Appearance of tropical fish in the Adriatic

[Crvena zvezda]

Montenegro Nets Tropical Fish



Blunthead puffer


15 January 2008 Kotor _ A blunthead puffer, a highly poisonous fish usually found in tropical waters, has been caught in the Adriatic Sea, off the Montenegrin coast for the first time.

The fish was caught last week by fisherman Ilija Rafailovic, at a depth of some 80 metres near the Adriatic resort of Budva, the Institute for Marine Biology in Kotor said on Tuesday.
According to the Institute’s Director, Aleksandar Joksimovic, the appearance of this kind of fish in the Adriatic is probably connected to the effects of global warming.
“This is the first official finding of this species in the Montenegrin part of the Adriatic. In recent times, some 28 new fish species have been discovered in the Adriatic”, Joksimovic told Balkan Insight.
This extraordinary fish – it has four teeth, each almost a centimetre long, and is shaped like a cube - is normally not for human consumption because its skin and internal organs are highly toxic.
Its natural habitats are the tropical seas, such as those around Hawaii.
The blunthead puffer caught in Montenegro is 45 centimetres long and weighs 1.48 kg.

“Although it is not suitable for eating, this fish is very useful for the biodiversity of our sea”, Joksimovic said.

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Crvena zvezda

According to the Institute’s Director, Aleksandar Joksimovic, the appearance of this kind of fish in the Adriatic is probably connected to the effects of global warming.

And just how on earth did that fish arrive from tropical waters to the Adriatic.. ?

“Although it is not suitable for eating, this fish is very useful for the biodiversity of our sea”, Joksimovic said.

On the contrary. The introduction of foreign species often carries a danger for the local biodiversity.

E.g. the invasion of the zebra mussel in the Mediterranean, in the last years, which is damaging the ecosystem.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

And just how on earth did that fish arrive from tropical waters to the Adriatic.. ?

It is usually claimed that different exotic species arrive into the Adriatic Sea through the ballast waters of the large intercontinental ships. The crucial influence of the ballast waters is especially being alleged in the caes of the spread of different, hitherto unknown, algae from the Pacific Ocean. Ships fill their ballast tanks at one end of the world and empty it at another, spreading thus foreign invasive species that somehow managed to survive the transportation. Sometimes even fish.

Originally Posted by Mynydd

On the contrary. The introduction of foreign species often carries a danger for the local biodiversity.

Correct. Especially ominous is the case of the alga caulerpa taxifolia which spread in the Adriatic in the last decade or so and is threatening to oust domestic species. It seems to be reproducing quite fast. The Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries from Split did much research into that phenomenon. Some think it is excessive allarmism though.

[Menydh]

I thought of the possibility that it has arrived in such a way. Interesting. That would make its appearance unconnected to global warming.

One species that has appeared over here in the recent years, and which it has become a plague, is the American red cockroach. It is bigger than the black cockroach that we were used to and they are much harder to control as their reproduction rates are much higher, and they seem to mutate fast to develop resistance to pesticides.

[svin]

In Russia it's Leptinotarsa decemlineata (beetle that came to Europe from American continent).

Colorado potato beetle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Menydh]

Another pest here, arrived from America, was the Californian red scale. It affects citrics.

[Sergius]

In Denmark the most well-known case of an invasive species is the Spanish slug, Arion Lusiticanus, commonly called 'dræbersnegl,' killer slug. A couple of years ago when they started to spread to our area, my father, my brothers and I would catch several hundreds of them in our backyard in just one weekend.
Come to think of it, those were the days. Summer nights, a few beers, the family, drowning slugs by the kilo...

[Carnyx]

We have quite a few two legs invasive species. As for ther other genres of exogene species there is the Louisiana Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), the Florida Tortoise (Trachemys scripta elegans), the Bull frog (Rana catesbeiana).

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

We have quite a few two legs invasive species. As for ther other genres of exogene species there is the Louisiana Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

That's a river crayfish, right? We have it too and it has endandered the native river crayfish. I think that they were introduced on purpose, because the American are bigger.

I haven't eaten any in ages. Delicious!!!

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

That's a river crayfish, right? We have it too and it has endandered the native river crayfish. I think that they were introduced on purpose, because the American are bigger.

I haven't eaten any in ages. Delicious!!!

Yes, that is a river thing. Never tried any crayfish. Cajuns eat that with a spicy sauce in America.