First record of the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber (Broussonet, 1782) in the Mediterranean Sea: is it a new aquarium release?

Ioannis Giovos

doi:10.3391/bir.2020.9.1.12

Abstract

First record of the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber (Broussonet, 1782) in the Mediterranean Sea: is it a new aquarium release?

Highlights

The family Ephippidae Bleeker, 1859 comprises 20 omnivorous, deep-bodied, marine- and brackish-water fishes, commonly known as spadefishes (Froese and Pauly 2019)
The present record constitutes the first observation of Chaetodipterus faber in the Aegean coasts of Greece and the entire Mediterranean Sea
Given the West Atlantic origin of the species, and the lack of additional sightings from western Mediterranean countries (i.e. Spain, Morocco, France) and even Eastern Atlantic Ocean close to the Strait of Gibraltar (i.e. Portugal, Morocco, Mauritania), we suspect that this specimen was most likely released from an aquarium, given the popularity of the species in the ornamental fish industry

Summary

Introduction

The family Ephippidae Bleeker, 1859 comprises 20 omnivorous, deep-bodied, marine- and brackish-water fishes, commonly known as spadefishes (Froese and Pauly 2019). The Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber (Broussonet, 1782) is widely distributed in the Western Atlantic coast, from Boston down to south Brazil (Figueiredo et al 2002) and can be found in large schools of up to 500 individuals along the coast over wrecks, reefs and brackish lagoons or around buoys, mangroves, under bridges and in harbors (Lieske and Myers 1994) It can be found mimicking dead leaves or floating debris (Lieske and Myers 1994). First record of Chaetodipterus faber in the Mediterranean Sea cnidarians, as well as plankton, and can reach up to ~ 90 cm TL (Robins and Ray 1986) (more commonly ~ 50 cm: see Figueiredo et al 2002); it usually reaches sexual maturity at ~ 13.5 cm (Hayse 1990) This taxon is quite popular among recreational fishers, and in aquarium trade, with a relatively higher market demand worldwide (Froese and Pauly 2019). We present the first record of C. faber in the entire Mediterranean basin, based on an observation reported to the project, and the consequent examination of the specimen

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