Vol.25 – 2019 – No.3 – Journal of the Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment

Traumatic finger amputation caused by Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) bite

**Traumatic finger amputation caused by Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) bite**

Selin Gamze Sümen, Murat Bilecenoğlu

Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Kartal Dr.Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, TURKEY
Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, TURKEY

Abstract

Marine animal attacks and bites are rarely encountered in Turkey. The invasive alien silver-cheeked toadfish, Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789), is continuously growing in population and hence becoming increasingly tempted closer ashore especially during the summer months. Infamous with its highly toxic flesh, the species is also capable of inflicting severe bites with its quite strong beak-like teeth. We present the first case of a traumatic amputation caused by L. sceleratus bite in a child who eventually lost the distal part of her finger, in an incident occurred at the northern Levant shore of Turkey.

Key words: Lagocephalus sceleratus, trauma, fish bite, Mediterranean Sea

References

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First record of a coregonid fish species, Coregenus albula (Linnaeus, 1758) (Salmoniformes: Salmonidae) in Aktaş Lake shared between Turkey and Georgia

Sedat V. Yerli

Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, SAL, Beytepe, Ankara, TURKEY

Abstract

The genus Coregenus (Salmoniformes: Salmonidae) was recently considered not to be represented in Turkey. European cisco or vendace, Coregonus albula (Linnaeus, 1758) was reported for the first time for Turkey in this article with fifteen samples in Aktaş Lake, Ardahan. This species should be added to the checklist of Turkish fish fauna. Turkish name is proposed as “Akbalık” for this species.

Keywords: Coregonus albula, first record, Aktaş Lake, Kartsakhi, alkaline lake, Georgia, Turkey

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Recent record of Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810) in Northern Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

**Recent record of Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810) in Northern Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)**

Hasan Deniz Akbora, Erdi Bayri, Deniz Ayas, Burak Ali Çiçek

Faculty of Fisheries, Mersin University Yenişehir Campus, 33160, Mersin, TURKEY
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta 99628, North Cyprus Mersin 10, TURKEY

Abstract

A female specimen of smalltooth sandtiger shark, Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810), was caught on April 24, 2018, near Yeni Erenköy, Northern Cyprus at 41 m in depth, by a local commercial fisher. The photos and necessary measurements of the specimen were taken immediately before being sold to a local fish restaurant in Cyprus. This catch is the largest reported O. ferox catch around Cyprus, with a total length of 430 cm.

Keywords: Smalltooth sandtiger shark, Odontaspis ferox, Lamniformes, elasmobranch, by-catch.

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Recent findings of rare sharks, Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840 and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758) from Gökçeada Island, Northern Aegean Sea, Turkey

**Recent findings of rare sharks, Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840 and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758) from Gökçeada Island, Northern Aegean Sea, Turkey**

Cahide Çiğdem Yığın, Ali İşmen, Burak Daban, Koray Cabbar, Umur Önal

Faculty of Marine Science and Technology Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100, Çanakkale, TURKEY

Abstract

Two species of cartilaginous fish, Squatina oculata Cuvier, 1829 and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758) were captured by a commercial bottom trawler at a depth of 110 m off Gökçeada Island, Northern Aegean Sea on 22 March 2018. S. oculata was a female specimen with a total length of 875 mm and a weight of 5.536 g. It contained a total of 6 symmetrically distributed developing oocytes ranging from 52.22 to 59.55 mm in diameter. S. squatina was a male specimen with a total length 915 mm and a weight of 6.294 g.

Keywords: Squatinidae, smoothback angelshark, angelshark, Aegean Sea

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Dietary propolis supplementation on growth and body composition of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Dietary propolis supplementation on growth and body composition of **the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)**

Funda Turan

Iskenderun Technical University, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Department of Aquaculture, 31200 Iskenderun, Hatay, TURKEY

Abstract

A preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary propolis extract supplementation on African catfish, Clarias gariepinus growth performance, survival rate and body composition. The African catfish (mean body weight 0.45±0.05 g) were fed with experimental diets prepared by using propolis extract supplementation (0, 5 and 10 g kg^-1) for 90 days. The weight gain (12.93±0.48 g), FCR (1.39±0.05) and PER (1.44±0.05) were observed higher in catfish fed with 5 g kg^-1 propolis extract than fed with 10 g kg^-1 propolis extract significantly (P<0.05) but no statistical difference was found with the control group fish (P>0.05). Whole-body crude protein was significantly higher in catfish fed with 5 g kg^-1 propolis extract, than in those fed with control and 10 g kg^-1 propolis extract (P<0.05). Based on the results of the present study, it is suggested that feeding fish with 5 g kg^-1 of propolis extracts for 90 days has no adverse effect on survival and enhanced the better weight gain and protein in the composition of the African catfish.

Keywords: African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, propolis, growth promoter

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Head and plastron scalation patterns of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, hatchlings in natural and relocated nests on Samandağ Beach

**Head and plastron scalation patterns of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, hatchlings in natural and relocated nests on Samandağ Beach**

Bektaş Sönmez

Suşehri Timur Karabal Vocational Training School, Cumhuriyet University, Suşehri, Sivas, 58600, TURKEY

Abstract

An effective protection and management plan for endangered species such as sea turtles is important to secure the existence of their future generations. Positive and negative effects of nest relocation, a conservation strategy, on the morphology and ecology of sea turtles have been previously discussed. However, the effect of this strategy on the plastron scute and head scalation pattern is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to provide further information on plastron scutes and head scalation patterns of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, hatchlings in relocated and natural nests on Samandağ Beach, Turkey. A total of 195 hatchlings from two nest types were examined during the 2018 nesting season. Significant differences were determined in plastral scutes, while no differences were observed in head scalation between natural and relocated nests. These differences may be related to the nest location in the vertical position because the distance of natural nests to vegetation is significantly less than that of relocated nests (t=-3.612, P=0.004). Considering that the morphology of the green turtle hatchlings (e.g., normal modal scalation) influences their survival, in situ conservation of nests can help us to ensure that healthy individuals will be recruited to the sea turtle population.

Keywords: Green turtle, relocated nest, plastron scute, head scale, Samandağ

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Cetaceans in the coastal waters of southern Romania: initial assessment of abundance, distribution, and seasonal trends

Romulus-Marian Paiu, Bogdan Olariu, Angelica-Ioela Paiu, Mihaela-Elena Mirea Cândea, Anca-Maria Gheorghe, Dumitru Murariu

Mare Nostrum NGO, Bogdan Voda Street 16, Constanta, 900613, ROMANIA
Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, R-050095, ROMANIA
Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 1^stNicolae Balcescu blvd., Bucharest 010041, ROMANIA

Abstract

This paper presents the results of two vessel surveys in 2017 (spring and summer) in order to estimate cetacean abundance and distribution in Romanian Black Sea waters following distance sampling methods. Eight transects, from east to west, perpendicular on the shore line with a total length of 211.95 km, were designed and executed in sea conditions ≤ Beaufort 4 in an area of 1063 km2with coverage of 39.6%. In total there were 275 sightings of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus ponticus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis ponticus) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena relicta) recorded. Both European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Habitats Directive require Member States to monitor and maintain at favourable conservation status those species identified to be in need of protection, including all cetaceans. This study provides the baseline data on the Black Sea cetaceans in Romanian waters.

Keywords: Black Sea, cetaceans, abundance, distribution, line transect sampling, vessel survey

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