A New Maximum Length and Integrated Biological Observations for the Tub Gurnard Chelidonichthys lucerna (Teleostei: Triglidae)

This study provides an integrated biological examination of an exceptionally large tub gurnard Chelidonichthys lucerna, collected during a fishery-independent bottom-trawl survey in the Gulf of Cádiz on 28 February 2026. The specimen measured 853 mm total length when fresh, representing the largest documented individual of the species and exceeding the previous reported maximum by 25 mm. Age was estimated at 14 years from a transverse section of the left sagittal otolith. Histological examination of the gonads identified a female in spawning-capable phase. Stomach contents indicated a diet dominated by crustaceans, with the angular crab Goneplax rhomboides being the main prey. By integrating size, age, reproductive condition, and stomach-content information, this study expands the current knowledge of the biology of exceptionally large C. lucerna and highlights the value of fishery-independent surveys for documenting the upper tail of species size distributions.