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Ocean sunfishes or molas (Molidae) are difficult to study as a result of their extensive movements and low densities in remote waters. In particular, little is known of the environmental niche separation and differences in the reproductive or movement ecology of molids in sympatry. We investigated spatiotemporal dynamics in the distribution of the common mola Mola mola, sharptail mola Masturus lanceolatus, and slender mola Ranzania laevis in the eastern North Pacific. We used observer data from a commercial fishery consisting of 85000+ longline sets spanning 24 yr, >50° in longitude, and >45° in latitude. Satellite altimetry analysis, species distribution modeling, and multivariate ordination revealed thermal niche separation, spatiotemporal segregation, and distinct community associations of the 3 molid species. Our quantitative findings suggest that the common mola is a more temperate species, while slender and sharptail mola are more (sub)tropical species, and that slender (and possibly also sharptail) mola undergo spawning migrations to the region around the Hawaiian Islands. In addition, we identified potential effects of fishing gear type on molid catch probability, an increasing trend in catch probability of a vulnerable species perhaps related to a shift in the distribution of fishing effort, and the possible presence in the fishery of a fourth molid species being misidentified as a congener, all of which are important conservation considerations for these enigmatic fishes.

Two specimens of slender sunfish R. laevis were recorded from two locations in İskenderun Bay at depths between 0 and 24 m. The first specimen, a female, was collected via purse seine net during a benthic survey carried out in Iskenderun coast on April 2016, and the other specimen, a male, was caught at the sea surface by gill net from the Payas coast on May 2018. The fishes were 565 mm and 375 mm in total length (TL) and 4450 g and 1750 g total weight (TW), respectively. Morphometric measurements and meristic counts of the fishes are detailed and presented in this paper. This is the first substantiated confirmation of Ranzania laevis from the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

We present the first published in-situ photographs of a juvenile Masturus lanceolatus (Sharptail Mola). The photographed individual, about 76 mm TL, was one of 13–15 Sharptail Mola observed schooling together during a blackwater SCUBA dive at night off the coast of Florida near Palm Beach on 25 February 2021. The photographed individual was metallic blue dorsally, fading to a more silver color ventrally, with dark brown spots. The school of Sharptail Mola was 3–9 m below the surface of the water over a bottom depth of 198 m. Individuals were 2–5 body lengths apart and swam rapidly using synchronous side-to-side dorsal and anal fin flexures. We compare the photographed specimen to 2 literature records of juvenile Sharptail Mola from waters off Florida.

Unidentified opistognathid. Lissner and Dorsey (1986) observed from a manned submersible a jawfish they were unable to identify at Tanner��� Cortes Bank, southern California., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 150, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Lissner, A. L. & Dorsey, J. H. (1986) Deep-water biological assemblages of a hard-bottom bank-ridge complex of the southern California continental borderland. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 85, 87 - 101."]}

Mola tecta Nyegaard, Sawai, Gemmell, Gillum, Loneragan, Yamanoue, & Stewart, 2018. Hoodwinker Ocean Sunfish. To at least 242 cm (95.3 in) TL (Nyegaard et al. 2018). Southern Hemisphere from Chile to Australia to South Africa, and one possible record from the North Sea (Nyegaard et al. 2018); at least as far north as Kodiak Island, Alaska (Marianne Nyegaard, pers. comm.) to Coal Oil Point, Santa Barbara County, southern California (M.L., pers. obs.). Depth range unknown, but may resemble that of Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nyegaard et al. 2018)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 227, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Nyegaard, M., Sawai, E., Gemmell, Gillum, J., Loneragan, N. R., Yamanoue, Y. & Stewart, A. L. (2018) Hiding in broad daylight: molecular and morphological data reveal a new ocean sunfish species (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae) that has eluded recognition. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 182, 631 - 658. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / zoolinnean / zlx 040"]}

Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758). Mola or Ocean Sunfish. Confirmed to 2.7 m (8.9 ft) TL (Tierney Thys, pers. comm. to M.L.); possibly to 4 m (13.1 ft) TL (Miller and Lea 1972). Circumglobal; western Pacific Ocean north to Japan (Hatooka in Nakabo 2002), and southern Kuril Islands (Parin 2003; Gulf of Alaska (Mecklenburg et al. 2002) to Las Cruces (33��29���S), central Chile (Brito 2003), including Gulf of California (Scott in Fischer et al. 1995), and Islas Gal��pagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Depth: surface to 844 m (2,768 ft) (min.: Clemens and Wilby 1946; max.: Potter and Howell 2011). Deepest known occurrence off eastern Pacific coast is 556 m (1,824 ft) (Thys et al. 2015). We note that the NWFSC-FRAM database contains a number of records of fish ostensibly caught by bottom trawls at depths deeper than 844 m (e.g., 942 m, 3,090 ft, 954 m, 3,129 ft, 1095 m, 3,592 ft, and 1,184 m, 3,884 ft). However, it is likely that all of these represent catches made in the water column during net deployment or retrieval., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 226, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Miller, D. J. & Lea, R. N. (1972) Guide to the coastal marine fishes of California. California Department of Fish and Game Fish Bulletin, 157.","Nakabo, T. (Ed.). (2002) Fishes of Japan with Pictorial Keys to the Species. Tokai University Press, Tokyo.","Parin, N. V. (2003) An annotated catalogue of fish-like vertebrates and fishes of the seas of Russia and adjacent countries: Part 3. Orders Perciformes (excluding suborders Gobioidei, Zoarcoidei and Stichaeoidei) and Tetraodontiformes. Journal of Ichthyology, 43, S 1 - S 40.","Brito, J. L. (2003) Nuevos registros de Balistes polylepis (Balistidae), Sphoeroides lobatus (Tetraodontidae), Mola mola y M. ramsayi (Molidae) en San Antonio, Chile (Pisces, Tetraodontiformes). Investigaciones Marinas, Valparaiso, 31, 77 - 83.","Fischer, W., Krupp, F., Schneider, W., Sommer, C., Carpenter, K. E. & Niem, V. H. (1995) Guia FAO para la identificacion para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico centro-oriental. Volume II, Vertebrados, Parte 1. Volume III, Vertebrados, Parte 2. FAO, Rome.","Grove, J. S. & Lavenberg, R. J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford.","Clemens, W. A. & Wilby, G. V. (1946) Fishes of the Pacific Coast of Canada. Bulletin of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 68.","Potter, I. F. & Howell, W. H. (2011) Vertical movement and behavior of the ocean sunfish, Mola mola, in the northwest Atlantic. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 396, 138 - 146. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. jembe. 2010.10.014","Thys, T. M., Ryan, J. P., Dewar, H., Perle, C. R., Lyons, K., O'Sullivan, J., Farwell, C. Howard, M. J., Weng, K. C., Lavaniegos, B. E., Gaxiola-Castro, G., Bojorquez, L. E., Hazen, E. L & Bograd, S. J. (2015) Ecology of the ocean sunfish, Mola mola, in the southern California Current system. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 471, 64 - 76. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. jembe. 2015.05.005"]}

Sharks are commonly listed as predators of the large ocean sunfishes (genera Mola and Masturus), yet documented shark predation events on adult sunfish are exceedingly infrequent in the literature. Here we recount two Australian observations of tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) predation on sunfish of ca. 1.3 and 2 m total length, respectively. The attacks demonstrate that tiger sharks are both able and willing to predate on large sunfish; however, based on a paucity of sunfish remains in tiger shark stomach analyses, and a lack of reports of the common sunfish parasite Molicola horridus in tiger sharks, these observations likely represent opportunistic predation events. The seemingly limited interactions may reflect differing habitat use by sunfish and tiger sharks within their overlapping distribution ranges, alternatively, large sunfish may comprise low quality or undesired prey for tiger sharks. Further, despite indications of prey debilitation during both accounts, the attacks likely represent indiscriminate tiger shark feeding events with no particular prey handling strategy.

