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Non-native fishes in the Mediterranean from the Red Sea, by way of the Suez Canal

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Abstract

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 caused a migration generally from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, rarely the opposite direction, and 63 lessepsian fish species penetrated into the Mediterranean by way of this canal. These species usually spread northward and most of them can establish wide populations in this area, but some of them can not be successful with respect to establishment. Thus, it is clearly seen that there are a lot of factors influencing the success of species with respect to migration, spreading and establishment. So, the lessepsian migration has been formed by the effects of these factors. Lessepsian species also have the ability to adapt to the ecological conditions of their new environment. Therefore, the influential factors, their effectiveness and the observed changes in lessepsian species due to the effects of these factors have been discussed by considering fishes in this paper.

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Abbreviations

CIESM:

International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea

EEA:

European Environment Agency

TUDAV:

Turkish Marine Research Foundation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fisheries Faculty, Cukurova University, Balcali, Adana, 01330, Turkey

    Sinan Mavruk & Dursun Avsar

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  1. Sinan Mavruk
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  2. Dursun Avsar
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Correspondence to Sinan Mavruk.

 

 

Appendix A The chronological list of lessepsian fishes in the Mediterranean Sea
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Mavruk, S., Avsar, D. Non-native fishes in the Mediterranean from the Red Sea, by way of the Suez Canal. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 18, 251–262 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-007-9073-7

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