Abstract

The Juan Fernández Wrasse, Malapterus reticulatus, previously considered endemic to the Desventuradas and Juan Fernández Islands, is reported for the first time on the continental shelf of Chile. Observations were gathered from reports shared by divers and spearfishers on social media platforms. A machine learning model confirmed these records, providing evidence of the species presence along the coast of central Chile. Therefore, these records expand the known range of the fish. © 2025 Ecological Society of Australia.