Marine Biologist Warns Public Of Alien Species Invading Maltese Waters
Marine Biologist Alan Deidun warns the public of the poisonous silver-cheeked toadfish that has been spotted in Maltese waters.
“We are trying to understand what this species feeds on. This poisonous species is being spotted more frequently in our waters since its first sighting in 2015,” wrote Deidun in a post on Facebook.
The silver-cheeked toadfish is extremely poisonous if eaten because it contains tetrodotoxin in its ovaries and to a lesser extent its skin, muscles and liver, which protects it from voracious predators. This poisonous substance is more than a 1000 time more toxic than cyanide.
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This species thrives in diverse benthic habitats within the Indo-West Pacific region and the Mediterranean Sea. It is usually found roaming on rocky bottoms from shallow coastal waters to depths of 250 metres. In the Mediterranean, where it is an invasive species, it is commonly found in sandy and muddy bottoms near shallow coral reefs and also deeper, down to 250 meters.
Deidun urged the public to contact him on 79604109 or on [email protected] in his efforts in the Spot the Alien Fish campaign.
Credit: Alan Deidun
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