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received: 2019-01-19                  DOI 10.19233/ASHN.2019.04
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NON-INDIGENOUS PRAWN PENAEUS 
PULCHRICAUDATUS STEBBING, 1914 IN THE MARINE AREA OF CYPRUS
Thodoros E. KAMPOURIS
Marine Sciences Department, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean. University Hill, Mytilene, 
Lesvos Island, 81100, Greece
e-mail: mard16012@marine.aegean.gr
Costas CONSTANTINOU
13, Iakovou Patatsou, 2362 Ayios Dometios, Nicosia, Cyprus
Ioannis E. BATJAKAS
Marine Sciences Department, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean. University Hill, Mytilene, 
Lesvos Island, 81100, Greece
ABSTRACT
The paper provides strong evidence on the establishment of the Lessepsian prawn Penaeus pulchricaudatus 
(Decapoda, Dendrobranchiata, Penaeidae) in Cypriot waters based on the occurrences reported in the present 
study and in previous records. On 3 September 2018, several P. pulchricaudatus individuals of different sizes were 
observed and one photographed in situ in Protaras, Trinity Beach. The individual, upon sight, was estimated to 
measure 15-17 cm in total length. The crustacean diversity of Cyprus is rather underestimated, even in common 
native species. This species should be considered as established in Cyprus, since several individuals of various sizes 
were observed during the sighting described herein and the species has so far been reported from three different 
locations along the coast of Cyprus (considering the previous records from Cape Greco and Cape Andreas).
Key words: Penaeus pulchricaudatus, Decapoda, non-indigenous species, Cyprus, Levantine Sea, eastern 
Mediterranean Sea
STABILIMENTO DEL GAMBERO NON INDIGENO PENAEUS PULCHRICAUDATUS 
STEBBING, 1914 NELL’AREA MARINA DI CIPRO 
SINTESI
L’articolo fornisce una forte evidenza dello stabilimento del gambero lessepsiano Penaeus pulchricaudatus 
(Decapoda, Dendrobranchiata, Penaeidae) nelle acque cipriote, in base ai ritrovamenti riportati nel presente studio 
e a segnalazioni precedenti. Il 3 settembre 2018 sono stati osservati diversi esemplari di P. pulchricaudatus di di-
mensioni diverse, uno dei quali fotografato in situ a Protaras, Trinity Beach. La lunghezza totale di questo esemplare 
è stata stimata a vista (15-17 cm). La diversità dei crostacei di Cipro è piuttosto sottostimata, anche per le comuni 
specie autoctone. Questa specie lessepsiana dovrebbe venir considerata come stabilita a Cipro, poiché durante 
l’avvistamento qui riportato sono stati osservati diversi individui di varie dimensioni. La specie è stata finora segnalata 
in tre diverse località lungo la costa di Cipro (considerando anche i ritrovamenti precedenti di Capo Greco e Capo 
Andreas).
Parole chiave: Penaeus pulchricaudatus, Decapoda, specie non indigena, Cipro, Mar di Levante, Mediterraneo 
orientale
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Thodoros E. KAMPOURIS et al.: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NON-INDIGENOUS PRAWN PENAEUS PULCHRICAUDATUS STEBBING, 1914 ..., 37–42
INTRODUCTION
Citizen-scientists are contributing to monitoring 
alien and rare species in the Mediterranean Sea (e.g., 
Giovos et al., 2018; Kampouris et al., 2018a, b & c). 
There are several projects and initiatives successfully 
underway in the basin (e.g., Kondylatos et al., 2017; 
Zenetos et al., 2017; Bariche et al., 2018; Giovos et 
al., 2018). But although the social media are increasing 
the probability of data collection through direct invol-
vement, some scientists remain sceptical (Katsanevakis 
& Moustakas, 2018).
It should not be a surprise that Cyprus, which is less 
than 400 nm distant from the Suez Canal, is heavily 
impacted by the introduction of non-indigenous species 
(Chartosia & Michailidis, 2016). The crustacean diversi-
ty of Cyprus is rather underestimated, even in common 
native species (Chartosia & Theodosiou, 2018). Perhaps 
the most comprehensive work is the study by Lewinsohn 
& Holthuis (1986), which inevitably lacks information, 
especially in relation to non-indigenous and rare spe-
cies.
