Juvenile records on the tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch, 1790) from Iskenderun Bay (Northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey)

Abstract

A single juvenile specimen of tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch, 1790) was captured by a trammel net at a depth of 8 m on 27 May 2016 from the coast of Arsuz in Iskenderun Bay (Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey). The specimen was 137 mm in standard length (SL). Although this fish is known to be a native species for the Mediterranean waters, its occurrence is rare. Previously, the species was only reported from Mersin and Karatas coast of eastern Mediterranean, Turkey. This report of occurrence of a juvenile individual of L. surinamensis from Iskenderun Bay of Turkey is the first juvenile record for the region.