New Additional Record of Imperial Blackfish, Schedophilus ovalis (Cuvier, 1833) in the Turkish Mediterranean Coast

Abstract

Abstract

On 13 June 2013, four specimens (from 30 to 34 cm total length) of imperial blackfish, Schedophilus ovalis (Cuvier, 1833), were caught from 11 nautical mile off Tekirova (Antalya Bay) (lat 36° 25' 24'' N - long 30° 44' 01'' E) by the cruise of a purse-seine boat fishing bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). According to fishermen observations, specimens belonged to a school of 10 individuals, with a length into range of 40-45 cm (TL). The school swam for 2 days from off north Cyprus to Beşadalar, near the surface (1-5 m), vicinity the transport cage (60 m diameter, 25 m depth) towed behind the boat. Towing speed during transport was a 1 knot, typical of transport cages of this kind, to avoid damaging the bluefin tuna.  The occurrence of S. ovalis in Turkish waters was known previously only in Izmir Bay and Iskenderun Bay, respectively. Previous S. ovalis records have been justified in different ways, most of them connected to environmental factors. Although the environmental factors hypothesis is not to be undervalued, we suggested that the "pursuit" habit of S. ovalis could be perhaps a transitional way for the species.