A new alien fish in the Mediterranean Sea; Oxyurichtys keiensis (Smith, 1938) (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae)

Abstract

An Indian Ocean goby, Oxyurichtys keiensis (Smith, 1938), is recorded from the northern Levantine coast of Turkey. The identification of Oxyurichtys keiensis was carried out using morphological characters and DNA barcoding data. This species is distinguished from only lessepsian congeneric, in the Mediterranean Sea, Oxyurichtys petersii, by sensory papilla pattern, scales in lateral series and tongue shape. In this study, the presence of the 13rd alien gobiid species of the Mediterranean Sea, which tends to create established populations far from its native distribution is presented.