Technical Publications

A curated archive of academic output featuring 12 peer-reviewed publications (8 as first author) and 11 conference presentations. The research focuses on translating complex biological data and statistical models into clear, actionable insights for both technical and diverse audiences

Original Articles

  • Fragkoulis, S. & Nikolaou, C. Analysis of the evolutionary history of eukaryotic genes in relation to their spatial arrangement in the eukaryotic nucleus. (in preparation)

  • Antinero, A., Printzi, A., Kourkouta, C., Fragkoulis, S., Mazurais, D., Zambonino-Infante, J.L., & Koumoundouros, G. (2023). The role of starter diets in the development of skeletal abnormalities in zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton, 1822). Journal of Fish Diseases, 46, 697–705 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13779

    Summary: Different early-stage diets significantly alter the incidence of skeletal deformities—such as scoliosis and swimming-induced lordosis—in larval zebrafish without affecting overall growth or survival, underscoring the potential for nutritional control of skeletal anomalies in finfish aquaculture.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Kourkouta, C., Geladakis, G., Printzi, A., Glaropoulos, A. & Koumoundouros, G. (2022). Recovery of Haemal Lordosis in European Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus 1758). Aquaculture Journal, 2, 1-12 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/aquacj2010001

    Summary: Tracking European seabass from the juvenile to harvest stages reveals that the majority of fish with swimming-induced haemal lordosis naturally recover a normal body shape, a finding supported by new morphometric indices designed to help commercial hatcheries screen for skeletal abnormalities.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Kerasovitis, D., Batargias, C. & Koumoundouros G. (2021). Body-shape trajectories and their genetic variance component in Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). Scientific Reports 11, 16964 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95726-9

    Summary: Tracking the morphological development of Gilthead seabream from juvenile to adult stages reveals a substantial additive genetic component in both their final body shape and the rate of shape change, offering a heritable basis for improving selective breeding programs in aquaculture.

  • Printzi, A., Kourkouta, C., Fragkoulis, S., Dimitriadi, A., Geladakis, G., Orfanakis, M., Mazurais, D., Zambonino-Infante, J.L., & Koumoundouros, G. (2021). Balancing between Artemia and microdiet usage for normal skeletal development in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Journal of Fish Diseases, 44, 1689–1696 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13487

    Summary: The transition rate from live feed to a dry microdiet significantly impacts the incidence of skeletal abnormalities, growth, and survival in larval zebrafish, demonstrating that a more gradual dietary transition is crucial for ensuring normal skeletal development.

  • Fragkoulis, S. & Koumoundouros G. (2021). Simple morphometrics for predicting lordosis-induced deviations of body shape in reared Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). Journal of Fish Diseases, 44, 1265-1267 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13384

    Summary: This study demonstrates that a simple, non-lethal predictor angle (PrAn) measured from three external landmarks can effectively quantify and predict the severity of haemal lordosis and its ultimate impact on the body shape of reared Gilthead seabream at harvest.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Economou, I., Moukas, G., Koumoundouros, G. & Batargias, C. (2020). Caudal fin abnormalities in Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) have a strong genetic variance component. Journal of Fish Diseases, 43, 825-828 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13180

    Summary: By examining Gilthead seabream larvae, this study reveals that caudal fin abnormalities possess a substantial additive genetic component with moderate heritability, suggesting that targeted selective breeding could be an effective strategy to decrease the incidence of these deformities in commercial aquaculture.

  • Printzi, A., Fragkoulis, S., Dimitriadi, A., Keklikoglou, K., Arvanitidis, C., Witten, P.E. & Koumoundouros, G. (2019). Exercise-induced lordosis in zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton, 1822). Journal of Fish Diseases, 98, 987-994 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14240

    Summary: Subjecting zebrafish to continuous swimming exercise rapidly induces dose-dependent haemal lordosis, establishing a reliable and welfare-compatible model for studying skeletal abnormalities in post-embryonic vertebrates.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Printzi, A., Geladakis, G., Katribouzas, N. & Koumoundouros, G. (2019). Recovery of haemal lordosis in Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). Scientific Reports 9, 9832 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46334-1

    Summary: Tracking Gilthead seabream during the sea cage on-growing phase reveals the first evidence, that haemal lordosis can naturally recover over time, restoring a completely normal external body shape and vertebral column in a significant portion of affected fish.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Batargias, C., Kolios, P. & Koumoundouros, G. (2018).Genetic parameters of the upper-jaw abnormalities in Gilthead seabream Sparus aurata. Aquaculture, 497, 226-233 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.07.071

    Summary: While gross, externally visible jaw deformities in Gilthead seabream larvae lack significant heritability, specific underlying internal skeletal abnormalities exhibit a significant genetic component, demonstrating that precise phenotypic scoring is essential for effective selective breeding programs.

