MARINE AND FISHERY SCIENCES 36 (2): 203-208 (2023)
https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3622023010507
ABSTRACT. In the present study, one juvenile specimen of redcoat Sargocentron rubrum
(Forsskål, 1775) was first reported from the Mediterranean coast of Turkey with a visual record dur-
ing an underwater survey conducted from the coast of Arsuz (Konacik), Iskenderun Bay, at a depth
of 3 m, on September 11, 2018. The Family Holocentridae is currently represented in the Mediter-
ranean by seven species, all exotic, six of them originate in the Red Sea (Lessepsian migrants) and
one originates from the Atlantic.
Key words: Holocentridae, visual record, Lessepsian migrant, Iskenderun Bay.
Primer registro de un juvenil de Sargocentron rubrum (Forsskål, 1775) del Mediterráneo
Sudoriental, Turquía
RESUMEN. En el presente estudio, un espécimen juvenil de candil rojo Sargocentron rubrum
(Forsskål, 1775) fue reportado por primera vez en la costa mediterránea de Turquía, mediante un
registro visual durante un estudio submarino realizado desde la costa de Arsuz (Konacik), bahía de
Iskenderun, a una profundidad de 3 m, el 11 de septiembre de 2018. La Familia Holocentridae está
representada actualmente en el Mediterráneo por siete especies, todas exóticas, seis de ellas origi-
narias del Mar Rojo (migrantes lessepsianos) y una originaria del Atlántico.
Palabras clave: Holocentridae, registro visual, migrante lessepsiano, bahía de Iskenderun.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 resulted in the introduction of
many Red Sea species to the Mediterranean Sea. This ongoing process is
termed ‘Lessepsian migration’ (Por 1978). Since the penetration of the first
Lessepsian migrant Atherinomorus forsskali in 1902, at least 115 fish species
have been recorded and substantiated as migrants from the Red Sea into the
Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal (Kovačić et al. 2021).
Redcoat Sargocentron rubrum (Forsskål, 1775) (Holocentridae) was first
documented from the Mediterranean by Haas and Steinitz (1947) recording
an adult specimen from Palestine and then in Greece, Rhodes (Laskaridis
1948), Cyprus (Demetropoulos and Neocleous 1969) and Libya (Stirn 1970).
Recently, it has been reported from the southwestern Aegean Sea and Pelo-
203
*Correspondence:
deniz.erguden@iste.edu.tr
Received: 12 January 2023
Accepted: 17 March 2023
ISSN 2683-7595 (print)
ISSN 2683-7951 (online)
https://ojs.inidep.edu.ar
Journal of the Instituto Nacional de
Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero
(INIDEP)
This work is licensed under a Creative
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Marine and
Fishery Sciences
MAFIS
NOTE
First occurrence of juvenile Sargocentron rubrum (Forsskål, 1775) from
South-Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey
DENIZ ERGUDEN1, *, NECDET UYGUR2and SIBEL ALAGOZ ERGUDEN3, 4
1Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Iskenderun Technical University, 31220 - Iskenderun, Turkey. 2Maritime Vocational Higher
School, Iskenderun Technical University, 31220 - Iskenderun, Turkey. 3Imamoglu Vocational School, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
4Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Science, Iskenderun Technical University, 31220 - Iskenderun,
Turkey. ORCID Deniz Erguden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2597-2151, Necdet Uygur https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4460-1735,
Sibel Alagoz Erguden https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4363-433X
ponnose (Zenetos et al. 2013), Tunisia (Amor et
al. 2016), Malta (Deidun et al. 2016). Sargocen-
tron rubrum was first recorded in Turkish marine
waters from the Mediterranean Sea and the Aege-
an Sea (Kosswig 1950) and later this species was
also reported from the Marmara Sea by Artüz and
Golani (2018).
S. rubrum is widespread in the West Pacific
Ocean (Randall et al. 2003). This species is also
known as the spotfin squirrelfish or soldierfish. S.
rubrum is one of the most commonly encountered
species in its genera. It is frequently seen in the
Red Sea, southern Japan to New Caledonia, Van-
uatu and New South Wales, Australia (Williams
and Greenfield 2016; Froese and Pauly 2022).
This fish species is nocturnal, inhabiting caves
and cracks, crevices during the daytime (Kuiter
and Tonozuka 2001).
In the present paper, we reported the first visual
record of juvenile S. rubrum from Iskenderun Bay,
southeastern Mediterranean, Turkey. Besides, we
also believe that reporting the existence of this
juvenile specimen will help scientists and public
authorities working in this field determine the
juvenile stage of this species.
A single juvenile specimen of S. rubrum was
photographed at a depth of 3 m during a SCUBA
diving expedition in Konacik/Arsuz (Iskenderun
Bay, 36° 21'N-35° 49'E) on September 11, 2018
(Figure 1). The surface water temperature was
29° C. This specimen was photographed on a
rocky habitat, partially covered with algae and
sea grass (Figure 2). Morphological and colour
descriptions used for the identification followed
Randall (1998).
Some of the visible features of the specimen of
S. rubrum observed with a camera in SCUBA
diving were as follows. Body compressed and
covered with coarsely scales. Head scaly and
slightly convex. Mouth terminal and sharp nose.
204 MARINE AND FISHERY SCIENCES 36 (2): 203-208 (2023)
Figure 1. Map showing the capture site ( ) of juvenile Sargocentron rubrum in the Mediterranean Sea.
41° 88'
39° 37'
35° 25'
31° 32'
15° 73'23° 20'29° 70'34° 89'
KonacikKonacik
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Turkey