THE FIRST SUBSTANTIATED RECORD AND NORTHWARD EXPANSION OF THE MERTENS' PRAWN-GOBY, Vanderhorstia mertensi (OSTEICHTHYES: GOBIIDAE) IN THE AEGEAN SEA

Abstract

The occurrence of the alien goby Vanderhorstia mertensi, off Akbük Cove, Anatolian coasts of Aegean Sea, is here well proven for the first time. On 12 Au- gust 2014, a single specimen was observed by visual census. This finding substantiate that its presence and also distribution is expanding northwards, along the Anatolian coasts of the Aegean Sea.