The family Tetraodontidae includes highly toxic species such as the famous Japanese fugu. Several species live in the Mediterranean. Some came through the Suez Canal and are present throughout the eastern basin of the Mediterranean, such as Lagocephalus sceleratus. Other species have an uncertain origin: native of the Mediterranean, or entered from the Atlantic or Red Sea? This is the case of Sphoeroides pachygaster.

(by P. Francour)

This species was not known the French Mediterranean coast yet. On May 9th, 2014, this fish was caught at Vauban harbour, Antibes. It was determined by Patrice Francour and is currently preserved at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.
You will find in the Nice Matin article details about the capture. This is an example of how citiziens may help scientists in recording new species.

Tous ces articles sont disponibles en PDF sur simple demande (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

Articles sur les sciences participatives

Bodilis P., Louisy P., Draman M., Francour P. 2014. Can citizen science survey non-indigenous fish species in the Eastern Mediterranean sea? Environmental Management, 53: 172-180.

Signalisations de nouvelles espèces

Bodilis P., Arceo H., Cheminée A., Miniconi R., Francour P. 2012. Occurrences of the Atlantic species, Pisodonophis semicinctus (Osteichthyes: Ophichthidae), along the Mediterranean coast. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 28(4):652-654.

Bodilis P., Arceo H., Francour P. 2011. Further evidence of the establishement of Fistularia commersonii Rüppel, 1838 (Osteichthyes: Fistulariidae) in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biodiversity Records, 4, e18: doi:10.1017/S1755267211000194.

Bodilis P., Crocetta F., Langeneck J., Francour P. 2013. The spread of an Atlantic fish species, Pomadasys incisus (Bowdich, 1825) (Osteichthyes: Haemulidae), within the Mediterranean Sea with new additional records from the French Mediterranean coast. Italian Journal of Zoology, 80(2): 273-278.

Daniel B., Piro S., Charbonnel E., Bachet F., Francour P., Letourneur Y. 2009. Lessepsian rabbitfish Siganus luridus reached the French Mediterranean coasts. Cybium, 33(2): 163-164.

Francour P., Cottalorda J.M., Aubert M., Bava S., Colombey M., Gilles P., Kara H., Lelong P., Mangialajo L., Miniconi R., Quignard J.P. 2010. Recent occurrences of Opah Lampris guttatus (Lampridae) in the western Mediterranean Sea. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, 40(1): 91-98.

Francour P., Mouine N. 2008. First record of Kyphosus sectator (Linnaeus, 1758) (Kyphosidae) along the French Mediterranean coast. Cybium, 32(3): 275-276.

Pastor J., Francour P. 2010. Occurrence and distribution range of Parablennius pilicornis (Cuvier, 1829) (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Blenniidae) along the French Mediterranean coast. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, 40(2): 179-185.

Schrembi P.J., Bodilis P., Evans J., Francour P. 2010. Occurrence of barred knifejaw, Oplegnathus fasciatus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Oplegnathidae), in Malta (Central Mediterranean) with a discussion on possible modes of entry. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, 40(2): 101-104.

Articles ou ouvrages de synthèse

Abdul Malak D., Livingstone S.R., Pollard D., Polidoro B.A., Cuttelod A., Bariche M., Bilecenoglu M., Carpenter K.E. , Collette B.B., Francour P., Goren M., Kara H., Massutí E., Papaconstantinou C., Tunesi L. 2011. Overview of the Conservation Status of the Marine Fishes of the Mediterranean Sea. Gland, Switzerland and Malaga, Spain: IUCN. vii + 61p.

Bodilis P., Francour P., Langar H., El Asmi S. 2011. Espèces non-indigènes en Méditerranée: qui, quand, comment, pourquoi ? UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA, RAC/SPA publ., Tunis: 28 pp.

Curd A., Bachelet G., Bertrand J., Doré A., Dauvin J.C., François C., Francour P., Girard S., Goulletquer P., Iglesias S., Miossec L., Sauriau P.G., Viard F. ICES Working Group on Introductions and Transfers of Marine Organisms. France National Report 2012. in: Report of the ICES Working Group on Introduction and Transfers of Marine Organisms (WGITMO), 20 - 22 March 2013, Montreal, Canada. ICES CM 2013/ACOM, 30: 77-86.

Francour P., Mangialajo L., Pastor J. 2010. Mediterranean marine protected areas and non-indigenous fish spreading. in: Fish Invasions of the Mediterranean Sea: Change and renewal. D. Golani & B. Appelbaum-Golani eds., Pensoft Publisher, Sofia-Moscow: 127-144.

Otero M., Cebrian E., Francour P., Galil B., Savini D. 2013. Monitoring marine invasive species in Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs): A strategy and practical guide for managers. IUCN publ., Malaga, Spain: 136 pp.