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Mediterranean invasive species factsheet

Similar species entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal,
and was first recorded in Iskenderun (Turkey) in 1950
Five species of the family Mullidae occur in the
(as Upenoides (= Upeneus) tragula) and subsequently
Mediterranean: two are non-indigenous Red Sea
in Israel, Lebanon, Rhodes, Cyprus, the Aegean coast
species, the goldband goatfish Upeneus
of Turkey, Egypt, Libya, southern Tunisia, and even in
moluccensis and the brownband or Por’s goatfish U.
the lagoon of Bizerte, a brackish area in north-eastern
pori; and two are the indigenous Mediterranean
Tunisia. It is now very abundant in the Levant.
goatfishes, the red mullet Mullus barbatus and the
striped mullet M. surmuletus. The fifth member of the
Ecological impacts
family is the west African goatfish, Pseudupeneus
Each of the Mullidae species occupies a different,
prayensis. depth-related habitat; however, interaction and
Both Mullus species are easily distinguished from possible competition between them for the same
Por's goatfish U. pori by the lack of teeth in their prey (small crustaceans, molluscs, etc.) might occur.
High densities of the non-indigenous Upeneus
upper jaws, and their steep- or very steep-sloping
moluccensis and U. pori might therefore displace the
heads. Upeneus moluccensis has a very distinct
native species (Mullus spp.).
single yellow longitudinal stripe, a lower tail lobe
without dark bars, and eight dorsal spines.
Pseudupeneus prayensis on the other hand, has a
spine on the bony flap that covers the gills, and no
stripes on the tail fin.
yellow with dark
Head less steep markings

Mullus surmuletus. Photo: L. Sanchez Tocino

Economic impacts
Longitudinal red and
yellow-brown stripes Por’s goatfish is a commercially important demersal
Mullus surmuletus species in the eastern Mediterranean, especially for
the small-scale fishing sector in places such as
Rhodes and Turkey. The reduction in catches of
native goatfishes (red mullet and striped mullet) and
Head very steep
its possible correlation with the non-indigenous
species have not yet been assessed.

Management options
These include a) early eradication of new
populations by MPA technicians through fishing, and
The body colour is uniformly b) maintenance of healthy and abundant
pink, the back is darker and the
belly is white. assemblages of top predators to encourage natural
Mullus barbatus control through predation.

References

Brief history of its introduction and Işmen, A., 2006. Growth and Reproduction of Pori Goatfish Drawings: Juan Varela
pathways (Upeneus pori Ben-Tuvia & Golani, 1989) in Üskenderun
Bay, the Eastern Mediterranean. Turk J Zool., 30, 91-98
Por's goatfish is a western Indian Ocean species that
http://www.ciesm.org/atlas/Upeneuspori.php
occurs from the Red Sea to southern Oman. It

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