First finding of rare Pearlfish, Carapus acus (Brünnich, 1768) (Ophidiiformes: Carapidae) from Mediterranean coasts of Morocco

The present work is to document the first finding of the rare Pearlfish, Carapus acus (Brünnich, 1768) from Mediterranean coasts of Morocco, based on ten specimens collected during a bottom trawl survey in the frame of the monitoring of benthic fish stocks in Mediterranean coasts of Morocco. Total length of C. acus captured specimens is comprised between 145 and 210 mm. Morphometric characteristics of the species are given. This species is rarely observed in sea waters and is unknown from the Mediterranean coast of Morocco.