Dipterygonotus balteatus (Valenciennes, 1830) (Teleostei: Caesionidae), a new alien fish in the mediterranean sea

Abstract

The mottled fusilier Dipterygonotus balteatus is a midwater planktivorous fish, native to the tropical Indo-Pacific realm. Here we document the first record of five individuals of this species captured in the eastern Mediterranean, off Al Abdeh in Lebanon. Given its small size, inconspicuous appearance, behaviour and also the number of individuals caught, it is suggested that the species may already have been present in the Mediterranean Sea for some time. Because of the proximity to the Suez Canal, Lessepsian migration is a likely mode of entry but transport by ballast water is also another possible pathway. © 2018 The Author(s). Journal compilation and 2018 REABIC.