Gaidropsarus granti from a Ligurian seamount: a Mediterranean native species?. (16th October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Orsi Relini, Lidia; Relini, Giulio
• Is Part Of: Marine ecology. Volume 35(2014)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 40
• Publication Date: 2013-10-16
• Subjects: Deep rocky substrata -- Gadidae -- Gaidropsarus granti -- Ligurian Sea; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1111/maec.12122
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0173-9565

Abstract

Abstract: Two specimens of the Azorean rockling Gaidropsarus granti (Regan 1903) were caught in the period August 1989–January 1990 on a seamount located about 29 nautical miles south of Genoa, Ligurian Sea. The records remained unpublished because of errors in the literature concerning the two Macaronesian species Gaidropsarus granti and Gaidropsarus guttatus . Old and recent records of G. granti are now used to characterize morphological and ecological traits of this species. In particular, G. granti is unmistakably adapted to a sedentary life on hard substrata, and all records occurred in offshore slope waters, frequently on banks and seamounts. Ecological characteristics and biogeographical considerations are introduced in the discussion about the origin of the Mediterranean records of G. granti, specifically whether this fish should be considered an introduced or a native species.