FIRST RECORD OF THE LIONFISH PTEROIS MILES (BENNETT 1828) FROM THE AEGEAN SEA

01/10/2019 Arda Tonay

First record of the lionfish Pterois miles (Bennett 1828) from the Aegean Sea

Cemal Turan, Bayram Öztürk              

Marine Science and Technology Faculty, Iskenderun Technical University, Iskenderun, TURKEY
Faculty of Fisheries, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TURKEY
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TURKEY

Abstract

The lionfish Pterois miles (Bennett 1828) was observed by scuba diving in August 2015 at 11 m depth on sandy bottom in Dalyan on the Aegean Sea coast of Turkey. This is a lessepsian species entering the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. All urgent measures such as killing, eliminating and fishing are proposed to avoid the expansion of this venomous fish species in the Turkish waters and adjacent area.

Keywords: Aegean Sea, lessepsian migration, Pterois miles, Suez Canal,Turkey

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