The alert campaign has returned to report the presence in our seas of Four tropical alien speciespotentially invasive and in some cases dangerous also for man. It is called “Attentive to those 4!” and is promoted by Ispra And CNR-IRBIMin collaboration with the project Alienfish. The goal is twofold: collect data to update the distribution maps and inform citizenship without alarmism, but with a sense of responsibility.
The four protagonists of the campaign are: scorpion fish (Pterois Miles), Fish spotted ball (LAGOCEPHALUS Scelratus), dark rabbit fish (Siganus luridus) And striped rabbit fish (Siganus Rivulatus). All exotic fish originally from the Red Sea and arrived in the Mediterranean through the Suez canal. Some of them are toxic, others have stinging thorns or strong impacts on local ecosystems. All, however, place new challenges to Mediterranean biodiversity.
“The campaign was born from the need to enhance the involvement of the operators of the sea and promote clear communication on the species potentially dangerous for human health, without creating alarmism,” he said Manuela FalautanoISPRA researcher and coordinator of the initiative.
Anyone who initiates one of these fish can contribute to scientific surveillance: just document the meeting with a photo or video and send the report through the site, via Whatsapp at +39 320 4365210 or through the Facebook groups Oddfish And Mediterranean marine faunausing the hashtag #Attenti4.
Among all, Scorpio fish is the most reported species. According to a study signed by CNR-IRBIM and ISPRA, published on Mediterranean Marine Science1,840 are the total reports updated in March 2025 in the Mediterranean. In Italy, its presence has been documented since 2016, with continuous growth mainly in the Ionian Sea, one of the most exposed areas according to climatic projections.
“The Ionian Sea and the southern areas of the Adriatic are among the most vulnerable to the expansion of Pterois Miles, as confirmed by our predictive models,” he explained Ernesto AzzurroCNR-Irbim researcher who coordinated the study. “The results offer significant indications on the continuous process of expansion of this tropical species and the urgency of implementing management strategies” ..
In addition to the environmental danger, it should be noted that Scorpio fish, albeit edible, has thorns that can cause very painful stings even after 48 hours from the death of the animal. The spotted ball fish should not be underestimated, identified for the first time in Italy in 2013: it contains a neurotoxin (Carthotossine) lethal even after cooking and can inflict bites thanks to its powerful teeth.
More “silent” but equally impactful rabbit fish, two herbivorous species that, by colonizing new areas, radically modify the algal communities and marine food chains. They are edible, but their thorns can cause painful wounds.
The data collected by the campaign are integrated into the national portal Ormefthe public database that collects the observations of exotic marine fauna. Thanks also to the Citizen Science, the portal today represents the most updated source to understand the invasive dynamics of the alien species in the Mediterranean.
The campaign “Attentive to those 4!” – Activate since 2022 – shows the importance of participatory surveillance. The invitation to enthusiasts of the sea, fishermen and divers is to remain vigilant: each sighting can make the difference for the protection of ecosystems.
