Second record of the butterfly blenny Blennius ocellaris (Linnaeus, 1758) (Blenniidae) in Syrian marine waters

Abstract

This study aims to confirm the presence of the fish species, Blennius ocellaris
(Linnaeus, 1758), in Syrian marine waters (eastern Mediterranean). A second documentation of a specimen, caught on February 6, 2026, in the waters off  Latakia coast,  Syria, at a depth of 50 meters using a trawl net with 18 mm mesh size. Morphometric measurements and the meristic counts showed complete agreement with the characteristics of the species, particularly the presence of the eyespot on the dorsal fin between the sixth and seventh rays, and the sensory tentacles above the eyes.  This record emphasizes the necessity of investigating the distribution of alien species in the eastern Mediterranean sea, evaluate their ecological presence, and develop research efforts on these species to determine their status and level of establishment in Syrian marine waters, especially with the increasing rate of alien species recordings during the last few years, as a result of climate change and rising temperatures in the Eastern Mediterranean basin.