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Mediterranean invasive species factsheet

Reproduction Brief history of its introduction and
The males brood the eggs in their mouths until the pathways
young are free-swimming. Due to taxonomic confusion and misidentification, the
history of this cardinalfish’s introduction and its
pathways are unclear. It is native from the Suez region
Similar species
of the Red Sea to South Africa. In the Mediterranean
There are now several Apogonidae species in the the Pharaoh cardinalfish was first recorded in
Mediterranean, four of them non-indigenous. Palestine in 1947, misidentified as Apogon taeniatus;
Apogon imberbis, the cardinal fish, is the only native it has subsequently been recorded in Cyprus and
Turkey. The species is now common from the
species. It is easy to identify by its red colour and its
southern coast of Israel to the Levantine Sea.
6 spines in the first dorsal fin.
First dorsal fin with 6 spines
Ecological impacts
Body of red color The lack of nocturnal competitors might facilitate the
population growth and spread of the non-indigenous
species of Apogonidae, such as the bullseye, in the
Mediterranean. The Apogonidae family constitutes
the second largest species group by numbers in the
sea around Turkey.
Other Pempheridae species such as Pempheris
Dark spots
Apogon imberbis vanicolensis inhabit caves during the day. There is no
documented evidence of competition between the
The other cardinal species that have entered from Pharaoh cardinalfish A. pharaonis and P. vanicolensis
the Red Sea are Apogon queketti, the spotfin or with the native species Apogon imberbis. However,
cardinal, recorded off Turkey in the Levantine basin; daily migration movements of the Pharaoh cardinalfish
out of the cave to forage at night and back in the
Apogon smithi, Smith's cardinalfish, recorded off
morning may increase the transfer of organic matter
Israel; Ostorhinchus fasciatus, the broadbanded
into the cave and thereby have an impact on the cave-
cardinalfish (reported as Apogon fasciatus) off Israel
associated invertebrate fauna.
and Turkey and Cheilodipterus novemstriatus, the
twospot cardinalfish recorded off Israel and Economic impacts
Lebanon.
This species has been reared in captivity but is of
These Apogonidae species do not have the low commercial value, except as ornamental fish
characteristic black ‘eye-spot’ on the body, and the species. The economic impact of its invasion is
body colour is tan to brown, with a pinkish tinge. unknown.
O. fasciatus is clearly distinguished from the other
Apogon species by a blackish mid-lateral stripe Management options
which extends to the end of the tail fin. These include a) early eradication of new
populations by MPA technicians through hand
fishing, and b) maintenance of healthy and abundant
assemblages of top predators to encourage natural
control through predation.

Further reading
Zenetos A. et al. 2010. Alien species in the Mediterranean
Sea by 2010. A contribution to the application of European
Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part
I. Spatial distribution. Mediterranean Marine Science 11 (2):
381–493. Drawings: Juan Varela
Gon O. and Randall J.E., 2003. A review of the
cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) of the Red Sea,
Apogon imberbis. Photo: L. Sanchez Tocino
Smithiana Bulletin, Vol. 1-48 pp.

98 Monitoring Marine Invasive Species in Mediterranean MPAs: A strategy and practical guide for managers