First Substantiated Record of Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810) in Southern Aegean Sea, Turkey

Abstract

A single female specimen of the Spanish ling, Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810) (35.3cm in total length and 96.2g in weight) was caught by a commercial trammel net at a depth of 393m on 19 March 2017 from Sgack Bay (zmir coast), Turkey. This paper presents the first substantiated occurrence and, hence, the confirmation of M. macrophthalma in the southern Aegean Sea, Turkey. This record is significant because the last record of M. macrophthalma in the region was made over 50years ago in the coastal waters of Turkey. Therefore, the species could be considered as exceptionally rare in the Mediterranean, Turkey. Morphometric and meristic characters of the specimen are given in the text.