On the occurrence of areolate grouper, Epinephelus areolatus (Epinephelidae) in Syrian marine waters (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

A specimen of the non-indigenous species areolate grouper Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskål, 1775) was collected from the coastal waters off Latakia, Syria. This new finding of E. areolatus constitutes the second substantiated record of the species from the marine Syrian waters and the sixth for the Levant Basin and the entire Mediterranean Sea where a viable population appears to be successfully established at present.