First Morphological and Genetic Record and Confirmation of Korean Rockfish Sebastes schlegelii Hilgendorf, 1880 in the Black Sea Coast of Türkiye

Abstract

One specimen of Korean rockfish Sebastes schlegelii Hilgendorf, 1880 was caught by using fish net at a depth of 7 m on 14 May 2022 from Akçakoca, Düzce in Black Sea. In this study, the Korean rockfish Sebastes schlegelii from the Black Sea coast of Türkiye is reported for the first time with both morphologic and genetic evidence. S. schlegelii is characterised by 5 spines on the preoperculum and 2 spines on operculum. Genetic analyses using mtDNA COI gene region also confirmed the species as Sebastes schlegelii. This species is thought to have been transported to the Black Sea from other seas of the world, probably via ballast waters or aquarium escape. The most important reason for this is that the species has not been detected in the Mediterranean.