Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) - Λαγοκέφαλος - Cyprus

 See also

White-spotted puffer fish - Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus

 All about Cyprus - Όλα για την Κύπρο

Lesepsian migrants to Cyprus

The Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789), known as the silver-cheeked toadfish, is an extremely poisonous marine bony fish in the family Tetraodontidae (puffer fishes)

The species is common in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is a recent Lessepsian migrant into the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which it reached through the Suez Canal. It has been caught off the coasts of Israel, the south of Turkey, in Cyprus, the south coasts of mainland Greece, Crete and Rhodes. Recently, in 2013, it has been reported off the waters off Lampedusa Island in the central Mediterranean,[1] and in 2015 off Malta and also in waters near the town of Bečići, Montenegro, on the southeastern Adriatic Sea. Since 2015, they have been reported in large numbers off the coast of Crete.

The silver-cheeked toadfish lives in open waters on rocky bottoms, from shallow coastal waters down to a 250m depth (in the Red Sea).

The silver-cheeked toadfish is very similar to the oceanic pufferfish but more elongated and with a symmetrical caudal (tail) fin. Its back is grey or brown with darker spots and it has a white belly. A characteristic silver band runs along the sides of the fish. The silver-cheeked toadfish can measure up to 40 centimetres (16 in).

The silver-cheeked toadfish preys upon benthic invertebrates.

Eggs and larvae are found in the pelagic zone.

Similar to other puffer fishes, the silver-cheeked toadfish is extremely poisonous if eaten because it contains tetrodotoxin in its ovaries and to a lesser extent its skin, muscles and liver, which protects it from voracious predators. It becomes toxic as it eats bacteria that contain the toxin.[4] This deadly substance causes paralysis of voluntary muscles, which may cause its victims to stop breathing or induce heart failure. Fatal intoxications have been reported in Egypt and Israel.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagocephalus_sceleratus

