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Garfish Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1761) are distributed over a wide area covering all the East Atlantic coasts including the North and Baltic Seas and the entire Mediterranean basin. Researchers have presented different opinions regarding the presence of subspecies and endemic species of garfish due to certain morphological variations found in Mediterranean populations up to the current day. The purpose of this study is to clarify the taxonomic status of Belone euxini Günther, 1866, described as the Black Sea endemic by Günther (1866) and Belone acus Risso, 1827, described as the Mediterranean gar fish population by Risso (1827) with an integrative perspective. B. belone specimens were sampled from 12 localities in the North-Eastern Mediterranean. The congeneric Belone svetovidovi Collette & Parin, 1970, specimens were sampled at different locations in the Eastern Aegean Sea and included molecular analyses in order to determine the interspecific distance between Belone species. Detailed morphological description and genetics are provided for B. belone populations. Based on the results, it can be supported that the differences observed between B. belone populations are within the limits of intraspecific variation thus indicating that there are no distinct populations at the species level in the Mediterranean basin.

Information on new catches of garfish Belone belone in the northeastern Norwegian Sea, in the Barents Sea, and the White Seas is presented. New findings confirm validity of including of garfish in the ichthyofauna of the Barents and White Seas.

In this study, we aimed to clarify the taxonomic status of Belonidae species distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea by conducting detailed genetic and morphological markers. A total of 550 needlefish samples were caught between January 2022 and January 2024. The data set used in the study contains a total of 171 sequences for the COI gene and 120 sequences for the 12s rRNA gene from different Belonidae species, including data from GenBank. Systematic analysis of needlefish species was investigated by using sequencing of mtDNA COI and 12s rRNA gene regions and morphological characters in the Turkish Marine Waters. A separate analysis of the two mitochondrial genes supported by morphological characters revealed that each species is grouped within itself. The genetic and morphological analyses showed that Belone belone acus and Belone belone euxini which are considered as the subspecies of Belone belone are not subspecies of the genus Belone and should be considered at the species level, Belone belone . Belone svetovidovi is also considerably different from Belone belone and should be considered as a different species. T. acus imperialis , which is thought to be distributed in the Mediterranean Sea, is not a subspecies of Tylosorus acus and should be revised as Tylosorus imperialis which genetically differs from Tylosorus acus and also other Tylosorus species at the species level.

The age composition and growth parameters of the Short-beaked garfish Belone svetovidovi collected from the Akçakoca coast in the southwestern Black Sea (Düzce, Türkiye) were investigated. A total of 352 B. svetovidovi individuals were collected monthly from January 2022 to December 2022, including 189 females (54.0%) and 163 males (46.0%). When the length-frequency distribution of B. svetovidovi was analysed, it was found that the length group with the highest number of individuals was the same for both females and males (34.0–34.9 cm), with 35 females and 38 males. The b value in males, females and all individuals was greater than 3, indicating positive allometric growth. The samples of B. svetovidovi individualswere between 1 and 4 years old, with ages 2 and 3 years accounting for 73.54% of female individuals, 80.98% of male individuals and 76.99% of all individuals, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the age groups of males and females at ages 1, 2, and 3 while a significant difference was found between 4-year-old males and females ( P  < 0.05). The Von Bertalanffy growth values were determined as follows: for females, L = 65.501 [1-e −0.109 (t+2.586) ]; for males, L = 66.751 [1-e −0.108 (t+2.621) ]; and for all individuals, L = 66.596 [1-e −0.108 (t+2.666) ]. The mean condition factor values were found to be 0.1090 ± 0.015 for females, 0.1085 ± 0.015 for males, and 0.1087 ± 0.015 for all individuals. The distribution of gonadosomatic index values by gender showed an increase in February-March-September and a decrease in October-December for both females and males. According to the data obtained from the study, the reproductive period for both female and male individuals was identified as the 7-month period from March to September. This study has revealed, for the first time, some reproductive and growth parameters of the Short-beaked garfish, B. svetovidovi , recently identified in the Black Sea.

