Abstract
The Mediterranean native biota is increasingly threatened by the influx of alien species. More than 100 non-native fishes have entered so far the Mediterranean, the majority of which presumably originated in the Red Sea. Among them, two species of the family Siganidae, namely Siganus luridus and Siganus rivulatus, are now widespread in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and already reached the central parts of the basin. Three further Siganus taxa, namely Siganus fuscescens, Siganus javus, and Siganus virgatus, have also been recorded from the Mediterranean basin, although their records are based on single specimens. We report the first sighting in the Mediterranean Sea of a single specimen of an additional rabbitfish, namely Siganus argenteus. There are no certainties regarding the possible pathway of arrival of this species in Libya; however, Lessepsian migration or shipping constitute the most probable ones.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahnelt H (2016) Translocation of tropical and subtropical marine fish species into the Mediterranean. A case study based on Siganus virgatus (Teleostei: Siganidae). Biologia 71(8):952–959. https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2016-0106
Azzurro E, Tiralongo F (2020) First record of the mottled spinefoot Siganus fuscescens (Houttuyn, 1782) in Mediterranean waters: a Facebook based detection. Mediterr Mar Sci 21(2):448–451. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.22853
Azzurro E, Franzitta G, Milazzo M, Bariche M, Fanelli E (2017) Abundance patterns at the invasion front: the case of Siganus luridus in Linosa (Strait of Sicily, Central Mediterranean Sea). Mar Freshw Res 68(4):697–702. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF16024
Bianchi CN, Morri C, Chiantore M, Montefalcone M, Parravicini V, Rovere A (2012) Mediterraneam Sea biodiversity between the legacy from the past and a future of change. In: Stambler N (ed) Life in the Mediterranean Sea: a look at habitat changes. Nova Science Publisher, New York, pp 1–55
Coll M, Piroddi C, Steenbeek J, Kaschner K, Lasram FBR, Aguzzi J, Ballesteros E, Bianchi CN, Corbera J, Dailianis T, Danovaro R, Estrada M, Froglia C, Galil BS, Gasol JM, Gertwagen J, Gil J, Guilhaumon F, Kesner-Reyes K, Kitsos MS, Koukouras A, Lampadariou N, Laxamana E, de la Cuadra CML, Lotze HK, Martin D, Mouillot D, Oro D, Raicevic S, Rius-Barile J, Saiz-Salinas JI, San Vicente C, Somot S, Templado J, Turon X, Vafidis D, Villanueva R, Voultsiadou E (2010) The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: estimates, patterns, and threats. PLoS One 5(8):e11842. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011842
Fricke R, Golani D, Appelbaum-Golani B (2017) Arnoglossus nigrofilamentosus n. sp., a new species of flounder from off the Mediterranean coast of Israel, probably a new case of Lessepsian migration (Teleostei: Bothidae). Sci Mar 81(4):457–465. https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.04684.07A
Golani D, Appelbaum-Golani B (2010) Fish invasions of the Mediterranean – change and renewal. Pensoft, Sofia, 332 pp
Golani D, Orsi-Relini L, Massuti E, Quignard JP (2002) CIESM atlas of exotic species in the Mediterranean. In: Briand F (ed) Fishes, vol 1. CIESM Publications, Monaco, 256 pp
Ibrahim A, Lahlah M, Kassab Y, Ghanem W, Ogaily S (2010) Siganus javus, a new record from the Syrian waters, with a reference to growth and feeding of two Lessepsian fish. Rapports et procès-verbaux des réunions Commission internationale pour l’exploration scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée 39:544
Insacco G, Zava BM (2017) Chlorurus rhakoura Randall & Anderson, 1997 (Perciformes, Scaridae), an Indo-Pacific fish new for the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterr Mar Sci 18(2):285–291. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.2139
Lieske E, Myers RF (2004) Coral reef guide, Red Sea to Gulf of Aden, South Oman. HarperCollins, London, 384 pp
Por FD (1978) Lessepsian migration: the influx of Red Sea biota into the Mediterranean by way of the Suez Canal. Ecol Stud, vol 23. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 228 pp.
Randall JE (1983) Red Sea reef fishes. IMMEL Publishing, London, 192 pp
Randall JE (1995) Coastal fishes of Oman. Univesity of Hawai’i Press, Honolulu, 439 pp
Sala E, Kizilkaya Z, Yildirim D, Ballesteros E (2011) Alien marine fishes deplete algal biomass in the eastern Mediterranean. PLoS One 6:e17356. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0017356
Servello G, Andaloro F, Azzurro E, Castriota L, Catra M, Chiarore A, Crocetta F, D’Alessandro M, Denitto F, Froglia C, Gravili C, Langer M, Lo Brutto S, Mastrototaro F, Petrocelli A, Pipitone C, Piraino S, Relini G, Serio D, Xentidis N, Zenetos A (2019) Marine alien species in Italy: a contribution to the implementation of descriptor D2 of the marine strategy framework directive. Mediterr Mar Sci 20(1):1–48. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.18711
Zenetos A, Çinar ME, Crocetta F, Golani D, Rosso A, Servello G, Shenkar N, Turon X, Verlaque M (2017) Uncertainties and validation of alien species catalogues: the Mediterranean as an example. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 191:171–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2017.03.031
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abdelghani, A., Al Mabruk, S.A., Crocetta, F. et al. The Streamlined Rabbitfish Siganus argenteus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) in the Mediterranean Sea. Thalassas 37, 287–290 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-020-00259-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-020-00259-z