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A specimen of slender goby Gobius geniporus Valenciennes, 1837 was caught on 21 February 2021, from the Syrian coast at a depth of 13 m. This specimen measured 87 mm in total length and weighed 6.89 g. The present finding represents the first record of G. geniporus from the Syrian coast and confirms the species occurrence in the Levant Basin, eastern region from the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 28 July 2020, a specimen of sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus, 1758 was captured north of Jable, from the Syrian coast. The specimen is described with morphometric measurements, while the species occurrence in the area and the Mediterranean Sea is discussed and commented. This new finding constitutes the first record of the species for the Syrian coast, and also its easternmost extension range in the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, sea lamprey remains an occasional visitor in the Syrian waters and, consequently, the local occurrence of a viable population remains doubtful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capture of leopard whipray, Himantura leoparda Manjaji-Matsumoto & Last, 2008 from the Syrian coast is reported in the present paper. This capture constitutes the first record for the Syrian coast and the third for the Mediterranean Sea. The Syrian specimen measured 2955 mm in total length (TL), 1310 mm disc width (DW), and weighed 54 kg for total body weight. It was a pregnant female carrying 5 developing embryos expulsed from the female on the landing site. The specimen is described and comments on the distribution and the real status of this species in the area are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specimen of sharpnosed skate Dipturus oxyrinchus (Linnaeus, 1758) presenting snout and tail abnormalities was captured off the Syrian coast. It is an adult female with a shortened and rounded snout, lack of second dorsal fin and a reduced and rounded caudal fin. This abnormal specimen is described in the present note, and it appears that both snout and tail abnormalities did not affect their development and they reached similar parameters and swimming activities than the normal ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report in this paper the first record of basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus (Gunnerus, 1765), off the coast of Syria (eastern Mediterranean). The specimen was an adult female, 690 cm total length and weighing approximately 2.5 t. It was a pregnant female at the beginning of gestation and contained 34 egg cases. The first description of C. maximus egg case is provided with short comments on the reproductive biology of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]