A strange fish in Corfu waters…

We have never seen this kind of fish here. The sea group of the protection of the environment club announced that they had spotted a new kind of fish species in the Corfiot sea. They stated that lately, the fishermen of northern Corfu catch frequently a new kind of fish that is called Sphoeroides pachygaster.

This kind of fish can be found in the sea of the isles on the north of Corfu (Othonoi, Erikousa, Mathraki) which is the meeting point of the Ionian sea and the Adriatic sea.

What exactly is this kind of fish?

Sphoeroides pachygaster is a fish of the Atlantic ocean that gradually came into the Mediterranean and keeps on heading to the east. The problem is that some of the characteristics of this fish are similar to the dangerous fish called Rabbithead (Lagokephalos), so the fishermen may make mistakes.

How do these fish look like?

Sphoeroides pachygaster is short and fat with an inflated belly, smooth skin, big head that end to a ‘beak’ with jaws in four parts.

A few days ago a Sphoeroides pachygaster was caught in 80 m. depth by a Corfiot fisherman. It was 39 cm long.