___

• collected 1 - 121–501
• 1580–1692 Karakulak et al. (2006) - 1917
• Karaburun, N Aegean Sea 35–40 5–100 1–500 32 HL 2 March 2014
• Geldiay and Mater (1968)
• Sangun et al. (2007) 41 2 - 1
• Cengiz et al. (2011) This study
• *LN: Lift net; T: trawl; GN: gill net; TN: trammel net; HL: hand line.
• Figure 1. Ophisurus serpens (ref. ESFM-PIS/2014-001), captured
• from Karaburun, close to İzmir Bay, Aegean Sea.
• Figure 2. Map of İzmir Bay indicating the capture site (star) of Ophisurus serpens. recorded for the Mediterranean Sea. In the present study, we report not only the fourth largest specimen (1917 mm
• TL) for the Mediterranean, but also the largest specimen for Turkish waters.
• The number of pores in the linea lateralis for the
• specimen from Karaburun, İzmir, is 191, while Dulcic et
• al. (2005) and Ben Amor et al. (2009) noted 202 (eastern
• Adriatic) and 149 (333 mm TL, Tunis Southern Lagoon)
• pores, respectively. Thus, as the fish grows, the number of
• pores in the linea lateralis increases.
• Hereafter, the occurrence of this fish in the eastern part
• of the Mediterranean Sea might be explained by changing
• trophic and/or ecological conditions; there is a need to
• research this phenomenon.
• In conclusion, the occurrence of O. serpens is very rare
• in the Aegean Sea (merely 3 specimens recorded from
• Aliağa, Çandarlı Bay, and Gökçeada Island, northern
• Aegean Sea, by Geldiay and Mater, 1968; Karakulak et al.,
• 2006); however, this ichthyological note shows that this
• fish is likely entering the İzmir Bay fish fauna.
• Number of pores in linea lateralis 1880 1917 228 (11.9% TL) 735 (38.3% TL) 30 (1.6% TL) 158 (8.2% TL) 10 (6.3% HL) 47 (29.7% HL) 443 305 14 191 References
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