Abstract

The brown comber, Serranus hepatus, was recorded for the first time on September 2009 and March 2012 from the Bulgarian coast and Sile (Turkey) respectively. Thus S. hepatus is reported in this study for the three times from the Black Sea, for the second time from Turkish Black Sea coasts. These records and record dates have shown the eastward spread of S. hepatus in the Black Sea. In this study, five specimens of S. hepatus was captured by commercial bottom trawl fishery on 2015 at depth of 32 to 40 m, from Duzce, Akcakoca and one specimen was photographed under water on 14 August 2013 at about 16:30 pm at a depth of 7 m from Kocaeli, Kandira, Kerpe, on the Black Sea coast of Turkey.The occurrence of S. hepatus in the Black Sea may also be an important indicator of the process of the Mediterranization of the Black Sea (depending on the global climate change). (Project no: DUBAP-2013.5.1.189)