Age and growth of Capoeta erhani Turan, Kottelat and Ekmekçi, 2008 from the Seyhan River (southeast of Turkey)

Capoeta erhani is an endemic species to southeast of Turkey. To date the information on biology of this species from inland waters of Turkey is very limited. The present study aims to provide the basic age and growth parameters of C. erhani from the middle basin of the Seyhan River. In total, 255 individuals were collected seasonally between October 2013 and September 2014. The overall sex ratio was 3.47:1 M:F. The total length of the specimens ranged from 10.4 to 33.0 cm and the weight from 9.0 to 360.0 g. The ages of total examined fish ranged from 0 to 5 years. Maximum age was found to be 5 years for both sexes. Length-weight relationship was described as logW= -5.067 + 3.168 logTL (r^2= 0.972). The von Bertalanffy growth parameters were: L∞ = 32.51 cm; k = 0.400 year-1; t0 =-0.930 year for the entire population. Munro’s phi prime index in males, females and both sexes was calculated as 6.00, 6.12 and 6.04

Length-weight and length-length relationships of the Mediterranean shad Alosa agone (Scopoli, 1786) from the Northeastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey

The relationships between total length (TL), fork length (FL) and standard length (SL), and between TL and weight were investigated for Mediterranenan shad, Alosa agone, from two estuary localities (Karaduvar and Samandag), North-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. A total of 297 specimens, 150 males and 147 females, were captured by gill net and trammel net between September 2006 and May 2007 from the NE Mediterranean Sea coast of Turkey. The values of the exponent b of the length-weight relationships (LWRs) were 3.50 for female and 3.49 for male. The length-length relationship (LLRs) between the three length measurements (TL-FL-SL) were highly correlated (r2>0.99, P<0.001). This study presented the first reference on LWRs and LLRs for Mediterranean shad species from NE Mediterranean coast of Turkey.Key words: Alosa agone, Mediterranean shad, length-weight relationship, length-length relationship, NE Mediterranean Sea

First record of the broad-banded cardinal fish Apogon fasciatus (White, 1790) from Turkey

Two specimens of the alien cardinal fish Apogon fasciatus (White, 1790) are recorded for the first time from Turkey and second time from the Mediterranean Sea. This is the fourth Indo-Pacific apogonid species documented in the Mediterranean Sea, and the introduction of this species to the eastern Mediterranean is due to migration from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal

New Mediterranean Marine biodiversity records (June 2013)

This paper concerns records of species that have extended their distribution in the Mediterranean Sea. The finding of the rare brackish angiosperm Althenia filiformis in the island of Cyprus is interesting since its insertion in the Red Data Book of the Flora of Cyprus is suggested. The following species enriched the flora or fauna lists of the relevant countries: the red alga Sebdenia dichotoma (Greece), the hydrachnid mite Pontarachna adriatica (Slovenia), and the thalassinid Gebiacantha talismani (Turkey). Several alien species were recorded in new Mediterranean localities. The record of the burrowing goby Trypauchen vagina in the North Levantine Sea (Turkish coast), suggests the start of spreading of this Lessepsian immigrant in the Mediterranean Sea. The findings of the following species indicate the extension of their occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea: the foraminifer Amphistegina lobifera (island of Zakynthos, Greece), the medusa Cassiopea andromeda (Syria), the copepod Centropages furcatus (Aegean Sea), the decapod shrimp Melicertus hathor (island of Kastellorizo, Greece), the crab Menoethius monoceros (Gulf of Tunis), the barnacles Balanus trigonus, Megabalanus tintinnabulum, Megabalanus coccopoma and the bivalves Chama asperella, Cucurbitula cymbium (Saronikos Gulf, Greece)

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (December 2017)

The “New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records” series includes new records of marine species found in the Mediterranean basin and/or information on the spatial distribution of already established species of particular interest. The current article presents information on 20 marine taxa classified per country according to their geographic position in the Mediterranean, from west to east. The new records per ecoregion are as follows: Algeria: the first record of the fish Etrumeus golanii is reported along the Algerian coast. Tunisia: the alien jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata is reported for the first time in the Gulf of Gabès. Italy: the first record of Siganus rivulatus in the Strait of Sicily and a new record of Katsuwonus pelamis from the central Tyrrhenian Sea are reported. The establishment of the isopod of the genus Mesanthura in the northern Tyrrhenian with some notes on its ecology are also included. Croatia: signs of establishment of the Lessepsian Siganus luridus and the occurrence of the alien mollusc Rapana venosa are reported. Albania: the first record of the elasmobranch Alopias superciliosus and a recent sighting of the rare monk seal Monachus monachus in Albanian waters are given. Greece: signs of the establishment of the fish Parupeneus forsskali and of the ascidian Hermania momus in Hellenic Aegean waters are reported. Turkey: a new record of the fish P. forsskali and of the Acarea of the genus Acaromantis and Simognathus are given, while the first case of Remora australis in association with delphinids and the occurrence of the sea star Coscinasterias tenuispina are reported. Also, the establishment of the two alien species Isognomon legumen and Viriola sp. [cf. corrugata] are presented. Egypt: the fish Bathygobius cyclopterus is reported for the first time in Mediterranean Sea waters. Also, a new record of Pagellus bogaraveo and a first record of Seriola fasciata in Egyptian Mediterranean waters are reported. Lebanon: the first record of Dondice banyulensis is presented

