First observation of the longfin batfish Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775) in Libyan waters

05/26/2026 Arda Tonay

First observation of the longfin batfish Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775) in Libyan waters

Sara A.A. Almabruk

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0754-4951

Higher Institute of Science and Technology, Cyrene, LIBYA
Marine Biology in Libya Society, El Bayda, LIBYA

Abstract

The longfin batfish Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775), a species native to the Indo-West Pacific, is reported for the first time from Libyan waters. A single specimen was documented through video evidence during a night spearfishing dive at Ras Lanuf (approx. 30.5°N, 18.5°E), Gulf of Sirte, on 9 July 2025 at a depth exceeding 10 meters. This observation represents the first observation record of P. teira along the southern Mediterranean coast and extends the known distribution of this non-indigenous species westward from previous records in Türkiye and Ashdod (eastern Mediterranean). The possible introduction pathways and ecological implications are discussed.

Keywords: Citizen science, Ephippidae, Gulf of Sirte, non-indigenous species (NIS), Mediterranean

Pages: 108-114

pdf-dl icon

References

Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Abdulghani, A., Nour, O.M., Adel, M., Crocetta, F., Doumpas, N., Kleitou, P., Tiralongo, F. (2021a) The role of social media in compensating for the lack of field studies: five new fish species for Mediterranean Egypt. Journal of Fish Biology 99(2): 673-678.

Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Rizgalla, J. (2019) First record of lionfish (Scorpaenidae: Pterois) from Libyan waters. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 25(1): 108-114.

Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Rizgalla, J., Giovos, I., Bariche, M. (2020) Social media reveals the first records of the invasive lionfish Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) and parrotfish Scarus ghobban Forsskål, 1775 from Egypt (Mediterranean Sea). BioInvasions Records 9(3): 574-579.

Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Zava, B., Abdulghani, A., Corsini-Foka, M., Deidun, A. (2021b) The first record of the pharaoh cardinal fish, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Apogonidae), from Libyan waters. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 51(1): 113-118.

Bariche, M., Al-Mabruk, S.A.A., Ateş, M.A., Büyük, A., Crocetta, F., Dritsas, M., Edde, D., Fortič, A., Gavriil, E., Gerovasileiou, V., Gökoğlu, M., Huseyinoglu, F.M., Karachle, P.K., Kleitou, P., Terbiyik Kurt, T., Langeneck, J., Lardicci, C., Lipej, L., Pavloudi, C., Pinna, M., et al. (2020) New alien Mediterranean biodiversity records (March 2020). Mediterranean Marine Science 21(1): 129-145.

Bazairi, H., Sghaier, Y.R., Benamer, I., Langar, H., Pergent, G., Bourass, E.M., Verlaque, M., Ben Soussi, J., Zenetos, A. (2013) Alien marine species of Libya: first inventory and new records in El-Kouf National Park (Cyrenaica) and the neighbouring areas. Mediterranean Marine Science 14(2): 451-462.

Bilecenoglu, M., Kaya, M. (2006) A new alien fish in the Mediterranean Sea – Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775) (Osteichthyes: Ephippidae). Aquatic Invasions 1(2): 80-83.

Carpenter, K.E., Robertson, R. (2019) Platax teira. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T54007396A54023123.

Corsini-Foka, M., Abdulghani, A., Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Abdulrraziq, A.A., Ibrahim, S.M., Scannella, D., Zava, B., Deidun, A., Gianguzza, P. (2021) Invasive portunid crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the swimming blue crab Portunus segnis (Forskål, 1775). BioInvasions Records 10(4): 885-893.

Crocetta, F., Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Azzurro, E., Bakiu, R., Bariche, M., Batjakas, I.E., Bejaoui, T., Ben Souissi, J., Cauchi, J., Corsini-Foka, M., Deidun, A., Evans, J., Galdies, J., Ghanem, R., Kampouris, T.E., Katsanevakis, S., Kondylatos, G., Lipej, L., Lombardo, A., Marletta, G., et al. (2021) New alien Mediterranean biodiversity records (November 2021). Mediterranean Marine Science 22(3): 724-746.

Froese, R., Pauly, D. (eds.)(2024) FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. Available at: https://www.fishbase.org (accessed Dec 2024).

Golani, D., Sonin, O., Edelist, D. (2011) Second records of the Lessepsian fish migrants Priacanthus sagittarius and Platax teira and distribution extension of Tylerius spinosissimus in the Mediterranean. Aquatic Invasions 6(Suppl. 1): S7-S11.

Shakman, E. (2019) Status of marine alien species along the Libyan coast. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 25(2): 188-209.

Tiralongo, F., Akyol, O., Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Battaglia, P., Beton, D., Bitlis, B., Borg, J.A., Bouchoucha, M., Çinar, M.E., Crocetta, F., Dragičević, B., Dulčić, J., Evangelopoulos, A., Evans, J., Fortič, A., Gauff, R.P.M., Georgiadis, C.G., Gökoğlu, M., Grech, D., Guy-Haim, T., et al. (2022) New alien Mediterranean biodiversity records (August 2022). Mediterranean Marine Science 23(3): 725-747.

Zenetos, A., Albano, P.G., López García, E., Stern, N., Čižmek, H., Cvetković, N., Froglia, C., Petovic, S., Sardo, G., Mačić, V., Bakiu, R., Aguilar, R., Yokes, M.B., Ferrario, J., Ferrarin, C., Poursanidis, D., Therriault, T.W., Appeltans, W., Costello, M.J., Pagad, S. (2022) Establishing a baseline for monitoring non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean Sea: An update (2017–2021). BioInvasions Records 11(2): 372-432.

Zenetos, A., Gofas, S., Verlaque, M., Çinar, M.E., Garcia Raso, J.E., Bianchi, C.N., Morri, C., Azzurro, E., Bilecenoglu, M., Froglia, C., Siokou, I., Violanti, D., Sfriso, A., San Martin, G., Giangrande, A., Katağan, T., Ballesteros, E., Ramos-Esplá, A., Mastrototaro, F., Ocaña, O. (2010) Alien species in the Mediterranean Sea by 2010. A contribution to the application of European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part I. Spatial distribution. Mediterranean Marine Science 11(2): 381-493.