Filling in data gaps on the phaeton dragonet [Synchiropus phaeton (Günther, 1861)]: a study on biological characteristics in the eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea, Greece)

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this work is to provide information on the age and growth, gonadal maturity and the feeding habits of the phaeton dragonet [Synchiropus phaeton (Günther, 1861)] in the eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea), a species for which there exists limited information. The phaeton dragonet is a demersal fish species with a wide distribution in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea and is considered as a by-catch in bottom-trawl fisheries. The species demonstrated a negative allometric growth in both sexes, though it exhibited an increasing sex-related gonad growth associated with each reproductive stage. The age range of the Aegean population was 0–7 years. Finally, the main food items in the stomach contents of the species were Crustacea and Polychaeta, and the fractional trophic level was estimated as 3.01 ± 0.3, classifying the species as an omnivore with preference for animal material. Despite the fact that the data of this study derived from a single sampling, this work can be considered as an effort to fill in knowledge gaps in the biology of this species.

KEYWORDS:

• Phaeton dragonet
• growth
• gonadal maturity
• diet
• Aegean Sea

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, G.V. The data are not publicly available due to privacy/ethical restrictions.

Acknowledgements

Samples were collected during the National Fisheries Data Collection Programme (DCF) action of the EU Data Collection Framework 2014–2016. The authors would like to thank Nick Badouvas, Ichthyologist for his critical suggestions during the preparation of the present manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).