The name Penaeus pulchricaudatus (Stebbing, 1914) 
was believed to be a junior synonym of a species of 
global economic importance, Penaeus japonicus. The 
Penaeus japonicus species complex exhibits genetic 
differences throughout its geographical distribution 
(Tsoi et al., 2014). P. pulchricaudatus occurs naturally 
in Australia, the western Indian Ocean, the South 
China Sea and the Red Sea. The population in the Me-
diterranean Sea, which originated from the Red Sea, is 
expanding northwards and the species is considered a 
Lessepsian migrant (Tsoi et al., 2014). Regarded as an 
established species in the south Aegean Sea (Kampouris 
et al., 2018b, and references within), it constitutes an 
important component of prawn fishery in Greece and 
Turkey (Can et al., 2004; Corsini-Foka et al., 2015). In 
Cyprus, the first report of the species (as P. japonicus) 
dates to 1986 (Lewinsohn & Holthuis, 1986), but it is 
still undetermined if P. pulchricaudatus is established in 
Cyprus and what its population status is.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
On 3 September 2018, several P. pulchricaudatus 
individuals of different sizes were observed and one 
photographed in situ (Fig. 1) by one of the authors 
(C.C.) of the paper in Protaras, Trinity Beach, Cyprus 
(35°03’05.2”N 34°01’23.2”E, approximately), on a san-
dy bottom at a depth of 3-7 m, during a night dive with 
a Nikon D810 camera. For the purposes of the present 
paper only one photograph is presented. 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The identification of the species was based on high-
-resolution photos taken by one of the authors (C.C.) and 
on the visual identification criteria described in earlier 
studies (Tsoi et al., 2014; Kampouris et al., 2018b). 
WoRMS (2018) was used for taxonomy and systematics. 
The individual’s total length was estimated as 15-17 cm. 
It was sighted as crawling slowly across the bottom (Fig. 
2). The visual identification criteria are: 1. well-deve-
loped ridges and grooves on carapace, 2. body colour 
beige with brown transverse bands extending from top 
to midline, 3. pereiopods yellow to cream-whitish, 4. 
flagella brown, 5. pleopods yellowish to reddish with 
white and brown spots/blotches at base (Tsoi et al., 
2014; Kampouris et al., 2018b).
The present work provides further evidence that 
citizen science can contribute importantly to non-indi-
genous species monitoring by complementing scientific 
knowledge. The P. pulchricaudatus species should be 
considered as established in Cyprus, based on the obser-
Fig. 1: Map of Cyprus, indicating sampling location 
(black triangle). 
Sl. 1.: Zemljevid Cipra z označeno lokaliteto vzorčenja 
(črn trikotnik).
Fig. 2. The Penaeus pulchricaudatus from Protaras, 
Trinity Beach, Cyprus, and its microhabitat. 
Sl. 2: Kozica vrste Penaeus pulchricaudatus iz lokalitete 
Protaras, Trinity Beach, Ciper, in njen mikrohabitat. 
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Thodoros E. KAMPOURIS et al.: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NON-INDIGENOUS PRAWN PENAEUS PULCHRICAUDATUS STEBBING, 1914 ..., 37–42
vation of several individuals of various sizes in the wider 
area on this occasion and based on previous records, all 
following the methodologies used in earlier studies on 
non-indigenous species assessments (Thessalou-Legaki 
et al., 2006; Dulčić et al., 2011; Katsanevakis, 2011). 
Moreover, considering earlier records (Lewinsohn & 
Holthuis, 1986), the species has been observed in three 
different areas along the coast of Cyprus.
Underwater photography and videography are 
nowadays extensively used for non-indigenous and rare 
species detection and monitoring. They have proven 
very successful and useful in many cases, sometimes 
providing unique findings (e.g., Marcelli et al., 2016, 
Kondylatos et al., 2017; Bariche et al., 2018; Deidun et 
al., 2018; Kampouris et al., 2018c). 
