New data on the occurrence of Pontinus kuhlii ( Bowdich , 1825 ) ( Osteichthyes : Scorpaenidae ) in the western Mediterranean *

(Bowdich, 1825) is a benthic scorpenid which commonly inhabits hard bottom areas between 100 and 450 m (Hureau and Litvineko, 1986). It is an Eastern Atlantic species, distributed from Madeira, the Azores, Portugal and Morocco to Mauritania and Cape Verde Island (Hureau and Litvineko, 1986) (Fig. 1). The presence of this species in the Mediterranean has been controversial. In 1878 Sauvage described as Sebastes bibroni n. sp. one specimen of this species fished in Sicily (Eastern Mediterranean) (Fig. 1), but Doderlein (1891) considered it as a variety of Sebastes (Helicolenus) dactylopterus Delaroche 1809. Finally, Massutí and Massó (1975) proved definitively the presence of Pontinus kuhlii in the Mediterranean, capturing one specimen in the Cabo de Palos bank (Western Mediterranean) (Fig. 1), which was described by Tortonese (1979) on the basis of one picture. On 11 March 1997 one specimen of Pontinus kuhlii was fished during a commercial bottom trawling at about 12 nautical miles off the western coast of Mallorca (Western Mediterranean), between the co-ordinates 39o33.3’N-2o04.6’E and 39o34.4’N-2o02.6’E (Fig. 1). The haul was performed at about 300-450 m deep, along a muddy channel surrounded by a vast rocky area. SCI. MAR., 62 (1-2): 177-179 SCIENTIA MARINA 1998

The offshore rockfish Pontinus kuhlii (Bowdich, 1825) is a benthic scorpenid which commonly inhabits hard bottom areas between 100 and 450 m (Hureau and Litvineko, 1986).It is an Eastern Atlantic species, distributed from Madeira, the Azores, Portugal and Morocco to Mauritania and Cape Verde Island (Hureau and Litvineko, 1986) (Fig. 1).The presence of this species in the Mediterranean has been controversial.In 1878 Sauvage described as Sebastes bibroni n. sp.one specimen of this species fished in Sicily (Eastern Mediterranean) (Fig. 1), but Doderlein (1891) con-sidered it as a variety of Sebastes (Helicolenus) dactylopterus Delaroche 1809.Finally, Massutí and Massó (1975) proved definitively the presence of Pontinus kuhlii in the Mediterranean, capturing one specimen in the Cabo de Palos bank (Western Mediterranean) (Fig. 1), which was described by Tortonese (1979) on the basis of one picture.
On 11 March 1997 one specimen of Pontinus kuhlii was fished during a commercial bottom trawling at about 12 nautical miles off the western coast of Mallorca (Western Mediterranean), between the co-ordinates 39º33.3'N-2º04.6'Eand 39º34.4'N-2º02.6'E(Fig. 1).The haul was performed at about 300-450 m deep, along a muddy channel surrounded by a vast rocky area.
The specimen studied, deposited in the ichtyological collection of the Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears (ref. number COB3/1997), was a female of 286 mm of total length and 298 g of total weight (Fig. 2).Morphometric and meristic data are reported in Table I.Herewith follows a brief description.Head relatively long, with eyes in high position and mouth cavity pale rose.Two supraocular tentacles on the left side.Pectoral fin rays unbranched, second and third dorsal fin spines elongate.Scales ctenoid, on lateral line 26 tubular scales.Swimbladder well developed.Colour pale red with yellow spots on body side and impair fins, yellow zones on maxillar, preoperculum and operculum.Ventral area pale rose, little black spots in the occipital region and at the base of dorsal fin, one black spot on distal-inferior portion of caudal fin.The ovary was typical of an oviparous species, similar to all the members of the subfamily Sorpaeninae that have been described (Washington et al., 1984).The macroscopic and histological examination of the gonad showed a spent ovary, indicating the beginning of the post-spawning period.
This new record of Pontinus kuhlii in the Mediterranean may be considered as the second documented case for the Western Mediterranean.Formerly, Massutí (1983) and Riera et al. (1995) reported the capture of other specimens in Mallorca on the basis of information from fishermen.These references must be considered as doubtful because they do not provide descriptions of the specimens or precise data on sites of captures.This species seems relatively abundant in the Atlantic, especially off Madeira and the Canary Islands (Lozano Rey, 1952;Blanc and Hureau, 1973;Pizarro, 1984).Uiblein et al. (1996) reported a yield of 0.39-0.21individuals per 300 longline hooks at the depth of 100-500 m off the Canary Islands.The scarcity of records of Pontinus kuhlii in the Mediterranean is probably due to its rarity, but the possibility that fishermen of this area might confound this species with other commercial scorpenids and the difficulty of taking samples in its habitat (non trawlable rocky bottoms) also may be two important factors to take into account, as proposed Lozano Rey (1952) and Fredj and Maurin (1987), respectively.The capture of a post-spawning adult suggests the possibility of the existence of a Mediterranean population.

TABLE I .
Morphometric and meristic data of the Pontinus kuhlii specimen found.