First Record of the Giant Red Sea Shrimp-Goby (Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus) in Lebanese Waters: Expanding the Mediterranean Presence of a Non-Indigenous Species

Abstract

This note documents the first recorded occurrence of the Giant Red Sea Shrimp-Goby Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus (Rüppell, 1830) in Lebanese waters, representing only the third known sighting of this species in the Mediterranean Sea. The specimen was captured at a depth of 3 meters near the port of Tyre, in southern Lebanon, and was identified through detailed morphological analysis. The presence of this Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) in the region suggests a potential for further expansion within the Mediterranean basin. This discovery underscores the critical need for ongoing monitoring and research into the establishment and proliferation of NIS, which may pose significant ecological risks.

Keywords: Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus, Non-Indigenous Species, Mediterranean Sea, Lebanese waters.