Is the mangrove red snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskål, 1775) established in the eastern Mediterranean Sea? First records from Greece through a citizen science project

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific mangrove red snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskål, 1775) (Chordata: Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Lutjanidae) is an alien fish that has recently invaded the eastern Mediterranean Sea, with records from Israel, Lebanon, and Turkey. We here first report the presence of this species in Greece based on three specimens spearfished between July and August 2019; they also represent the westernmost observations of the species in the Mediterranean basin up to date. After a long period of latency, this taxon seems to undergo a very rapid expansion. The likely presence of an established population in the eastern part of the Mediterranean is discussed.