Sunfishes or Molidae are a rarely encountered family within the teleost order Tetraodontiformes and most details of their reproductive biology including times and places of spawning and their larval ecology are rather unclear. Spawning of two species of Molidae was suggested in the Sargasso Sea before, yet comprehensive data on larval distribution from this area or elsewhere have never been published. Here we report on the abundance and size distribution of 383 sharptail mola (Masturus lanceolatus) and slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) larvae, present novel information on their larval growth and development and test correlations with prevailing hydrographic data. Only 18 mostly larger Masturus larvae were caught evenly distributed over the study area and with no obvious hydrographic preferences. We conclude that there was no active spawning of M. lanceolatus in the area during the time of the cruise. In contrast, Ranzania larvae were caught primarily inside and south of a thermal frontal zone with increasing abundances toward warmer surface layers in the southeast of the study area. Due to the consistent presence of young Ranzania, it can be assumed that spawning activity was ongoing throughout the month of April, 2015. Our findings confirm the Sargasso Sea as a spawning area for R. laevis.

BALISTIDAE Balistes capriscus Gmelin, 1789 Balistes capriscus: Liebman, 1934; Stern, 2010; Klopman, 2011 (Parasit.); Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Lipsky, 2012 (Art. Reef); Levitt, 2012. Balistes sp.: Hornell, 1935. Balistes carolinensis: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953c; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Lourie, 1972 (Ichthyoplan., Heb.); Fischthal, 1980 (Parasit.); Golani & Kredo, 1981 (Fish., Heb.); Diamant, 1983 (Heb.); Spanier et al., 1989a; Spanier et al., 1989b; Spanier et al., 1990; Barshaw & Spanier, 1994 (Feed.); Zohar et al., 1994 (Syst.); Spanier, 1995; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Zohar et al., 1997; Spanier, 2000 (Art. Reef); Golani, 2005; Gweta et al., 2008; Sonin, 2009; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016. MONACANTHIDAE * Stephanolepis diaspros Fraser-Brunner, 1940 Monacanthus setifer: W. Steinitz, 1927; Spicer, 1931; Liebman, 1934; Hornell, 1935; Bodenheimer, 1937; Haas & Steinitz, 1947. Stephanolepis ocheticus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Stephanolepis weberi: Fowler & Steinitz, 1956. Stephanolepis diaspros: Ben-Tuvia, 1966; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Lourie, 1972 (Ichthyoplan., Heb.); Tom, 1976 (Heb.); Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978; Spanier et al., 1983; Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Spanier et al., 1985; Spanier et al., 1989a; Spanier et al., 1989b; Spanier et al., 1990; Townsend & El Rashidi, 1991 (Ichthyoplan.); Darom & Tsurnamal, 1992 (Heb.); Spanier, 1995; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Spanier, 2000 (Art. Reef); Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2003; Ethad, 2004 (Heb.); Golani, 2005; Goren & Galil, 2005; Edelist, 2006 (Art. Reef); Golani et al., 2007; Edelist & Spanier, 2009 (Art. Reef); Stern, 2010; Klopman, 2011 (Parasit.); Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). OSTRACIIDAE * Ostracion cubucus Linnaeus, 1758 Ostracion cubucus: Katsanevakis et al., 2020 * Tetrosomus gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Tetrosomus gibbosus: Spanier & Goren, 1988; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. Tetrasomus gibbosus: Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. MONACANTHIDAE * Stephanolepis diaspros Fraser-Brunner, 1940 Monacanthus setifer: W. Steinitz, 1927; Spicer, 1931; Liebman, 1934; Hornell, 1935; Bodenheimer, 1937; Haas & Steinitz, 1947. Stephanolepis ocheticus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Stephanolepis weberi: Fowler & Steinitz, 1956. Stephanolepis diaspros: Ben-Tuvia, 1966; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Lourie, 1972 (Ichthyoplan., Heb.); Tom, 1976 (Heb.); Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978; Spanier et al., 1983; Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Spanier et al., 1985; Spanier et al., 1989a; Spanier et al., 1989b; Spanier et al., 1990; Townsend & El Rashidi, 1991 (Ichthyoplan.); Darom & Tsurnamal, 1992 (Heb.); Spanier, 1995; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Spanier, 2000 (Art. Reef); Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2003; Ethad, 2004 (Heb.); Golani, 2005; Goren & Galil, 2005; Edelist, 2006 (Art. Reef); Golani et al., 2007; Edelist & Spanier, 2009 (Art. Reef); Stern, 2010; Klopman, 2011 (Parasit.); Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). OSTRACIIDAE * Ostracion cubucus Linnaeus, 1758 Ostracion cubucus: Katsanevakis et al., 2020 * Tetrosomus gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Tetrosomus gibbosus: Spanier & Goren, 1988; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. Tetrasomus gibbosus: Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. OSTRACIIDAE * Ostracion cubucus Linnaeus, 1758 Ostracion cubucus: Katsanevakis et al., 2020 * Tetrosomus gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Tetrosomus gibbosus: Spanier & Goren, 1988; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. Tetrasomus gibbosus: Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005.

