Additional record of Mediterranean spearfish, Tetrapturus belone Rafinesque, 1810 (Istiophoridae) from Izmir Bay (northern Aegean Sea)

Abstract

Tetrapturus belone is endemic to the Mediterranean and it is more common in central parts. It is considered very rare in the Levant. On 20 October 2020, a specimen of Tetrapturus belone with 176 cm Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) and weighing 26 kg was captured by a trammel net from the coast of Karantina Island, Urla at a depth of 11 m. This is the second record of the epipelagic T. belone entering the shallow waters of İzmir Bay, nine years after its first record in the same area. This ichthyologic note presents a new occurrence of the Mediterranean spearfish as an incidental catch from the small scale fishery in a certain coastal area of Urla, Izmir Bay.

Keywords

• mediterranean spearfish
• incidental catch
• marlin
• urla