''Sphyraena intermedia'' commonly known as the intermediate barracuda is a species of

barracuda A barracuda, or cuda for short, is a large, predatory, ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus ''Sphyraena'', the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which was ...

that was only recently discovered in the

Gulf of Taranto The Gulf of Taranto ( it, Golfo di Taranto; Tarantino: ; la, Sinus Tarentinus) is a gulf of the Ionian Sea, in Southern Italy. The Gulf of Taranto is almost square, long and wide, making it the largest gulf in Italy, and it is delimited by the ...

in the south of

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. Very similar to the other four species of Barracuda that inhabit the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

particularly the European barracuda and yellowmouth barracuda. They are distinguished by being intermediate in size between European and Yellowmouth barracudas as well as a few other differences such as different amounts of scales and certain body measurements.

References

Sphyraenidae Fish of the Mediterranean Sea Fish described in 2009 {{Rayfinned-fish-stub