MONACANTHIDAE * Stephanolepis diaspros Fraser-Brunner, 1940 Monacanthus setifer: W. Steinitz, 1927; Spicer, 1931; Liebman, 1934; Hornell, 1935; Bodenheimer, 1937; Haas & Steinitz, 1947. Stephanolepis ocheticus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Stephanolepis weberi: Fowler & Steinitz, 1956. Stephanolepis diaspros: Ben-Tuvia, 1966; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Lourie, 1972 (Ichthyoplan., Heb.); Tom, 1976 (Heb.); Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978; Spanier et al., 1983; Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Spanier et al., 1985; Spanier et al., 1989a; Spanier et al., 1989b; Spanier et al., 1990; Townsend & El Rashidi, 1991 (Ichthyoplan.); Darom & Tsurnamal, 1992 (Heb.); Spanier, 1995; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Spanier, 2000 (Art. Reef); Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2003; Ethad, 2004 (Heb.); Golani, 2005; Goren & Galil, 2005; Edelist, 2006 (Art. Reef); Golani et al., 2007; Edelist & Spanier, 2009 (Art. Reef); Stern, 2010; Klopman, 2011 (Parasit.); Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). OSTRACIIDAE * Ostracion cubucus Linnaeus, 1758 Ostracion cubucus: Katsanevakis et al., 2020 * Tetrosomus gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Tetrosomus gibbosus: Spanier & Goren, 1988; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. Tetrasomus gibbosus: Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (M��ller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. OSTRACIIDAE * Ostracion cubucus Linnaeus, 1758 Ostracion cubucus: Katsanevakis et al., 2020 * Tetrosomus gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Tetrosomus gibbosus: Spanier & Goren, 1988; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. Tetrasomus gibbosus: Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (M��ller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. TETRAODONTIDAE Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 * Tetrodon spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1953b. Sphoeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1966. Sphaeroides spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Ben-Tuvia, 1978; Por, 1978. Lagocephalus spadiceus: Ben-Tuvia, 1985; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Arndt et al., 2018. Lagocephalus guentheri: Matsuura et al., 2011; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) * Lagocephalus sceleratus: Golani & Levy, 2005; Bentur, et al., 2008 (Pois.); Sonin, 2009 (Heb.); Stern, 2010; Levitt, 2012; Edelist, 2013 b (Fish.); Frid, 2015 (Fish.); Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Mienis, 2018. * Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953 Lagocephalus suezensis: Golani, 1993b (Feed.); Golani, 1996; Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Brand, 2013; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.); Arndt et al., 2018. Sphoeroides pachygaster (M��ller & Troschel, 1848) Sphoeroides pachygaster: Golani, 1996; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005. * Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy & Randall, 1983 Torquigener flavimaculosus: Golani, 1987a; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1989; Golani, 1996; Golani & Ben-Tuvia, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Stern, 2010; Edelist et al., 2011a (Fish.); Levitt, 2012; Goren, et al., 2016; Karahan et al., 2017 (Gen.). * Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908) Tylerius spinosissimus: Golani et al. 2011b DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005., Published as part of Golani, Daniel, 2021, An updated Checklist of the Mediterranean fishes of Israel, with illustrations of recently recorded species and delineation of Lessepsian migrants, pp. 1-108 in Zootaxa 4956 (1) on pages 88-90, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4956.