Southernmost record of Liparis montagui (Donovan, 1804) (Perciformes, Liparidae) in European waters (central Portugal), with genetic validation

• Author(s): Duarte-Coelho, Pedro ; Miranda, Carolina ; Pereira, Ana ; Vasco-Rodrigues, Nuno ; Almada, Frederico
• Date: 2025
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/13551
• Origin: Repositório do ISPA - Instituto Universitário
• Subject(s): Central Portugal; cold-water species; distribution range; first occurrence; Montagu’s Seasnail
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Repositório do ISPA

Description

In January 2022, the presence of adult Liparis montagui (Donovan, 1804) was documented at its southernmost point along the west coast of Portugal. The species was identified through both morphological and genetic barcoding analyses. This observation, part of an ongoing long-term coastal survey, suggests that L. montagui may be a transient species, influenced by complex climate and oceanic interactions along the western Iberian coast. This finding stresses the importance of long-term ecological studies and regular field surveys in understanding species distribution and the effects of climate change on marine biodiversity.