Underwater photos   by Costas Constantinou

Ο λαγοκέφαλος Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789), είναι είδος ψαριού ευρείας εξάπλωσης στον τροπικό Ινδο-Ειρηνικό Ωκεανό, καθώς και στη Μεσόγειο Θάλασσα τα τελευταία χρόνια ως «λεσσεψιανός μετανάστης». Είναι ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα μέλη της οικογένειας Tetraodontidae, φθάνοντας τουλάχιστον τα 110 εκ. σε σταθερό μήκος και τα 7 κιλά σε βάρος. Στη Μεσόγειο, ο λαγοκέφαλος θεωρείται είδος εισβολέας (invasive species), αφού έχει διαταράξει σε μεγάλο βαθμό την οικολογική ισορροπία του θαλάσσιου οικοσυστήματος, έχει επηρεάσει τις οικονομικές δραστηριότητες που εξαρτώνται από αυτό το οικοσύστημα και αποτελεί, ως τοξικό είδος, απειλή για τη δημόσια υγεία. Φύση του προβλήματος Ο λαγοκέφαλος άρχισε να εμφανίζεται στα νερά της Κύπρου τουλάχιστον από το 2000, ενώ μέσα στο 2006 παρατηρήθηκε μια ραγδαία αύξηση και εξάπλωση του πληθυσμού του. Αυτό, σε συνδυασμό με την ικανότητα του να προκαλεί με τα ισχυρά του δόντια ζημιές στα αλιευτικά εργαλεία και τα αλιεύματα των αλιέων, είχε ως φυσικό επακόλουθο την όλο και μεγαλύτερη πίεση στον ευαίσθητο τομέα της παράκτιας αλιείας της Κύπρου, αλλά και στο παράκτιο θαλάσσιο οικοσύστημα. Σήμερα, ο λαγοκέφαλος θεωρείται από πολλούς το μεγαλύτερο πρόβλημα που αντιμετωπίζει η Κυπριακή παράκτια αλιεία. Σύμφωνα με επίσημα στατιστικά στοιχεία του ΤΑΘΕ, αν και ο λαγοκέφαλος δεν αποτελεί είδος στόχο για την αλιεία, οι εκφορτώσεις του είδους αυτού αποτέλεσαν γύρω στο 4% των συνολικών εκφορτώσεων της παράκτιας αλιείας της Κύπρου τα έτη 2009 και 2010. Εκτός από τους αλιείς, ο λαγοκέφαλος είναι αρκετά γνωστός και στο ευρύ κοινό της Κύπρου, κυρίως λόγω της έγκαιρης ενημέρωσης που έτυχε από το Τμήμα Αλιείας και Θαλασσίων Ερευνών (ΤΑΘΕ), για τους πιθανούς κινδύνους που εγκυμονεί η κατανάλωσή του, αλλά και λόγω της απαγόρευσης στην εμπορία του (Κανονισμός (ΕΚ) 853/2004), λόγω μιας ισχυρής νευροτοξίνης που περιέχει στους ιστούς του. Για τους πιο πάνω λόγους, ο λαγοκέφαλος είναι ίσως το μόνο ξενικό είδος που, εκτός από τα συνήθη περιβαλλοντικά προβλήματα, είναι πηγή και σοβαρών κοινωνικοοικονομικών προβλημάτων και απασχολεί έντονα, εκτός από τον αλιευτικό τομέα, την κοινωνία γενικότερα. Έκταση του προβλήματος Σύμφωνα με στοιχεία του ΤΑΘΕ, η παρουσία του λαγοκέφαλου είναι πλέον έντονη σε όλη την παράκτια ζώνη της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας. Οι κοινωνικοοικονομικές επιπτώσεις της παρουσίας αυτής στην παράκτια αλιεία, όπως επίσης και ο αντίκτυπος της στο θαλάσσιο οικοσύστημα, είναι δύσκολο να προσδιοριστούν με ακρίβεια. Για παράδειγμα, σύμφωνα με αδημοσίευτα στοιχεία του ΤΑΘΕ και αναφορές από αλιείς, φαίνεται να υπάρχει μια άμεση σχέση μεταξύ της ραγδαίας αύξησης των πληθυσμών του λαγοκέφαλου τα τελευταία χρόνια και της μείωσης στις εκφορτώσεις κεφαλόποδων, κυρίως χταποδιών και σουπιών, από την παράκτια αλιεία. Αν αυτό αληθεύει, τότε πολλά εμπορικά είδη ψαριών τα οποία τρέφονται με τα κεφαλόποδα αυτά, επηρεάζονται έμμεσα από την παρουσία του λαγοκέφαλου, και αυτό με τη σειρά του επηρεάζει το αλίευμα και το εισόδημα των αλιέων.

Πηγή-moa.gov.cy/moa/opf/opf.nsf/all/90D7CEDAEC37072CC2257B890033E104/$file/Διαχειριστικό%20σχέδιο%20λαγοκέφαλου.pdf?openelement

Worm Tube - Protula tubularia (Montagu, 1803) - Cyprus

Protula is a genus of marine polychaete worms in the family Sabellidae.

Underwater photo  2mts deep ,Ayia Napa,07.06.2015  by Costas Constantinou

Sinistral spiral tubeworm - Spirorbis borealis Daudi, 1800 - Cyprus

Spirorbis borealis is a sedentary marine polychaete worm in the Serpulidae family. It is commonly called the sinistral spiral tubeworm and is the type species of the genus Spirorbis.

Polychaetes, or marine bristle worms, have elongated bodies divided into many segments. Each segment may bear setae (bristles) and parapodia (paddle-like appendages). Some species live freely, either swimming, crawling or burrowing, and these are known as "errant". Others live permanently in tubes, either calcareous or parchment-like, and these are known as "sedentary".

S. borealis secretes a very small, unridged, off-white, calcareous tube. This is about five millimetres in diameter and forms a flat, clockwise spiral coil as seen from above. The worm retreats into its tube when above water but under water can be seen to have green tentacles.

S. borealis is found on either side of the north Atlantic Ocean. This includes the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, the Gulf of St Lawrence and the St Lawrence estuary. It is typically found growing on Fucus, Laminaria and other seaweeds as well as on rocks and stones. It is widely distributed and abundant on the middle and lower shore,^[3] down to a depth of about thirty metres.

