Range expansion of an invasive pufferfish, lagocephalus sceleratus (Actinopterygii: Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae), to the South-Western mediterranean

Abstract

Three specimens of silver-cheeked toadfish, Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789), were caught on eastern coasts of Algeria during the winter of 2013-2014. This is the first record of this invasive species from Algeria, providing further evidence of its occurrence along north-African coasts and confirming its entry into the Western basin of the Mediterranean. The human-health implications of this toxic fish in this region are discussed.