The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is one of the Mediterranean's most iconic species and an important component of its marine biodiversity. For more than 40 years, ARCHELON has been working to protect sea turtles through the conservation of nesting beaches, the rescue and rehabilitation of injured turtles, scientific research, and public awareness activities.

Sea turtles play a vital role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. As part of marine food webs, they contribute to the balance and functioning of coastal and marine habitats.

In recent weeks, the silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) has received considerable media attention in Greece, bringing renewed focus to the spread of this invasive species in the Mediterranean. In response to the extensive media coverage, the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) stressed the importance of relying on scientific evidence to avoid misinformation and unnecessary public concern. Over the past two decades, the silver-cheeked toadfish has spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean, affecting marine biodiversity and fisheries, while its potent neurotoxin (tetrodotoxin) makes it highly dangerous if consumed.

Image: Loggerhead sea turtle preying on a silver-cheeked toadfish in the Eastern Mediterranean. Source: Ulman et al. (2021), Frontiers in Marine Science.

What is less widely known is that recent scientific studies have identified the loggerhead sea turtle as the only confirmed natural predator of adult silver-cheeked toadfish in the Mediterranean. This finding highlights the important ecological role of sea turtles and reminds us that protecting them is not only about conserving a threatened species but also about maintaining the natural functioning of marine ecosystems.

However, the researchers also emphasize that natural predation by loggerhead turtles alone is not sufficient to control silver-cheeked toadfish populations. The species possesses highly effective defence mechanisms, including the ability to inflate its body and the presence of the extremely potent neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, while it has very few natural predators in the Mediterranean. For this reason, effective management requires a combination of targeted control measures, scientific monitoring, and the protection of healthy marine ecosystems.

Επιστημονικές δημοσιεύσεις για τον λαγοκέφαλο στη Μεσόγειο:

• Low Pufferfish and Lionfish Predation in Their Native and Invaded Ranges Suggests Human Control Mechanisms May Be Necessary to Control Their Mediterranean Abundances
• The biology and ecology of the invasive silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), with emphasis on the Eastern Mediterranean