The striped eel catfish is a venomous marine fish native to the Indo-Pacific. It is a Lessepsian immigrant, having entered the Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. It holds the distinction of being the first marine species regulated under the European Regulation on Invasive Alien Species. Physically, the fish features four pairs of barbels around its mouth and a striped body with a light pinkish hue that helps it camouflage among seaweed and rocks. While first recorded in the Mediterranean in 2001, its expansion has been relatively slow, reaching Cyprus only in 2022.
Striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) typically inhabits coastal benthic environments such as sandy or muddy bottoms, seagrass and algal beds, and estuaries, usually in shallow waters but occasionally down to ~60–80 m. As an amphidromous and euryhaline species, it can also tolerate brackish conditions and enter river estuaries.
Habitat use changes with life stage. Eggs are deposited on shallow sandy bottoms and guarded by the male under rocks or debris. Larvae remain near the seabed for about 10–15 days before becoming free-swimming. Juveniles form large defensive swarms (“balls”) of hundreds of individuals that forage during the day over sandy bottoms, algal beds, and reef areas, sheltering at night under rocks or structures. Adults become mostly solitary or occur in small groups, are mainly nocturnal, and hide in caves or crevices during the day; they are also capable of moving over larger distances and may occupy deeper waters.
Because the species is expected to arrive in Greece soon, the GuardIAS project is implementing proactive measures focused on early detection.
University of the Aegean: Maria Zotou, Stelios Katsanevakis, Jennifer Pistevos, and Ariadne Vafiadou
Case study contact: Maria Zotou, m.maryzotou@gmail.com
“This project is not just about managing invasive species today—it’s about developing a proactive approach that anticipates future ecological challenges, ensuring robust ecosystems and sustainable marine environments for generations to come”
“For over 35 years, since I first began studying non-indigenous species, I have dreamed of tools that could reveal the ‘Big Picture’ of the transfer, spread, and impacts of invasive aquatic species. Thanks to advances in new technologies, the GuardIAS project now offers an outstanding opportunity to make that vision a reality.”
Anastasija is a marine scientist with a broad expertise in aquatic ecology, ecology of biological invasions and the development and assessment of molecular tools for monitoring and surveillance.
Anastasija is a co-founder and Lead Scientist of Sequench Ltd (Nelson, New Zealand), specializing in molecular research and services as well as development of optimised sampling solutions for eDNA.
In 2023, she was elected a President of the newly established Southern eDNA Society (SeDNAs), which aims to promote science and industry collaboration to advance best practice eDNA methods and their wider adoption nature research and conservation.
Marine biologist with over 40 years of experience in temperate seas and the Arctic. His research focuses on climate change, human impacts, and the spread of invasive alien species. He has pioneered international tools such as AquaNIS and other information system on IAS, IAS impact assessment and bioinvasion indicators.
