An updated Checklist of Marine fishes from Syria with an emphasis on alien species

Abstract

An updated checklist of marine ichthyofauna recorded to date from Syrian marine waters, including 298 species (belonging to 220 genera, 111 families, 36 orders, and 3 classes) is presented. Sparidae is the dominant family (28 species), followed by Blenniidae (15 species), while 55 families are represented by 1 species. The Chondrichthyes present in Syria were cross-checked for the first time. The status, frequency, main fishing gear targeting common species, in addition to the fishing method by which the rare species were caught, are also provided. Four species are recorded herein for the first time: Stomias boa boa (Risso, 1810), Hymenocephalus italicus Giglioli, 1884, Scarus ghobban Forsskal, 1775, and Nettastoma melanurum Rafinesque, 1810. This inventory includes 56 Lessepsian migrant species, with 16 of them being considered very common and of positive economic importance. Alien species have been grouped into three categories, namely, established (49 species), casual (2 species) and single records (5 species). Twenty-eight species were excluded from this list, due to lack of reliable documentation on their presence.