Marine & Environmental Research (MER) Lab, Limassol, Cyprus.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
J Fish Biol. 2020 Jul;97(1):148-162. doi: 10.1111/jfb.14340. Epub 2020 Apr 23.
The lionfish, Pterois miles, is one of the most recent Lessepsian immigrants into the Mediterranean Sea, and it poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems in the region. This study assesses the basic biology and ecology of lionfish in the Mediterranean, examining morphometrics, reproduction and diet as well as population structure and distribution. The population density of lionfish has increased dramatically in Cyprus since the first sighting in late 2012; by 2018 aggregations of up to 70 lionfish were found on rocky grounds with complex reefs and artificial reefs in depths of 0-50 m. Lionfish in Cyprus become mature within a year, and adults are capable of spawning year-round, with peak spawning in summer when the sea-surface temperature reaches 28.4°C. The Cypriot lionfish grow faster and bigger than in their native range, and females are more common than males. Lionfish are generalist predators in these waters, as also found in their native range, consuming a range of teleost and crustacean prey, some of which are of high economic value (e.g., Spicara smaris and Sparisoma cretense) or have an important role in local trophic webs (e.g., Chromis chromis). Overall, the reproductive patterns, the presence of juveniles and adults throughout the year, the rapid growth rates and the generalist diet indicate that lionfish are thriving and are now already well established in the region and could potentially become the serious nuisance that they are in their temperate and tropical western Atlantic-invasive range.
狮子鱼，又称蓑鲉，是最近一批进入地中海的黎凡特海移民之一，对该地区的海洋生态系统构成了严重威胁。本研究评估了狮子鱼在地中海的基本生物学和生态学特性，研究了形态学、繁殖和饮食以及种群结构和分布。自 2012 年底首次发现以来，塞浦路斯狮子鱼的种群密度急剧增加；到 2018 年，在水深 0-50 米的岩石、复杂珊瑚礁和人工珊瑚礁上，发现了多达 70 条狮子鱼的聚集区。塞浦路斯的狮子鱼在一年内成熟，成年狮子鱼可以全年产卵，夏季海面温度达到 28.4°C 时达到峰值。塞浦路斯的狮子鱼比其原生范围生长得更快、更大，而且雌性比雄性更常见。狮子鱼在这些水域是一种杂食性捕食者，与在其原生范围一样，它们捕食多种硬骨鱼和甲壳类猎物，其中一些具有很高的经济价值（例如，条纹鲷和白鲷），或在当地营养网络中具有重要作用（例如，金鲷）。总的来说，繁殖模式、全年存在幼鱼和成年鱼、快速生长率和杂食性饮食表明，狮子鱼在该地区已经茁壮成长，并且已经扎根于此，可能会成为像在其温带和热带西大西洋入侵范围内那样的严重滋扰。
