Atractosteus spatula (Actinopterygii: Lepisosteiformes: Lepisosteidae): A deliberate aquarium trade introduction incidence in the Shatt Al-Arab river, Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

The first record of a single specimen of alligator gar, Atractosteus spatula (Lacepède, 1803), native to North America, is reported from the inland waters of Iraq. The specimen was caught from southern reaches of the Shatt al-Arab River at Om-al-Rasas Island, Basrah, Iraq during an ichthyologic survey in September 2016 using gillnets with mesh size of 40 mm. The capture of a sub-adult specimen, 900 mm in total length, marks the first record of a member of the family Lepisosteidae in the freshwater system of Iraq. Aquarium trade pathway is the suspected factor for the presence of this species in the Iraqi freshwater area.