Looking at the Expansion of Three Demersal Lessepsian Fish Immigrants in the Greek Seas: What Can We Get from Spatial Distribution Modeling?

A big number of Red Sea species have entered the Mediterranean since opening Suez Canal. Some them quickly establish local populations and increase their abundance, forming a potential threat for biodiversity fisheries. Here, we use habitat modeling tools to study expansion three alien, demersal fish that basin at different times: Pterois miles, Siganus luridus rivulatus. Georeferenced occurrence data from eastern over past ten years were compiled using online sources, published scientific literature questionnaires correlated with environmental topographic variables. The maximum entropy approach was applied construct suitability maps target all Greek Seas. Results emphasized species’ strong coastal nature association presence Posidonia oceanica meadows. Probability evidenced there is higher likelihood along southeast central Aegean Ionian coasts lower throughout North Sea. For spp., predictions in Thracian highlighted as highly uncertain, conditions this area partly fall outside range values occurring locations current presence.