First record of the spotfin cardinal fish Jaydia queketti (Gilchrist, 1903) (Teleostei: Apogonidae) from the Syrian marine waters (Eastern Mediterranean)

Abstract

For decades, the Mediterranean Sea received many invasive marine biota, which found their corridors to the Mediterranean environment through various ways, benefiting from the climate changes. On March 2019, a field trip was performed in the marine waters facing Banyas city, Syria, a specimen of the spotfin cardinal fish Jaydia queketti (Gilchrist, 1903) was caught. This record fills the gap in the species distribution along the eastern Mediterranean; between northern (Iskenderun Bay) and southern (Ashdod) coasts, and it is considered as the first report of this fish in the Syrian marine waters.