The taxonomy of the Dendrobranchiata, the penaeid 
prawns, is a rather typical example of uncertainty and 
controversy in science (see De Grave & Fransen, 2011). 
Perhaps the most striking example is the Penaeus, where 
even the correct spelling of the genus is a matter of 
controversy (see Tsoi et al., 2014 and references within 
for details). P. pulchricaudatus was introduced via the 
Suez Canal, contributing to an even wider phenomenon 
of the Lessepsian migration (Tsoi et al., 2014). 
CONCLUSIONS
The concurrently present kuruma prawn P. japonicus 
should not be excluded as a potential non-indigenous 
species in the Mediterranean Sea, since it is cultivated in 
many European and Mediterranean countries (Quigley 
et al., 2013 and references therein). Further research, 
perhaps on a molecular basis, would be required to 
support this hypothesis. 
The establishment of P. pulchricaudatus along the 
coast of Cyprus is not surprising, since there are many 
other Lessepsian species already regarded as established 
in the marine area of Cyprus, Parupeneus forsskali, 
Chartosia & Michailidis (2016), for example. Moreover, 
other penaeid species, such as P. monodon (e.g., Alfaro-
-Montoya et al., 2015; Zink et al., 2018), P. japonicus and 
P. pulchricaudatus (e.g,. Quigley et al., 2013; Kampouris 
et al., 2018b) and P. aztecus (e.g., Kampouris et al., 
2018a, b; Zava et al., 2018) are acknowledged as aliens 
in many other parts of the world, which corroborates 
their invasive nature. 
To better understand the geographical extent of P. 
pulchricaudatus’ establishment and the factors affecting 
it, systematic surveys are needed (Maceda-Veiga et al., 
2013; Nunes et al., 2017). Other penaid species that 
might already be established in Cyprus are P. hathor and 
P. aztecus, both extensively recorded in the Levantine 
and south Aegean Seas (see Kampouris et al., 2018b and 
references therein for details).
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Thodoros E. KAMPOURIS et al.: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NON-INDIGENOUS PRAWN PENAEUS PULCHRICAUDATUS STEBBING, 1914 ..., 37–42
TUJERODNA KOZICA PENAEUS PULCHRICAUDATUS STEBBING, 1914, USTALJENA 
VRSTA V VODAH CIPRA
Thodoros E. KAMPOURIS
Marine Sciences Department, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean. University Hill, Mytilene, Lesvos Island, 81100, 
Greece
e-mail: mard16012@marine.aegean.gr
Costas CONSTANTINOU
13, Iakovou Patatsou, 2362 Ayios Dometios, Nicosia, Cyprus
Ioannis E. BATJAKAS
Marine Sciences Department, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean. University Hill, Mytilene, Lesvos Island, 81100, 
Greece
POVZETEK
Avtorji poročajo o lesepski selivki, tujerodni kozici Penaeus pulchricaudatus (Decapoda, Dendrobranchiata, 
Penaeidae) v ciprskih vodah, ki jo lahko na podlagi novih podatkov iz pričujoče študije in predhodnih zapisov 
smatramo za ustaljeno vrsto. Tretjega septembra 2018 so bili številni različno veliki osebki kozice P. pulchricaudatus 
opaženi, eden od njih pa fotografiran v naravnem okolju na lokaliteti Protaras, Trinity Beach. Slednji naj bi meril med 
15-17 cm totalne dolžine. Biodiverziteta rakov Cipra je razmeroma podcenjena, tudi na nivoju domorodnih rakov. 
Na podlagi opazovanj in drugih predhodnih zapisov s treh lokalitet (upoštevaje zapise iz lokalitet Cape Greco in 
Cape Andreas) vzdolž ciprske obale bi morali tujerodno kozico obravnavati kot ustaljeno vrsto. 
Ključne besede: Penaeus pulchricaudatus, Decapoda, tujerodne vrste, Ciper, Levantsko morje, vzhodno 
Sredozemsko morje
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