Three new alien fish species spotted in Maltese waters over past year
Diamond lizard fish, wahoo and Lagocephalus guentheri documented through Spt The Alien Fish campaign
Three alien species of fish which had previously never been seen in Maltese waters have been spotted for the first time over the past year, according to researchers.
An alien species is any plant, animal or organism that humans have introduced, either intentionally or accidentally, into an area where it does not naturally occur.
The three species – diamond lizard fish, wahoo, and Lagocephalus guentheri – were documented thanks to the Spot The Alien Fish campaign, a citizen-science project operated through the Department of Geosciences of the University of Malta.
Research into the fish by a team led by marine biologist Alan Deidun was then published in Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, a scientific journal that publishes studies on fish and fisheries.
The diamond lizard fish is a bottom-dwelling fish normally found in the warm coastal waters of the Atlantic. It gets its name from its reptile-like head and sharp teeth, which give it a lizard-like appearance.
The wahoo is a large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in tropical and subtropical seas, known for its striking blue stripes. It can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour, making it one of the fastest fish in the ocean.
The issue of invasive species is becoming a bigger priority. Many of these species come from the eastern Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, and 90 per cent of all East-West shipping traffic in the Mediterranean passes between Malta and Sicily- Alan Deidun
Lagocephalus guentheri is a type of pufferfish found in warm coastal waters, known for its ability to inflate when threatened and for containing toxins that can make it dangerous if eaten.
The three species were documented either by fishermen who caught them by various means, or divers who photographed them.
Speaking to Times of Malta, Deidun said that close to 100 alien species had now been documented in Maltese waters. Ten per cent of these are considered invasive, meaning they spread quickly outside their natural range and harm local wildlife, ecosystems, or human activities.
“The issue of invasive species is becoming a bigger priority. Many of these species come from the eastern Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, and 90 per cent of all East-West shipping traffic in the Mediterranean passes between Malta and Sicily,” Deidun said.
“We look at what is happening in counties like Lebanon, where half of the fish sold at markets are alien species, and predict this will eventually happen in Malta too.”