Keywords
Pterois miles
Malta
Mediterranean Sea
invasive species
citizen science
How to Cite
Abstract
A specimen of the invasive Devil firefish, Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828), was recorded for the first time in Maltese waters in January 2026. The individual was caught by a recreational angler at Migraħ Ferħa (north west Malta) at a depth of 10 m using a paternoster rig baited with squid. The fish was photographed and then released. This record marks a further expansion of the P. miles distribution in the central Mediterranean Sea and highlights the importance of citizen science initiatives in the early detection of marine non-indigenous species.
References
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