Cybium, Revue Internationale d’Ichtyologie
Copyright © 2004 Société Française d’Ichtyologie

(1) Institut national des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, BP 1035, Sfax 3018, TUNISIE.
(2) 1 allée Ermitage, 34170 Castelnau-le-Lez, FRANCE.
(3) Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, 3038 Sfax, TUNISIE.
(4) INAT, Laboratoire d’Environnement marin littoral, Tunis, TUNISIE.

Résumé. - Ce travail actualise l’inventaire des espèces de poissons des côtes tunisiennes (Agnathes, Gnathostomes) et analyse les caractéristiques biogéographiques de cette faune. Des comparaisons entre les différents secteurs des côtes tunisiennes et les mouvements récents de la faune méditerranéenne sont également abordés. Le nombre d’espèces de poissons sur les côtes tunisiennes est de 327 : 1 petromyzontidé, 1 holocéphale, 61 élasmobranches, 1 chondrostéen et 263 téléostéens. Parmi ces espèces, 18 sont signalées pour la première fois dans ce secteur. La majeure partie des espèces (86,24%) est d’origine atlantique, 7% sont des endémiques méditerranéens et 1,83% des immigrants lessepsiens. Soulignons que ce dernier groupe représente 2,43% des poissons signalés dans le golfe de Gabès. Ce travail confirme par ailleurs le caractère subtropical de l’ichtyofaune tunisienne et plus particulièrement de celle du golfe de Gabès.

Abstract. - Autochtonous and exotic fish species of the Tunisian coasts: Inventory and biogeography.

This work updates the Tunisian fish species inventory (Agnatha, Gnathostoma), analyses the bio-geographic features of this fauna, draws comparisons between Tunisian coasts sectors and makes comments on the recent changes in the Tunisian fish fauna. It is based on (1) the analysis of the ichthyological knowledge available for the Tunisian waters, (2) surveying campaigns (using the INSTM’s oceanographic vessel and commercial fishing fleet) and (3) visits to the main landing points. Genera and species of recorded fish were updated. A grouping of the recorded fish species is given according to their geographic distribution into: (1) Cosmopolitan (C); (2) Atlanto-Mediterranean (AM); (3) Endemic (E); (4) Indo-Pacific (IP). The following categorisation of the recorded species is also given: species mainly distributed in cold and temperate waters (AF) and species having affinity for tropical and subtropical waters (AC). According to the data available in 2002, Tunisian fish biodiversity can be summarized as follows: Petromyzontiformes 1 species, Holocephali 1, Elasmobranchii 61, Chondrostei 1, Osteichthyes 263 for a total of 327 valid species belonging to 113 families, 219 genus and 30 orders. Most species (282 of 327) have an Atlantic origin, 16 species are considered as sub-cosmopolitan, 6 are lessepsian, and 23 are endemic to the Mediterranean. Species coming from the Northern Atlantic are mainly found in the northern zone, while the subtropical and saharian species are mainly found in the Gabes Gulf area. These results confirm the tropical character of this region. The species distribution along the Tunisian coasts is unbalanced; 135 species were found everywhere, 270 in the northern sector (from the Algerian border to Kelibia), 170 in the Central sector (from Kelibia to Ras Kapudia) and 247 in the southern sector (from Ras Kapudia to the Libyan border). Some species appear to be restricted to a particular sector; 52 were recorded only in the northern sector, 6 in the central sector and 44 only in the southern sector. A special attention has been paid to the arrival of exotic species. The Tunisian coasts are concerned by this bio-geographic phenomenon with marine invaders originating from the tropical Atlantic and Indo-Pacific areas. The Atlantic new comers are Chaunax suttkusi Caruso, 1949, Seriola fasciata (Bloch, 1793), Seriola carpenteri Mather, 1971, Pisodonophis semicinctus (Richardson, 1848), Solea senegalensis Kaup, 1858, Sphoeroides cutaneus (Günther, 1870), whereas the Indo-Pacific new comers are Parexocoetus mento (Valenciennes, 1846), Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831, Stephanolepsis diaspros (Fraser-Brünner, 1940), Siganus luridus (Rüppell, 1828), Siganus rivulatus Forsskål, 1775, Priacanthus hamrur (Forsskål, 1775).

Key words. - Ichthyofauna - Biodiversity - MED - Tunisian coasts - Exotic species - Biogeography - New records.