COMPARATIVE NOTES ON THE PRESENT RED SEA AND MEDITERRANEAN SELACHII

Abstract

SUMMARY The selachians living in the Red Sea (15 families, nearly 50 species) and in the Mediterranean (20 families, 76 species) form populations differing qualitatively and quantitatively in relation to their origin, systematic position and ecology. Several are circumtropical and some of them are found in both seas. In the Red Sea the Chimaeridae, other deep sea selachians and also the Rajidae are absent. With 17 species, the latter form a notable part of the Mediterranean selachians. One of these is a Lessepsian immigrant.