The confirmed occurrence of juvenile specimens of Polyprion americanus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) from Iskenderun and Mersin Bays (Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey)

Abstract

One individual of Polyprion americanus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) was captured by a bottom longline from Arsuz coast, Iskenderun Bay at depth of 22 m on 14 June 2015 and another individual was caught by trammel net from Yeşilovacık coast, Mersin Bay at a depth of about 30 m on 01 June 2017. Reporting two juvenile specimens, this paper confirms the occurrence of this species in Iskenderun and Mersin Bays (Eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey) in addition to previous reports from the Mediterranean Sea. Besides, this report is the first observation for these locations and fills a gap in the distribution range of the species. All measurements and counts, as well as morphological and color descriptions of juvenile individuals of P. americanus, are given.