New morphological data on the rare fish Microichthys coccoi Rüppell, 1852 (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Epigonidae) from records in the Strait of Messina

Sporadic records of stranded specimens in the Strait of Messina represented the only source of information about Microichthys coccoi Rüppell, 1852 until the beginning of the 21st century, when some occasional reports by trawl surveys occurred in eastern Aegean, north Tyrrhenian, north-eastern Ionian, and Balearic seas. Until now, some uncertain exists about the areal, ecology and biology of this rarely collected species, and its morphological features have not been exhaustively described. In this paper, the stranding of two further specimens is reported, together with the first description of the sagitta and the palatal teeth. Some insights into its biology and ecology have also been suggested.