S. borealis is a hermaphrodite. The segments at the front of the abdomen are female while those at the back are male. The male and female gonads mature at much the same time but the sperm is usually released first. Fertilisation is external to the body but inside the tube. The larvae are free swimming member of the plankton for a short time.They then settle out. In a study, where fronds of Fucus serratus already colonised by adults were available for settling, the larvae avoided the most densely populated areas and favoured the concave grooves on either side of the midribs. When prevented from settling out for eight hours, they were much less selective and settled on any Fucus surface regardless of the presence of adults.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

White trevally - Pseudocaranx dentex (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) - Cyprus

White trevally, Pseudocaranx dentex, (also known as striped jack) is a jack of the family Carangidae widespread in tropical and warm temperate areas between 40°N and 47°S, in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It has a deep body, and a greenish colour with metallic overtones and a dark spot above the gills. The fins are yellow. Trevally are strong fighters and the flesh is good to eat if a little dry. It is often used as cut baits. Maximum size is about 120 cm.

In New Zealand, this trevally is known by the Māori as araara, and is generally confined to waters north of Cook Strait, although it sometimes reaches as far south as Otago in the summer.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

White seabream - Diplodus sargus Linnaeus, 1758 - Σαργός - Σορκός - Cyprus

Diplodus sargus, called White seabream and Sargo, is a species of seabream native to the eastern Atlantic and western Indian Oceans.^[1] It is found from the Bay of Biscay southwards to South Africa, including Madeira and the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and (rarely) the Black Sea. Occasionally individuals are found off the Indian Ocean coasts of South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar, and they are very rarely found elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, such as off Oman. An active fish, they inhabit the surf zone, but they may be found down to 50 m.

They consume small crustaceans, mollusks and some seaweed and coral, using their strong jaws to crush shells. Individuals can reach 45 cm, but average 22 cm.

Diplodus sargus are protandrous hermaphrodites, with individuals starting out life as males, and some becoming female later on.

It is commercially fished, with 3,713 t taken in 2008.^[1] Some are reared using aquacultural techniques. The catch is eaten immediately or marketed locally, as the flesh tastes good only when fresh.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

Underwater photo   by Kostas Aristeidou

 

Moon jellyfish - Aurelia aurita Linnaeus, 1758 - Cyprus

Aurelia aurita (also called the moon jelly, moon jellyfish, common jellyfish, or saucer jelly) is a widely studied species of the genusAurelia. All species in the genus are closely related, and it is difficult to identify Aurelia medusae without genetic sampling; most of what follows applies equally to all species of the genus.

The jellyfish is translucent, usually about 25–40 cm (10–16 in) in diameter, and can be recognized by its four horseshoe-shaped gonads, easily seen through the top of the legs. It feeds by collecting medusae, plankton, and mollusks with its tentacles, and bringing them into its body for digestion. It is capable of only limited motion, and drifts with the current, even when swimming.

The genus Aurelia is found throughout most of the world's oceans, from the tropics to as far north as latitude 70°N and as far south as40°S. The species Aurelia aurita is found along the eastern Atlantic coast of Northern Europe and the western Atlantic coast of North America in New England and Eastern Canada. In general, Aurelia is an inshore genus that can be found in estuaries and harbors.

