Journal of

Applied Ichthyology
J. Appl. Ichthyol. (2014), 1–2 Received: December 22, 2013
© 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH Accepted: February 6, 2014
ISSN 0175–8659 doi: 10.1111/jai.12467

Short communication
First record of the Indian Ocean anchovy Stolephorus insularis Hardenberg, 1933
from the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey
By C. Dalyan1, E. Yemisßken1, D. Erguden2, C. Turan2 and L. Eryilmaz1
1
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Vezneciler-Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Marine Sciences and
Technology Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University, Iskenderun, Hatay, Turkey

Introduction 70% ethanol and deposited at the Hydrobiology Museum,

The transfer of species into the Mediterranean Sea via the Science Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul [IUSHM
Suez Canal is called Lessepsian migration (Por, 1978). Ninety 2013–1055]. The second and third specimens were preserved
substantiated Lessepsian fish records have been reported, 32 in 4% formalin and deposited in the Museum of the Faculty
of these fishes in the Mediterranean Sea within the past dec- of Fisheries, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay [MSM-PIS/
ade (Golani, 2010; Bariche and Heemstra, 2012; Fricke et al., 2013-2; MSM-PIS/2013-3].
2012; Azzurro et al., 2013; Stern and Goren, 2013). Of these,
55 are reported in Turkish waters, including the recent find-
ings of Champsodon vorax (G€ €
okoglu and Ozvarol, 2013) and
Results
the blue-barred parrotfish, Scarus ghobban (Turan et al., Morphometric measurements of the specimens are given in
2014). Table 1; their distinctive characteristics are: body slightly
Stolephorus insularis is widespread throughout the north- compressed laterally, six small needle-like scutes in front of
ern Indian Ocean, and from the northwestern Pacific Ocean the pelvic fin, maxilla tip reaching to the border of the
to New Caledonia in the southwestern Indian Ocean (Gulf preoperculum, 24–25 lower gill rakers. Dorsal fin with 15–
of Thailand, Java Sea, Hong Kong, Fujian and Taiwan 16 rays, anal fin rays III, 15–16. Color: A dark blue stripe
Island, possibly Fiji and Samoa) (Whitehead et al., 1988; on the upper midline of the body. Dorsally silvery-blue,
Fricke et al., 2012; Froese and Pauly, 2013). According to lower part of the body and belly silver-grey. Morphometric-
Hoedt (1994), this species is found predominantly in shallow meristic characteristics and the color of the examined
waters and estuaries at depths of 30–40 m. specimens indicate that they are S. insularis, as described
Engraulis encrasicolus is thus far the only Engraulid species previously in Whitehead et al. (1988) and Fricke et al.
recorded in the Mediterranean Sea (Quignard and Tomasini, (2012). Ripe ovaries and testis were observed in the
2000; Nelson, 2006). However, Stolephorus insularis (subfam- collected specimens.
iliy Coiliinae) was recorded on 7 August 2009 for the first
time on the Tel Aviv coast of Israel, and reported by Fricke
et al. (2012) who emphasized that S. insularis is an Indo- Table 1
Pacific species; it seems logical to assume that its range Morphometric measurements of captured S. insularis specimens and
their proportions
extension into the Mediterranean Sea occurred via the Suez
Canal. Specimens
Thus, the record of S. insularis from the northeastern
Mediterranean coasts of Turkey reported here is proof of its Measurements (mm) 1(♀) 2(♀) 3(♂) Proportions
northerly range extension.
Total length 91 106 115
Fork length 85 97 98
Standard length (SL) 78 90 93
Materials and methods Predorsal distance 39 43 45 47–50% of SL
The first S. insularis specimen was collected by the commer- Preanal distance 48 57 63 62–68% of SL
Dorsal base length 9 13 14 12–15% of SL
cial trawler F/V Sait Baba on 6 December 2012. The sam- Anal base length 11 16 16 14–18% of SL
pling haul was conducted at an average depth of 56 m in Caudal peduncle height 6 6 6 6–8% of SL
Iskenderun Bay (36°340 51″N; 36°20 59″E). The other two Head length (HL) 21 21 23 20–23% of SL
specimens were captured by trawl in the Yumurtalik Bight Snout length 3 3 3 13–14% of HL
Inter-orbital distance 4 4 4 17–19% of HL
(Iskenderun Bay) at a depth of 34 m, on 18 April 2013
Eye diameter 5 5 5 22–24% of HL
(36°340 8″N; 36°10 13″E). The first specimen was preserved in
2 C. Dalyan et al.
Discussion
The maximum total length of this species was 62 mm in
northern Australia and 98 mm in southern India. Total
length in the present study ranged from 91 to 115 mm.
S. insularis is a relatively short-lived species, with a lifespan
not exceeding one year (Hoedt, 1994; Murugesan et al.,
2012). Moreover, it has a high reproductive activity during
winter and summer (Hoedt, 1994).
The invasive anchovy S. insularis can be easily distin-
guished from its co-familiars in the Mediterranean Sea by its
needle-like scutes in front of the pelvic fin and the number of
lower gill rakers (fewer than 27).
Stolephorus insularis is the first Lessepsian immigrant of
the Engraulid species in Turkish coastal waters. S. insularis
and E. encrasicolus have similar ecological niches, whereby
E. encrasicolus constitutes an important part of the ecosys-
tem and has an important commercial value in the Mediter-
ranean Sea (Whitehead et al., 1988; Stergiou and Karpouzi,
2002; Murugesan et al., 2012). Therefore, ecological and bio-
logical characteristics of S. insularis in the Mediterranean
Sea must be thoroughly investigated.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Captain Yasin Kucuk and the crew
of the Sait Baba for their help during the collection of the
material examined. This study was supported by the
Research Fund of the Istanbul University (Project Number:
27457) and the Mustafa Kemal University (Project Number:
BAP 1201 M 0119).
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Author’s address: Cem Dalyan, Department of Biology, Faculty of
Science, Istanbul University, TR-34134, Vezneciler-
Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
E-mail: cdalyan@istanbul.edu.tr