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4691195, {"references":["Steinitz, W. (1927) Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Kustenfauna Palastinas. I. Publicazioni deella Stazzione Zoologica di Napoli, 8 (3 - 4), 311 - 353.","Spicer, I. J. (1931) Fisheries. In: Report of the Department of Agriculture and Forests for the Years 1927 - 30. Printing Office, Russian Building, Jerusalem, pp. 159 - 160.","Liebman, E. (1934) Contribution to the knowledge of Palestine sea fishes. Rapport et Proces-Verbaux des Reunion, 8, 317 - 327.","Hornell, J. (1935) Report on the Fisheries of Palestine. Government of Palestine. Crown Agent for the Colonies, London, 106 pp.","Bodenheimer, F. S. 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(2004) Fishes caught in the Electric Company's Haifa power station's filtering systems in relation to environmental conditions and in comparison to fish assemblages from ancient coastal sites. M. Sc. Thesis. University of Haifa, 98 + 4 pp. [in Hebrew with English abstract]","Goren, M. & Galil, B. S. (2005) A review of changes in the fish assemblages of Levantine inland and marine ecosystems following the introduction of non-native fishes. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 21, 364 - 370. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1439 - 0426.2005.00674. x","Edelist, D. (2006) Influence of Levantine artificial reefs on the fish assemblages of the surrounding seabed and global history and evolution of artificial reefs.. M. Sc. Thesis. University of Haifa, 115 + 6 pp. [in English with Hebrew abstract]","Edelist, D. & Spanier, E. (2009) Influence of Levantine artificial reefs on the fish assemblage of the surrounding seabed. 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Journal of Fish Biology, 32, 797 - 798. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1095 - 8649.1988. tb 05420. x","Ben-Tuvia, A. & Golani, D. (1989) A new species of goatfish (Mullidae) of the genus Upeneus from the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. Israel Journal of Zoology, 36, 103 - 112.","Frid, O. (2015) Gear selectivity and seasonality in Israeli gill and trammel net fisheries. M. SC. thesis. University of Tel-Aviv, 58 + 2 pp.","Matsuura, K., Golani, D. & Bogorodsky, S. V. (2011) The first record of Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 from the Red Seam with notes on previous records of L. lunaris (Actinopterygii, Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae). Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Series A, 37 (3), 163 - 169.","Golani, D. & Levy, Y. (2005) New records and rare occurrences of fish species from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Zoology in the Middle East, 36, 27 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 09397140.2005.10638124","Edelist, D., Scheinin, A. Sonin, O., Shapiro, J., Salalmeh, P., Rilov, G., Benayahu, Y. Schultz, D. & Zeller, D. (2013) Israel: Reconstructed estimates of total fisheries removal in the Mediterranean, 1950 - 2010. Acta Adriatica, 52 (4), 252 - 264.","Mienis, H. K. (2018) A find of the Elongated puffer Lagocephalus sceleratus on the beach of Atlit, Israel. Natuurhistorische en Andere Notities - Natural History and Other Notes, 18, 3 - 6","Golani, D. (1993 b) Trophic adaptations of Red Sea fishes to the eastern Mediterranean environment - review and new data. Israel Journal of Zoology, 39, 391 - 402.","Golani, D. (1987 a) The Red Sea pufferfish, Torquigener flavimaculosus Hardy and Randall, 1983, a new Suez Canal migrant to the eastern Mediterranean. Senckenbergiana maritima, 19, 339 - 343.","Golani, D., Sonin, O. & Edelist, D. (2011 b) Second records of the Lessepsian fish migrants Priacanthus sagittarius and Platax teira in the Mediterranean and distribution extension of Tylerius spinosissimus. Aquatic Invasions, 6 (Supplement 1), S 7 - S 11. https: // doi. org / 10.3391 / ai. 2011.6. S 1.002"]}