A. aurita lives in ocean water temperatures ranging from 6 to 31 °C (43 to 88 °F); with optimum temperatures of 9 to 19 °C (48 to 66 °F). It prefers temperate seas with consistent currents. It has been found in waters with salinity as low as 6 parts per thousand. The relation between summer hypoxia and moon jellyfish distribution is prominent during the summer months of July and August where temperatures are high and dissolved oxygen (DO) is low. Of the three environmental conditions tested, bottom DO has the most significant effect on moon jellyfish abundance. Moon jellyfish abundance is the highest when bottom dissolved oxygen concentration is lower than 2.0 mg L -1. Moon jellyfish show a strong tolerance to low DO conditions, which is why their population is still relatively high during the summer months. Generally, hypoxia causes species to move from the oxygen depleted zone, however, this is not the case for the moon jellyfish. Furthermore, bell contract rate, which indicates moon jellyfish feeding activity, remains constant although DO concentrations are lower than normal. During the months of July and August it is observed that moon jellyfish aggregations of 250 individuals consumed an estimated 100% of the mesozooplankton biomass in the Seto Inland Sea.^[7] Other major fish predators that are also present in these coastal waters do not seem to show the same high tolerance to low DO concentrations that the moon jellyfish exhibit. The feeding and predatory performance of these fish significantly decreases when DO concentrations are so low. This allows for less competition between the moon jellyfish and other fish predators for zooplankton. Low DO concentrations in the coastal waters such as the Tokyo Bay in Japan and Seto Inland Sea prove to be advantageous for the moon jellyfish in terms of feeding, growth, and survival.

A. aurita and other Aurelia species feed on plankton that includes organisms such as mollusks, crustaceans, tunicate larvae, rotifers, young polychaetes, protozoans, diatoms, eggs, fish eggs, and other small organisms. Occasionally, they are also seen feeding on gelatinous zooplankton such as hydromedusae and ctenophores. Both the adult medusae and larvae of Aurelia have nematocysts to capture prey and also to protect themselves from predators.

The food is caught with its nematocyst-laden tentacles, tied with mucus, brought to the gastrovascular cavity, and passed into the cavity by ciliated action. There, digestive enzymes from serous cell break down the food. There is little known about the requirements for particular vitamins and minerals, but due to the presence of some digestive enzymes, we can deduce in general that A. aurita can process carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

Diplodus vulgaris (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) - Αυλιάς - Χαρατζία - Κακαρέλος - Cyprus

Diplodus vulgaris, the Common two-banded seabream, is a species of seabream belonging to the family Sparidae.

Diplodus vulgaris can reach a length of about 45 centimetres (18 in) with maximum recorded weight of 1.3 kilograms (2.9 lb). Body is generally grey-silver, with two well-defined vertical black bands, one close to the gills and one in the rear of the body, just before the base of the caudal fin. Another black stripe, less pronounced, is present near the eyes. There are golden lines along the body, typically on the back.

Lips are rather thick. In each jaw, there are 8 narrow, light-brownish incisors. In the western Mediterranean, it reproduces in October and November and in the eastern Mediterranean in December and January.

It is a gregarious species, sometimes forming groups composed even by many specimens. In the shallows, it often creates smaller groups even with other similar species.

Adults feed on benthic invertebrates, crustaceans, worms and mollusks. It is considered an important food fish.

This species is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Black Sea and in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, at depths of 0 to 160 m, more commonly between 0 and 30 m.

It inhabits rocky, sandy bottoms and seagrass beds. On sandy bottoms, it can be often found following species that dig the sand and trying to steal their food.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

Salema porgy - Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus

Sarpa salpa, known commonly as the salema, salema porgy, cow bream or goldline, is a species of sea bream, recognisable by the golden stripes that run down the length of its body, and which can cause hallucinations when eaten. It is found in the East Atlantic, as well as the Mediterranean, where ranging from the Bay of Biscay to South Africa. It has occasionally been found as far north as Great Britain. It is generally common and found from near the surface to a depth of 70 m (230 ft). Males are typically 15 to 30 cm (6–12 in) in length, while females are usually 31 to 45 cm (12–18 in). The maximum size is 51 cm (20 in).

Sarpa salpa became widely known for its psychoactivity following widely publicized articles in 2006, when two men ingested it at a Mediterranean restaurant and began to experience many auditory and visual hallucinogenic effects. These hallucinations, described as frightening, were reported to have occurred minutes after the fish was ingested and had a total duration of 36 hours.