New Mediterranean marine biodiversity records (December, 2013)

Based on recent biodiversity studies carried out in different parts of the Mediterranean, the following 19 species are included as new records on the floral or faunal lists of the relevant ecosystems: the green algae Penicillus capitatus (Maltese waters); the nemertean Am- phiporus allucens (Iberian Peninsula, Spain); the salp Salpa maxima (Syria); the opistobranchs Felimida britoi and Berghia coerulescens (Aegean Sea, Greece); the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus (central-west Mediterranean and Ionian Sea, Italy); Randall’s threadfin bream Nemipterus randalli, the broadbanded cardinalfish Apogon fasciatus and the goby Gobius kolombatovici (Aegean Sea, Turkey); the reticulated leatherjack Stephanolepis diaspros and the halacarid Agaue chevreuxi (Sea of Marmara, Turkey); the slimy liagora Ganon- ema farinosum, the yellowstripe barracuda Sphyraena chrysotaenia, the rayed pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata radiata and the Persian conch Conomurex persicus (south-eastern Kriti, Greece); the blenny Microlipophrys dalmatinus and the bastard grunt Pomadasys incisus (Ionian Sea, Italy); the brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey); the blue-crab Callinectes sapidus (Corfu, Ionian Sea, Greece). In addition, the findings of the following rare species improve currently available biogeographical knowledge: the oceanic pufferfish Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Malta); the yellow sea chub Kyphosus incisor (Almuñécar coast of Spain); the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus and the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey).peer-reviewe

Age, growth and mortality of the Red Sea invasive blotchfin dragonet, Callionymus filamentosus Valenciennes, 1837 from the northeastern mediterranean, Turkey

The blotchfin dragonet Callionymus filamentosus Valenciennes, 1837 is a Red Sea immigrant that was first recorded from the Turkish coast in 1994. To date, there has been little or no information on the biological parameters of C. filamentosus in the Mediterranean Sea. The present study aims to first determine the age and growth parameters of blotchfin dragonet C. filamentosus established in the Iskenderun Bay, northeastern Mediterranean. A total of 341 C. filamentosus were caught by commercial vessels from Iskenderun Bay (northeastern Mediterraenan, Turkey) between October 2012 and September 2013. The maximum age was found to be 5+ years for both sexes combined, the 1+ age group comprised of 56.0% of samples. The total length distribution of C. filamentosus ranged from 7.2-17.5 cm, and the weight distribution from 3.24-41.89 g. Growth equations for females were calculated as W=0.0l31xL 2.820 (R 2 = 0.985) for males as W= 0.0155xL 2.757 (R 2 = 0.989) and for all individuals as W= 0.0142xZ 2.792 (R 2 = 0.987). Von Bertalonffy growth parameters were L ? = 21.22 cm, K= 0.235 year -1 , t 0 = -2.101 years for females, L ? = 22.24 cm, K = 0.215 year -1 , t 0 = -2.182 years for males, and as L ? = 21.93 cm, K = 0.213 year -1 , t 0 =2.150 years for combined sexes. Overall total mortality was estimated as 0.62 year -1 , natural mortality was 0.41 year -1 and fishing mortality was 0.21 year -1

Length-weight and length-length relationships of the Mediterranean shad alosa agone (Scopoli, 1786) from the Northeastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey

The relationships between total length (TL), fork length (FL) and standard length (SL), and between TL and weight were investigated for Mediterranenan shad, Alosa agone, from two estuary localities (Karaduvar and Samandag), North-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. A total of 297 specimens, 150 males and 147 females, were captured by gill net and trammel net between September 2006 and May 2007 from the NE Mediterranean Sea coast of Turkey. The values of the exponent b of the length-weight relationships (LWRs) were 3.50 for female and 3.49 for male. The length-length relationship (LLRs) between the three length measurements (TL-FL-SL) were highly correlated (r2>0.99, P<0.001). This study presented the first reference on LWRs and LLRs for Mediterranean shad species from NE Mediterranean coast of Turkey. © 2011 Academic Journals

Occurrence of Heniochus intermedius Steindachner, 1893 in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey

[No abstract available

First Substantiated Record of Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810) in Southern Aegean Sea, Turkey

A single female specimen of the Spanish ling, Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810) (35.3 cm in total length and 96.2 g in weight) was caught by a commercial trammel net at a depth of 393 m on 19 March 2017 from Sıgacık Bay (İzmir coast), Turkey. This paper presents the first substantiated occurrence and, hence, the confirmation of M. macrophthalma in the southern Aegean Sea, Turkey. This record is significant because the last record of M. macrophthalma in the region was made over 50 years ago in the coastal waters of Turkey. Therefore, the species could be considered as exceptionally rare in the Mediterranean, Turkey. Morphometric and meristic characters of the specimen are given in the text. © 2018, Springer Nature Switzerland AG