After the pufferfish, the 'Pharaoh Cardinal' arrives from the Strait of Hormuz – what is happening in Greek seas?

Greek seas are witnessing an alarming influx of invasive fish species, significantly altering the marine ecosystem. While the toxic pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) has long been a known threat, arriving from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal, it is now joined by a growing number of other species.

Among the new arrivals is the "Pharaoh Cardinal" (Apogonichthyoides pharaonis), a small fish whose natural habitat spans the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea. Like the pufferfish, it has found its way into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, a phenomenon scientists refer to as "Lessepsian migration." This term honors Ferdinand de Lesseps, the engineer behind the canal, which has become a crucial pathway for species from the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Peninsula to colonize the Mediterranean.

Other notable invaders include rabbitfish species, such as Siganus rivulatus and Siganus luridus, which have become established in many parts of Greece. These herbivorous fish consume large quantities of algae, potentially transforming local marine environments. Scientists are also monitoring species like the Red Sea goatfish (Parupeneus forsskali), which, while not as problematic as the pufferfish, exemplifies the changing biological landscape.

The proliferation of these species is attributed to two primary factors: the Suez Canal acting as a permanent migration corridor and climate change. Rising sea temperatures are making the Mediterranean increasingly hospitable to species originating from warmer waters, leading to a significant shift in the region's marine biodiversity.