Ichthyoallyeinotoxism, or hallucinogenic fish poisoning, is common in other species of fish but not in Sarpa salpa, which is not normally psychoactive. It is, in fact, often served as a dish at seafood restaurants in the Mediterranean area. It is believed that the fish ingests a particular algae or phytoplankton which renders it hallucinogenic. The effects described are similar to those of indole tryptamine psychedelics..From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

Bluespotted cornetfish, Smooth cornetfish, or Smooth flutemouth - Fistularia commersonii Rüppell, 1838 - Κορνέτα - Cyprus

The bluespotted cornetfish, smooth cornetfish, or smooth flutemouth, Fistularia commersonii, is a marine fish which belongs to the family Fistulariidae. This very long and slender reef-dweller belongs to the same order as the pipefishes and seahorses, called Syngnathiformes. It is widespread in the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea. In 2000 its presence was reported in the Mediterranean Sea, since then it has continued to disperse and is now well-established in some areas. This speciesis considered as part of the Lessepsian migration.

The fish is of minor importance commercially, mostly being sold as fish meal but also fresh and preserved. It is also sold as an aquarium fish.

The bluespotted cornetfish is notable for its unusually long, slender body shape. It has a tubular snout, large eyes and a long tail filament lined with sensory pores which may help with detecting prey. Its body is greenish-grey to brown with two thin blue stripes or lines of dots on the back and lighter on the front.

It grows to a length of 1.6 m (5.2 ft), but the average is around 1 m (3.3 ft).

The bluespotted cornetfish is usually a solitary predator, stalking and feeding on small fishes, crustaceans and squid. Sometimes they feed in small groups along the bottom on small bottom-dwelling fish which their long snouts are very efficient at sucking up.

Reproduction is oviparous- the large eggs hatch and develop outside of the body. Larvae hatch at 6-7mm.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Underwater photo Cavo Greco  by Costas Constantinou

Underwater photos at Akrotiri by Kostas Aristeidou

Seriola sp.

Seriola is a genus of bony fish, commonly known as amberjacks. Nine extant species are currently recognized, although these were formerly split into many more. Also, several species are currently placed in several other genera of Carangidae that were originally described under Seriola. They are a large, carnivorous finfish popularly known for the firm texture and rich flavour of their flesh, which make them an ideal fish for aquaculture. Because specimens caught can weigh up to 41 kg (90 lb), and are powerful swimmers and hunters, they are also highly prized by sport fisherman.

Most Seriola species are either benthic, demersal or pelagic, and can be found down to 200 m in depth. All 9 species cover most of the globe in terms of distribution, usually in coastal waters. Most are shown to be pelagic spawners, releasing eggs into the open ocean habitat until hatching, and they do this through dioecious, external reproduction. Most Seriola species are found in schools, and have diets consisting of fish, squid and other invertebrates.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Cavo Greco 8mts  by Costas Constantinou

Mediterranean rainbow wrasse - Coris julis (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus

The Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, Coris julis, is a small, colourful fish in the family Labridae. It can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Sweden to Senegal (though it is absent from the British Isles). Records of this species south from Senegal and the Cape Verde Islands are actually the closely related Coris atlantica.

It feeds on amphipods, isopods, sea urchins, polychaete, shrimps, and small gastropods.

Like many wrasses, C. julis is a sequential hermaphrodite: All start in the smaller initial phase. These initial-phase individuals (both females and males) can turn into the larger secondary-phase males.At a length of about 18 cm (7.1 in), all individuals are secondary-phase males. The maximum length for the species is 25 cm (9.8 in). There is a marked difference in the appearance of the two phases. In the Mediterranean Sea, the secondary-phase male is green, blue, or brown, with white belly, a dark blue spot over the ventral fin, and a bright orange band on the side, while the smaller primary-phase females and males are brown with yellowish sides and white bellies. Populations in the Atlantic differ in colour and genetics from the Mediterranean population, but are maintained in a single species at present. If found to be separate, the scientific name Coris festiva (at present considered a synonym of C. julis) is available for the Atlantic population.

It is typically found near the shore in places with seagrass or rocks. It is usually found at depths of 0–60 m (0–197 ft), but occurs as deep as 120 m (390 ft).From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Underwater photo Larnaca  by Costas Constantinou

Underwater photos at Akrotiri by Kostas Aristeidou