranean Sea

The distribution and biological features of anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius and L. budegassa) in the Mediterranean Sea were analysed from trawl surveys data (MEDITS project, years 1994-1999). The above-mentioned species were widely distributed in the Mediterranean, but differences in abundance were found according to geographic sectors and depths. Most of the collected specimens belonged to the first length cohorts and length distributions also differed at macro-area levels. Mean sizes at female sexual maturity were estimated at 68.5 cm and 66.2 cm total length, respectively for L. piscatorius and L. budegassa.

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First record of Sphoeroides spengleri (Osteichthyes: Tetraodontidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315404010495h ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 84 (5) ◽

pp. 1089-1090 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J.A. Reina-Hervás ◽

J.E. García Raso ◽

M.E. Manjón-Cabeza

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

First Record ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Alboran Sea ◽

Total Length ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Alborán Sea

The capture of a specimen of Sphoeroides spengleri (Osteichthyes: Tetraodontidae), 17 December 2000 and 29·7 mm total length, from the Málaga coast (Alborán Sea, western Mediterranean) represents the first record of a new alien species for Mediterranean waters.

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On a saddled snake eel Pisodonophis semicinctus (Osteichthyes: Ophichthidae) trawled in the Strait of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea)

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315400002988 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 80 (5) ◽

pp. 951-952 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sergio Ragonese ◽

Giovan Battista Giusto

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Bottom Trawl ◽

Northern Coast ◽

Rare Finding ◽

Strait Of Sicily ◽

Total Length ◽

The Mediterranean

The occurrence in the Strait of Sicily of the saddled snake eel, Pisodonophis semicinctus (Osteichthyes: Ophichthidae), a rare finding for the Mediterranean Sea, is confirmed on the basis of one specimen caught off the northern coast of Tunisia in 1991. The specimen, 800 mm in total length and 457 g in body weight (preserved condition), was captured during a commercial bottom trawl hauled at 30 m next to Cape Bon (north of Tunisia). This represents the second and fourth documented record of this Atlantic intruder within the Strait of Sicily and the Mediterranean Sea, respectively.

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First record of the marbled spinefoot Siganus rivulatus (Pisces: Siganidae) in the Adriatic Sea

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315404010483h ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 84 (5) ◽

pp. 1087-1088 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

J. Dulĉić ◽

A. Pallaoro

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Adriatic Sea ◽

First Record ◽

Beach Seine ◽

Total Length ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Siganus Rivulatus ◽

First Time

Lessepsian migrant Siganus rivulatus is reported for the first time from the Adriatic Sea, substantially further north than its usual area of occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea. Two specimens (111 mm total length [TL] and 149 mm TL) were captured by beach seine on 5 October 2002 off islet Bobara, near Cavtat (southern Adriatic). Morphometric and meristic characteristics of the specimens are provided. The possible explanations of this occurrence are discussed.

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Long-term spatiotemporal dynamics of cephalopod assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea

Scientia Marina ◽

10.3989/scimar.04841.20a ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 83 (S1) ◽

pp. 33

Author(s):

Antoni Quetglas ◽

Maria Valls ◽

Francesca Capezzuto ◽

Loredana Casciaro ◽

Danila Cuccu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Longitudinal Gradient ◽

Eastern Basin ◽

Mediterranean Countries ◽

Spatial Differences ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Increasing Temperature ◽

Trawl Surveys

The Mediterranean Sea shows a trend of increasing temperature and decreasing productivity from the western to the eastern basin. In this work we investigate whether this trend is reflected in the cephalopod assemblages found throughout the Mediterranean. Data obtained with bottom trawl surveys carried out during the last 22 years by EU Mediterranean countries were used. In addition to analysing spatial differences in cephalopod assemblages, we also analysed putative temporal changes during the last two decades. For this purpose, the basin was spatially divided into bioregions, the trawling grounds were subdivided into depth strata, and the dataset was split into two time series of 11 years each. All analyses were done using PRIMER software. The species richness did not vary with the longitudinal gradient, though in most bioregions it showed a mild decrease with depth before plummeting in the deepest waters. Cluster analysis revealed four different bathymetric assemblages in all bioregions. Despite the contrasting conditions between basins and the claims of biodiversity loss, our study revealed that spatial and temporal differences during the last two decades were restricted to changes in the relative abundance of species from a common pool of species inhabiting the whole Mediterranean.