This checklist of the Mediterranean fishes of Israel enumerates 469 species which is an addition of 62 species since the previous checklist of 2005. This new checklist includes 58 Condrichthys and 411 Osteicthys species. Most newly-recorded species are of Red Sea origin (Lessepsian migrants)—38 species, 25 species are from previously poorly investigated habitats, mainly deep water, while two species reached the Mediterranean most likely by ballast water and two are aquaculture escapees. The dramatic increase in the number of Lessepsian migrants (an average of 2.5 species per year) is most likely due to the increased water influx between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, following the recent opening of the new parallel, 72 km, “new canal” and the enlargement of other parts of the Suez Canal.

DIODONTIDAE * Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982) Chilomycterus spilostylus: Golani, 1993; Golani, 1996; Golani, 1997 (Heb.); Golani, 1998a; Golani, 1998b; Golani, 2002a; Golani, et al., 2002; Golani, 2005; Golani et al., 2010. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. MOLIDAE Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) Mola mola: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a; Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005. Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776) Ranzania truncata: Ben-Tuvia, 1953a. Ranzania laevis: Ben-Tuvia, 1971a; Golani, 1996; Golani, 2005., Published as part of Golani, Daniel, 2021, An updated Checklist of the Mediterranean fishes of Israel, with illustrations of recently recorded species and delineation of Lessepsian migrants, pp. 1-108 in Zootaxa 4956 (1) on page 90, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4956.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4691195, {"references":["Golani, D. (1997) Handbook of the Fishes of Israel. Keter Publishing House Ltd. Jrusalem. 269 pp. [in Hebrew].","Golani, D. (1998 a) Distribution of Lessepsian migrant fish in the Mediterranean. Italian Journal of Zoology, 65 (suppl.), 95 - 99. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 11250009809386801","Golani, D. (1998 b) Impact of Red Sea fish migrants through the Suez Canal on the aquatic environment of the easrern Mediterranean. Bullitin of the Yale School of Forestry and Environment Studies, 103, 375 - 387.","Golani, D. (2002 a) Lessepsian fish migration - charaterization and impact on the eastern Mediterranean. In: Ozturk, B. & Basusta, N. (Eds.), Workshop on Lessepsian Migration Proceedings. Turkish Marinre Research Foundation, Istanbul, 9, pp. 1 - 9.","Ben-Tuvia, A. (1953 a) Mediterranean fishes of Israel. Bulletin of the Sea Fisheries Research Station, Haifa, 8, 1 - 40.","Ben-Tuvia, A. (1971 a) Revised list of the Mediterranean fishes of Israel. Israel Journal of Zoology, 20, 1 - 39."]}

The unusual appearance of ocean sunfish and their relatives (Molidae), including exaggerated dorsal and anal fins and a missing caudal fin, raises a question of how they swim. In this chapter, the locomotory systems and biomechanics of ocean sunfish are reviewed based on recent morphological, kinematic, and behavioral studies. Ocean sunfish flap their dorsal and anal fins laterally to produce lift-based propulsion forces, a unique swimming style in which two fins with different origins function as paired vertical wings. The two fins are symmetrical within individuals, despite ontogenetic changes in shape. Unlike many other teleosts with axial musculature that drive caudal fins, sunfish have two sets of muscles, separated by the horizontal septum. These muscles run dorsoventrally to drive the dorsal and anal fins. Aerobic red muscles are located medial to anaerobic white muscles, an arrangement reminiscent of endothermic (i.e., high body temperature) fishes, although sunfish are apparently ectothermic. The thick, white sub-skin layer (hypodermis) has exoskeletal and possible buoyancy functions as well (adult Molidae lack a swim bladder). It is suggested that their conspicuous swimming style and associated morphology enable energy-efficient swimming at a cost of reduced acceleration and manoeuvring abilities, allowing sunfish to search the open ocean for patchily distributed prey (e.g., gelatinous zooplankton).

