First confirmed record of the white-spotted puffer Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Mediterranean sea

Abstract

The tropical aquarium business is thriving worldwide and typical aquarium fishes are being recorded in several parts of the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we report the occurrence of an individual Arothron hispidus in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Cyprus (Protaras, 34.969733ºN; 33.963550ºE). The puffer record was based on high resolution photos and a movie taken on 2 February 2018 and uploaded on social media. Among the possible introduction modes, an aquarium release event seems to be the most likely reason for the presence of the species in the Mediterranean Sea.