Which Fish Species Will Invade the Mediterranean Next?
The features of fish that have passed through the Suez Canal provide clues The post Which Fish Species Will Invade the Mediterranean Next? appeared first on Nautilus .
A recent study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology found that fish species passing through the Suez Canal provide clues about which fish may invade the Mediterranean next. The study analyzed invasive fish caught on video at depths varying from 15 to 300 feet at both the northern tip of the Red Sea and the east coast of the Mediterranean.
The researchers observed 230 fish species, some exclusive to the Red Sea and others already in the Mediterranean via the canal. By comparing the populations that reached the Mediterranean to those confined to the Red Sea, they determined the traits supporting successful invasions.
Adaptable species that can thrive in shallower waters without coral reefs, shifting from coral reef habitats in the Red Sea to other substrates typical of the Mediterranean, were found to be the most likely to invade. The cinnabar goatfish (Parupeneus heptacantha), the starry puffer (Arothron stellatus), and the yellowspotted trevally (Turrum fulvoguttatum) were identified as high-ranking invaders.
The study's senior author, Jonathan Belmaker, stated that researchers have traditionally examined species that had already reached the Mediterranean. Instead, this study looked at the characteristics of these species before their journey, providing a key step in saving them from extinction.
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