Certain species, either due to their distribution or relative low abundance, may constitute records of high scientific value. These may even be native species of our waters, but being rarely recorded, information about them is still limited in our country. In this group of other species, we can include species of oceanic habits or of greater depths.
Species: Lagocephalus lagocephalus (oceanic pufferfish)
Description: a very cosmopolitan species, with oceanic habits. Fish of the Tetraodontidae family that can reach 60 cm in length.
⚠️ Like other members of the Tetraodontidae family, it has toxins in its skin and muscle, so its consumption is highly inadvisable.
Records in the Algarve: see here .
Sagres, August 2006. Photo: João Encarnação
Species: Cepola macrophthalma (red bandfish)
Description: species native to the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, which can be found up to 400 m deep. Fish of the family Cepolidae that can reach 80 cm in length.
Easily identifiable by its long, narrow body and orange to pink color.
Records in the Algarve: see here.
Portimão, June 2020. Photo: Luís Santos
Species: Schedophilus ovalis (imperial blackfish)
Description: species native to the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, with oceanic habits that is often observed under floating objects or together with turtles or jellyfish on the surface. Fish of the family Centrolophidae that can reach more than 60 cm in length.
It has a silvery to greenish color, and the juveniles have dark spots along the body.
Records in the Algarve: see here.
Vila do Bispo, May 2021. Photo: Sander Rietkerk