2026/05/07 by Behzad Gholjaei, Rahman Patimar, Hojjatallah Jafaryan +2 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Fish Biology and Ecology Studies #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
paper · pdf · doi:10.3897/aiep.56.165790
openalex publication_date 2026/05/07 · openalex created_date 2026/05/08 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
In the summer of 2024, an unrecognized mullet species was reported to occur in considerable abundance in the shallow areas of the southeastern Caspian Sea. Since accurate species identification is essential for ecological monitoring, 65 specimens were collected using gillnets in late summer and early autumn 2024, and their morphological traits were examined to identify the species. The specimens correspond to the abu mullet, Planiliza abu (Heckel, 1843), a member of the family Mugilidae native to the subtropical waters of southern Iran (the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman). Additional surveys indicated that this species has spread into some inland ecosystems as well as the coastal areas of the Caspian Sea. Therefore, this paper reports the first record of an established population of abu mullet in the southern Caspian region, expanding the species’ known distribution northward toward a cold temperate climate, beyond its previously known range in southern Iran. The considerable occurrence rate in mullet catches, good body condition (CF > 1), large size (length and weight), and age of the collected specimens from the coasts of the southeastern Caspian Sea allow us to confidently state that this species has established a self-sustaining population in this sea, with the potential to successfully adapt to Caspian environmental conditions. Ongoing investigations are expected to reveal additional occurrences of abu mullet in the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea.