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The occurrence of Megalops cyprinoides (Megalopidae) in the Red Sea has been confirmed through the collection of two specimens by recreational fishers at freshwater inputs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Meristic and morphometric characters are provided, complemented by molecular COI sequences, which confirm their identification as M. cyprinoides. These molecular findings also indicate a widespread monophyletic lineage. The limited availability of freshwater inputs to the Red Sea likely restricts suitable habitats for M. cyprinoides, contributing to its low population size in the region and its previous absence from regional ichthyological records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which discusses the occurrence of two rare species of rays from the Red Sea such as Mangrove Whipray, Himantura granulata (Dasyatidae), and Oman Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera jayakari (Rhinopteridae). The study is investigated by extracting genomic DNA, amplification and sequencing, and Maximum Likelihood (ME) analysis. Results show that the two species are present in the Red Sea.