Engineered structures in the open ocean are becoming more frequent with the expansion of the marine renewable energy industry and offshore marine aquaculture. Floating engineered structures function as artificial patch reefs providing novel and relatively stable habitat structure not otherwise available in the pelagic water column. The enhanced physical structure can increase local biodiversity and benefit fisheries yet can also facilitate the spread of invasive species. Clear evidence of any ecological consequences will inform the design and placement of structures to either minimise negative impacts or enhance ecosystem restoration. The development of rapid, cost-effective and reliable remote underwater monitoring methods is crucial to supporting evidence-based decision-making by planning authorities and developers when assessing environmental risks and benefits of offshore structures. A novel, un-baited midwater video system, PelagiCam , with motion-detection software (MotionMeerkat) for semi-automated monitoring of mobile marine fauna, was developed and tested on the UK’s largest offshore rope-cultured mussel farm in Lyme Bay, southwest England. PelagiCam recorded Atlantic horse mackerel ( Trachurus trachurus ), garfish ( Belone belone ) and two species of jellyfish ( Chrysaora hysoscella and Rhizostoma pulmo ) in open water close to the floating farm structure. The software successfully distinguished video frames where fishes were present versus absent. The PelagiCam system provides a cost-effective remote monitoring tool to streamline biological data acquisition in impact assessments of offshore floating structures. With the rise of sophisticated artificial intelligence for object recognition, the integration of computer vision techniques should receive more attention in marine ecology and has great potential to revolutionise marine biological monitoring.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can provide genome-level information (e.g. mitochondrial genome structure, phylogenetic relationships and codon usage) for analyzing molecular phylogeny and evolution of teleostean species. The species in the order Beloniformes have commercial importance in recreational fisheries. In order to further clarify the phylogenetic relationship of these important species, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of garfish Hyporhamphus quoyi of Hemiramphidae within Beloniformes. The mitogenome was 16,524 bp long and was typical of other teleosts mitogenomes in size and content. Thirteen PCGs started with the typical ATG codon (with exception of the cytochrome coxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene with GTG). All tRNA sequences could be folded into expected cloverleaf secondary structures except for tRNASer (AGN) which lost a dihydrouracil (DHU) stem. The control region was 866 bp in length, which contained some conserved sequence blocks (CSBs) common to Beloniformes. The phylogenetic relationship between 26 fish Beloniformes species was analyzed based on the complete nucleotide and amino acid sequences of 13 PCGs by two different inference methods (Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference). Phylogenetic analyses revealed Hemiramphidae as the sister group to Exocoetidae and it is a paraphyletic grouping. Our results may provide useful information on mitogenome evolution of teleostean species.

This study is the first of its kind, providing detailed evidence of otolith abnormalities in in the Darıca coast of the Sea of Marmara (Türkiye), using an integrative approach that combines light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Structural anomalies in otoliths were detected across both sexes, and 4% of individuals analyzed were found to suffer from abnormal otoliths. In contrast, distinct differences were detected between normal and abnormal otoliths. Although there were some differences between morphometric parameters, a statistically significant difference was determined only in terms of otolith perimeter. SEM and light microscopy revealed that morphological differences, especially on the lateral otolith surfaces, were key to distinguishing normal and abnormal otoliths. Normal otoliths exhibited typical anatomical features such as aragonite crystal structure, elliptic-lanceolate shape, short-wide rostrum, and generally indistinct antirostrum. In contrast, abnormal otoliths exhibited a high degree of shape variability, with irregular surface protrusions, pits, and disorders in the crystal structure resulting from calcium carbonate polymorphism. The wide range of morphological anomalies observed in across sizes and sexes suggests a potential link to environmental stressors, such as mucilage and pollution, as well as genetically driven developmental disorders.

In this study, gravlax, a niche Scandinavian delicacy, was comprehensively investigated by producing it with combinations of two different fish species (tub gurnard (Chelidonichthys lucerna Linnaeus, 1758) and garfish (Belone belone Linnaeus, 1761)) and five herbs (dill (Anethum graveolens Linnaeus, 1753), sage (Salvia officinalis Linnaeus, 1753), mint (Mentha piperita Linnaeus, 1753), sweet (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus, 1754), and purple basil (Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens Bentham, 1830)). The nutritional composition, amino acids, color parameters, mineral substances, and heavy metal content, as well as physical characteristics, texture profile analysis, and extensive sensory analyses, were conducted, and the results were thoroughly evaluated using multivariate statistical methods. The influence of using different herbs on nutritional composition was found to be significant in gravlax made from both fish species (p < 0.05). Sensory analyses revealed that panelists identified mint as enhancing aroma and umami sensations, while dill improved overall acceptance. Gravlax with sage exhibited softer textures, but lower general acceptance due to perceived high saltiness. Color analyses revealed that purple basil transferred distinct pigments, causing darkening, whereas sweet basil had a brightening effect. Amino acid analyses revealed higher umami and sweet-tasting amino acids in herb-free gravlax, whereas proteolytic activity appeared to slow down in herb-containing gravlax samples.

