First Occurrence of Ariidae in Cypriot Waters – a Major Contribution to BiodiversityMichail, Christina (Avtor) Tiralongo, Francesco (Avtor) Siluriformescatfishalien speciesMediterranean Seaearly detectionThe Ariidae family (order Siluriformes) comprises over 160 species primarily distributed in tropical and subtropical marine and brackish waters. Herein we report the first occurrence of an Ariidae fish in Cypriot waters and the third record of this family in the Mediterranean. On 7 January 2025, a recreational fisher captured an unidentified fish near Limassol, Cyprus, at a depth of ~4 m. The fish was photographed and filmed before release. Available evidence confirmed its taxonomic classification within the Ariidae family. This record is particularly significant, as it represents the first documentation of an Ariidae and so another alien fish in Cypriot waters, expanding knowledge of Mediterranean ichthyofauna. It underscores the need for continued monitoring and further taxonomic investigations to assess the implications of this presence for local biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics.20252026-06-23 15:06:11Delo ni kategorizirano30377sl