Our knowledge on the deep ichthyofauna of the Eastern Ionian Sea was improved with new species records and information related to the meristic... » More

 

Our knowledge on the deep ichthyofauna of the Eastern Ionian Sea was improved with new species records and information related to the meristic and morphometric characters of these species. The material was collected in the framework of the sampling cruises of the CoralFISH project conducted by HCMR in the Eastern Ionian Sea in June and October 2010. For the sampling purposes of the project, experimental long line fishing was carried out in deep waters from 300 to 800 m depth. The rare species imperial blackfish Schedophilus ovalis (Cuvier, 1833) (Osteichthyes: Centrolophidae), barracudina Sudis hyalina (Rafinesque, 1810) (Osteicthyes: Paralepididae), Ray's bream or Atlantic promfet Brama brama (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Osteichthyes: Bramidae) and ribbonfish Trachipterus trachypterus (Gmelin, 1789) (Osteichthyes: Trachipteridae) were recorded for the first time in the Eastern Ionian waters. Their bathymetric distribution, and meristic and morphometric features were reported and compared with literature data. The presence of these rare species in the study area is discussed  in relation to environmental conditions and fishing effects.

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