The silver-cheeked toadfish ( Lagocephalus sceleratus , from the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae) and the Pacific red lionfish ( Pterois miles , family Scorpaenidae) have recently invaded the Mediterranean Sea. Lagocephalus sceleratus has spread throughout this entire sea with the highest concentrations in the eastern basin, while more recently, Pterois miles has spread from the Eastern to the Central Mediterranean Sea. Their effects on local biodiversity and fisheries are cause for management concern. Here, a comprehensive review of predators of these two species from their native Indo-Pacific and invaded Mediterranean and Western Atlantic ranges is presented. Predators of Tetraodontidae in general were reviewed for their native Indo-Pacific and Western Atlantic ranges, as no records were found specifically for L. sceleratus in its native range. Tetraodontidae predators in their native ranges included mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda), lizardfish ( Synodus spp.), tiger shark ( Galeocerdo cuvier ), lemon shark ( Negaprion brevirostris ), sea snakes ( Enhydrina spp.), catfish ( Arius spp.), cobia ( Rachycentron canadum ), skipjack tuna ( Katsuwonus pelamis ), and common octopus ( Octopus vulgaris ). The only reported predator of adult L. sceleratus in the Mediterranean was loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta ), whereas juvenile L. sceleratus were preyed by common dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ) and garfish ( Belone belone ). Conspecific cannibalism of L. sceleratus juveniles was also confirmed in the Mediterranean. Pufferfish predators in the Western Atlantic included common octopus, frogfish (Antennaridae), and several marine birds. Predators of all lionfish species in their native Indo-Pacific range included humpback scorpionfish ( Scorpaenopsis spp.), bobbit worms ( Eunice aphroditois ), moray eels (Muraenidae), and bluespotted cornetfish ( Fistularia commersonii ). Lionfish predators in the Mediterranean included dusky grouper ( Epinephelus marginatus ), white grouper ( Epinephelus aeneus ), common octopus, and L. sceleratus , whereas in the Western Atlantic included the spotted moray ( Gymnothorax moringa ), multiple grouper species (tiger Mycteroperca tigris , Nassau Epinephelus striatus , black Mycteroperca bonaci , red Epinephelus morio , and gag Mycteroperca microleps ; Epinephelidae), northern red snapper ( Lutjanus campechanus ), greater amberjack ( Seriola dumerilli ), and nurse shark ( Ginglymostoma cirratum ). The sparse data found on natural predation for these species suggest that population control via predation may be limited. Their population control may require proactive, targeted human removals, as is currently practiced with lionfish in the Western Atlantic.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play a crucial role due to their significant biomedical functions. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS), the main representative family of GAGs, were extracted and purified from garfish (Belone belone) by-products, i.e., skin (GSB), bones (GCB), and heads (GHB), and their composition and anticoagulant activity were investigated. CS/DS were purified by ion-exchange chromatography with yields of 8.1% for heads, 3.7% for skin, and 1.4% for bones. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis was also explored for analyzing the extracted CS/DS. Interestingly, GHB, GSB, and GCB possessed sulfate contents of 21 ± 2%, 20 ± 1%, and 20 ± 1.5%, respectively. Physico-chemical analysis showed that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the variances for sulfate, uronic acid, and total sugars in the GAGs extracted from the different parts of fish. Disaccharide analysis by SAX-HPLC showed that the GSB and GCB were predominately composed of ΔDi-4S [ΔUA-GalNAc 6S] (74.78% and 69.22%, respectively) and ΔDi-2,4S [ΔUA2S-GalNAc 4S] (10.92% and 6.55%, respectively). However, the GHB consisted of 25.55% ΔDi-6S [ΔUA-GalNAc 6S] and 6.28% ΔDi-2,6S [ΔUA2S-GalNAc 4S]. Moreover, classical anticoagulation tests were also used to measure their anticoagulant properties in vitro, which included the activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time. The CS/DS isolated from garfish by-products exhibited potent anticoagulant effects. The purified CS/DS showed exceptional anticoagulant properties according to this research and can be considered as a new agent with anticoagulant properties.