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On the maximum length for Sardinella aurita (Osteichthyes: Clupeidae) from the Mediterranean Sea

Marine Biological Journal ◽

10.21072/mbj.2021.06.3.03 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 29-34

Author(s):

L. Bensahla-Talet ◽

A. Bensahla-Talet

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Maximum Length ◽

Purse Seine ◽

Total Length ◽

Sardinella Aurita ◽

The Mediterranean

Two specimens of round sardinella, Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847, with a total length of 39.1 and 36.6 cm and a weight of 359.01 and 293.48 g, respectively, were caught by a purse seine net in Bouzedjar Bay, Algeria, on 8 August, 2019. These sizes of both specimens are the maximum recorded for this species in the Mediterranean Sea.

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Twenty-five-year longevity of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) from novel use of bomb radiocarbon dating in the Mediterranean Sea

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf15376 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 67 (7) ◽

pp. 1077 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sergio Vitale ◽

Allen H. Andrews ◽

Pietro Rizzo ◽

Salvatore Gancitano ◽

Fabio Fiorentino

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

14C Dating ◽

Merluccius Merluccius ◽

Total Length ◽

Bomb Radiocarbon ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

First Time ◽

Slow Growing ◽

European Hake ◽

Age Reading

The high variability of growth and longevity estimates for European hake (Merluccius merluccius) reflects the existence of two opposing hypotheses on growth rates that differ by a factor of 2: (1) a fast-growing hypothesis (FGH) with a maximum age near 15 years; and (2) a slow-growing hypothesis (SGH) with a maximum age near 30 years. A recently established regional radiocarbon (14C) reference led to a first-time application of bomb 14C dating in the Mediterranean Sea to three of the largest-sized and potentially oldest-catch female European hake. Because age reading of otoliths is very subjective and poorly defined, these fish were aged blind with bomb radiocarbon (14C) dating as an independent estimate of validated age. The validated ages were compared with the theoretical maximum ages from the most reliable FGH and SGH von Bertalanffy growth functions. Among the three bomb 14C ages, the most diagnostic length-at-age was an alignment with the bomb 14C rise period for two of the three fish, providing validated ages of 22 years (74.5-cm total length) and 25 years (88-cm total length). The results provide estimates of length-at-age that are in agreement with the SGH and cannot be accounted for by the FGH.

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Distribution and abundance of Citharus linguatula, Lepidorhombus boscii (Risso, 1810) and Solea vulgaris, (Osteichthyes, Pleuronectiformes) in the Mediterranean Sea

Scientia Marina ◽

10.3989/scimar.2002.66s283 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 66 (S2) ◽

pp. 83 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Paolo Sartor ◽

Mario Sbrana ◽

Nicola Ungaro ◽

Chiara A. Marano ◽

Corrado Piccinetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Size Composition ◽

Demographic Structure ◽

Depth Stratum ◽

Abundance Indices ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

Wide Geographic Distribution ◽

Temporal Basis ◽

Trawl Surveys

Information on distribution, relative abundance and size composition of the pleuronectiform species Citharus linguatula, Lepidorhombus boscii and Solea vulgaris was obtained during the MEDITS trawl surveys, carried out in a wide area of the Mediterranean Sea from 1994 to 1999. The three species showed a wide geographic distribution, as they were collected in all the macro-areas investigated, but with some differences in degree of presence among the 40 geographic sectors. Variations in abundance indices, analysed on a spatio-temporal basis with a Generalised Linear Model, were mostly related to the depth stratum and the macro-area. C. linguatula and S. vulgaris were especially found from 10 to 100 m depth, while L. boscii was most abundant on bottoms ranging from 100 to 500 m depth. The three species showed the highest abundance indices (kg/km2) in the Gulf of Lions, in the Greek Seas and along the Sardinian coasts. Especially for L. boscii and C. linguatula, the demographic structure showed that the sampled populations were mainly constituted by juveniles. The lowest biomass and abundance indices were obtained for S. vulgaris, whose catch was mainly composed of adult fish.

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