Synodus synodus (Actinopterygii, Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) in the coastal waters of Malta, central Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The occurrence of Synodus synodus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the central Mediterranean Sea is ascertained through integrated morphological and molecular analyses conducted on two specimens collected in April 2025 off the southwestern coast of Malta as well as through underwater photographic documentation from the same region. Morphological examination, including meristic counts and morphometric measurements, revealed diagnostic characters consistent with S. synodus. DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial COI gene further supported this identification, with BOLD assigning the sequences to a S. synodus with 99.84% similarity. The presence of S. synodus in Maltese waters represents the first confirmed record for the area and is added to the sparse reports of the species in the Mediterranean Sea. The occurrence of other Synodontidae recently found in the basin is briefly discussed.