FIRST RECORD OF AN INDO-PACIFIC GAPER, CHAMPSODON VORAX (ACTINOPTERYGII: PERCIFORMES: CHAMPSODONTIDAE), FROM THE AEGEAN SEA, TURKEY.

A specimen of Champsodon vorax Günther, 1867, of 113 mm SL, was caught on 6 September 2014 with a bottom trawl from the entrance of the Bay of Izmir, north-eastern Aegean Sea at a depth of 65 m. The presently reported study constitutes the fi rst record for the Aegean Sea but also the fourth record for the Mediterranean Sea. The specimen described in this paper is the largest individual reported to date from the Mediterranean. As it is evident from the spatial dynamics of all successive records of C. vorax in the Mediterranean this gaper seems to be a rapidly expanding species. It disperses both westwards and northwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]