While ocean sunfishes hold the vertebrate record for having the most ova in a single female, information on the natural history of their larvae and juveniles has yet to be collated. This chapter includes the most comprehensive compilation of larval molid records to date, and places the records within a global spatial context. Gathered from natural history museum collections, modern ichthyoplankton sampling efforts and historical records dating back to the 1800s, a total of 452 records were collected comprising 9,770 larvae in total: 285 Masturus, 84 Mola spp., 61 unspecified Molidae and 9,340 Ranzania (340 of which were eggs). Ranzania was primarily reported from the Sargasso Sea, Northern Brazil, Hawai’i and southern Polynesia. Masturus, were reported from the Sargasso Sea and at scattered locations across both Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins. Lastly, for Mola spp., records existed for Eastern Australia and the Eastern USA. Larval stages of early development for each molid genera are identified, described, and illustrated with original drawings. Larval records also include larvae extracted from the guts of 26 different predator species: 17 large pelagic piscivorous fishes from six families, and nine seabirds species from five families. While this chapter cannot be considered an exhaustive compilation of all molid larval knowledge, it does provide a foundation on which to build a more extensive molid larval database. It also underscores the importance of collecting hydrographic metadata to accompany each record. We hope that future studies can use this review to help locate additional spawning sites and achieve the critical mass of data required for habitat suitability modelling. Such a vantage point would allow an assessment of how spawning sites may be impacted by ongoing environmental and anthropogenic changes and inform management plans.

The Ocean Sunfish or Common Sunfish or Common Mola (Mola mola, Linnaeus 1758) belongs to the Molidae family...

This is an annotated checklist of the marine fish species of Lebanon (Levant coast, eastern Mediterranean). It comprises a total of 367 fish species distributed in 159 families and 27 orders, out of which 70 species are non-indigenous and 28 are recorded for the first time from Lebanon. The checklist includes all names and citations of species found in the literature, as well as references to specimens available in museum collections. It also includes an updated zoogeographic distribution and conservation status for each species. Threats were estimated based on surveys and observations made over the last two decades; broadly categorized conservation actions were also suggested.

Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758) ���Ocean sunfish Taxonomy. New record from Lebanon, based on photos and videos of several specimens landed from various parts of Lebanon. Distribution. Circumglobal in tropical through temperate seas (including Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, Red Sea). Conservation. IUCN: Global (VU: A4bd, 7 June 2011); Med. (DD: 15 November 2007). Capture and threats: FIT, FIB, unknown. Occurrence: Rare. Medium priority for conservation action., Published as part of Bariche, Michel & Fricke, Ronald, 2020, The marine ichthyofauna of Lebanon: an annotated checklist, history, biogeography, and conservation status, pp. 1-157 in Zootaxa 4775 (1) on page 113, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4775.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3983887

International audience; The Molidae are a widely distributed family, but they are rarely encountered and their distribution and abundance have poorly been documented. A stranded specimen of the sharptail mola, Masturus lanceolatus (Liénard, 1840), has recently been recorded on a Pacific beach in Peru. We examined, measured and photographed the specimen. It is very likely that the presently reported sharptail mola was originally captured by a Peruvian purse seiner or longliner and later discarded as a useless bycatch.

This data-in-brief comprises a summary of sunfish specimens (Genera Mola and Masturus, Family Molidae, >29 cm total length) from natural history museum collections and other sources, such as strandings, in Australia and New Zealand. Each specimen was evaluated morphologically and identified to lowest possible taxon based on recent advances in the understanding of the Mola taxonomy. References to phylogenetic analyses, where applicable, are included. The summary was collated in support of publication Giant jelly eaters on the line: species distribution and bycatch of three dominant sunfishes in the Southwest Pacific [1] .

The genus Mola of ocean sunfishes (family Molidae) is currently composed of three species: Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758), Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), and Mola tecta Nyegaard et al. 2017. For a comprehensive revision of the genus, both literature survey and morphological investigations of Molidae were conducted. We found Mola alexandrini (Ranzani 1839) to be synonymous with M. ramsayi and we herein redescribe M. alexandrini based on the rediscovered dried holotype and 21 other fresh and preserved specimens. Mola alexandrini can be distinguished from other species of Mola by the following combination of characters in adults: head profile with bump; chin with bump; body scales rectangular; clavus rounded, supported by 14–24 (mode 17) clavus fin rays and 8–15 (12) ossicles on the rear margin. A neotype of M. mola is designated for comparison with M. alexandrini, as these two species have long been confused.