Volume 26, Issue 78, July - December, 2025

Checklist and Distribution of Exotic Teleost Fish Species Arrived in Syrian Marine Water (Eastern Mediterranean) during the Period 2018-2025

Amir Ibrahim^1♦, Chirine Hussein¹, Firas Alshawy², Alaa Alcheikh Ahmad³, Bahaa Ahmad⁴, Ibrahim Sadek Seddiek Ibrahim⁵

¹Department of Fisheries Resources, High Institute of Marine Research, Latakia University, Syria.
²Faculty of Veterinary medicine, AlFurat University, Syria
³General Establishment of Fisheries, Coastal Area Branch, Tartous- Syria.
⁴UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), Costal Area, Syria.
⁵Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, Latakia Branch, Syria.

^♦Corresponding Author
Amir IBRAHIM, Department of Fisheries Resources، High Institute of Marine Research، Latakia University-Syria

ABSTRACT

This article provides an updated review of the exotic fish species (Teleostei/Osteichthyes) which are recorded for the first time in Syrian marine water (eastern Mediterranean), during the period 2018-2025. Fifty exotic fish species belonging to 45 genera and 35 families are recorded. Compared to the previous decades, a dramatic increase (>7 species year-1) occurred in the number of the exotic fish species arrived into Syrian marine water during the studied period. Apogonidae and Sparidae were the richest families with species records (4 species each), followed by Ophichthidae (3 species), then by Labridae, Mullidae, Priacanthidae, Serranidae, Scombridae, Scorpaenidae and Tetraodontidae (2 species each). The remaining families are represented by one species each. Out of these, 6 species (12%) have "established" themselves in Syrian marine water (Jaydia smithi, Heniochus intermedius, Fistularia petimba, Platycéphales indicus, Pterois volitans and Epinephelus areolatus) as they are recorded at least three separate times, and in different places in the area. Other species are "casual", i.e. those species that are recorded twice (4 species, 8%) or once (40 species, 80%). Other information, such as species spread, fishing location, fishing gears, and global distribution, are given.

Keywords: Syrian coast, Mediterranean Sea, Fish migration; First records; Exotic species, Species expansion, Tropicalization

Species, 2026, 27(79), e14s3279

PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v27i79.e14s3279

Published: 05 June 2026