  • Crespel, A., Zambonino-Infante, J.L., Mazurais, D. Koumoundouros, G., Fragkoulis, S., Quazuguel, P., Huelvan, C., Madec, L., Servili, A. & Claireaux, G. (2018). The development of contemporary European sea bass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax) is not affected by projected ocean acidification scenarios. Marine Biology, 164, 155 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3178-x

    Summary: Chronic exposure to projected ocean acidification scenarios had minimal adverse effects on the early development of European sea bass larvae and unexpectedly reduced skeletal deformities, suggesting these fish possess an innate physiological resilience to future hypercapnic conditions without needing to mobilize specific defense mechanisms.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Christou M., Karo, R., Ritas, C., Tzokas, C., Batargias, C. & Koumoundouros, G. (2016). Scaling of body-shape quality in reared gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L. Consumer preference assessment, wild standard and variability in reared phenotype. Aquaculture Research, 48, 2402-2410 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/are.13076

    Summary: By integrating consumer preferences to develop a morphological quality scale, this study demonstrates that both the origin of the fish (Wild versus Reared) and the specific rearing environment significantly alter the body shape and key morphometric traits of Gilthead seabream.

  • Fragkoulis, S., Paliogiannis, H., Kokkinias, P., Chiers, K., Adriaens, D. & Koumoundouros, G. (2016). Saddleback syndrome in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758): anatomy, ontogeny and correlation with lateral-line, anal and pelvic fin abnormalities. Journal of Fish Diseases, 40, 83-95 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12494

    Summary: Anatomical and ontogenetic analysis of saddleback syndrome in reared European sea bass reveals that the condition originates from severe marginal finfold abnormalities during the early flexion stage and strongly correlates with additional fin and lateral line defects.

Conference Proceedings & Symposiums

  • Oikonomou, S., Kamilari, M., Papaioannou, C., Fragkoulis, S., Kolios, P., Koumoundouros, G. & Batargias, C. A preliminary linkage and QTL analysis for jaw deformities in Gilthead Seabream. Aquaculture Europe 2022 (Rimini, Italy, September 2022) | Poster | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Kourkouta, C., Printzi, A., Geladakis, G., Kerasovitis, D. & Koumoundouros, G. Recovery of Haemal lordosis in European Sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758). Aquaculture Europe 2021 (Madeira, Portugal, October 2021) | Oral presentation | Abstract

  • Antinero, A., Fragkoulis, S., Kourkouta, C., Mazurais, D., Zambonino-Infante, J.L., Printzi, A. & Koumoundouros, G. The role of starter diets in the development of skeletal abnormalities in zebrafish Dabio rerio (Hamilton, 1822). Aquaculture Europe 2021 (Madeira, Portugal, October 2021) | Poster | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Printzi, A., Geladakis, G., Katribouzas, N. & Koumoundouros, G. Recovery of haemal lordosis in seabream (Sparus aurata L.). 17th Hellenic Symposium of Icthyologists 2019 (Heralion, Greece, October 2019) | Oral presentation | Abstract

  • Printzi, A., Fragkoulis, S., Geladakis, G., Dimitriaid, A., Keklikoglou, K., Arvanitidis, C., Witten, P.E. & Koumoundouros, G. Exercise-induced lordosis in zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton, 1822). 17th Hellenic Symposium of Icthyologists 2019 (Heralion, Greece, October 2019) | Oral presentation | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Batargias, C., Kolios, P. & Koumoundouros, G. Semi-quantitative scales for the assessment of the severity and genetic parameters of skeletal abnormalities in seabream larvae. Larvi 7th fish & shellfish larviculture symposium 2013 (Ghent University, Belgium, September 2017) | Poster | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Christou, M., Ritas, C., Tzokas, C., Batargias, C. & Koumoundouros, G. Consumer’s preference assessment for the body-shape of reared Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). 16th Hellenic Symposium of Ictrhyologists 2013 (Kavala, Greece, October 2016) | Poster| Abstract

  • Batargias, C., Fragkoulis, S., Loukovitis, D., Tzokas, C. & Koumoundouros, G. Genetic parameters for the operculm and jaws deformities in larvae of Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, L. 1758). 12th International Symposium on Genetic in Aquaculture 2015 (Santiago de Compostela, Spain, June 2015) | Oral presentation | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Christou, M., Loukovitis, D., Kypraioy, E., Tzokas, C., Petropoulos, I., Moukas, G., Batargias, C. & Koumoundouros, G. Environmental and genetic influences on the external morphology of Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758). 11th Hellenic Symposium of Oceanography & Fishery 2015 (Lesvos, Greece, March 2015) | Oral presentation | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Kokkinias, P. & Koumoundouros, G. Correlation of saddleback syndrome in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758). Anatomy, ontogeny and correlation with other morpho-anatomical abnormalities. 15th Hellenic Symposium of Icthyologists 2013 (Thessaloniki, Greece, October 2013) | Oral presentation | Abstract

  • Fragkoulis, S., Kokkinias, P. & Koumoundouros, G. Correlation of saddleback syndrome with deformities of the pelvic fins and lateral line in European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. Larvi 6th fish & shellfish larviculture symposium 2013 (Ghent University, Belgium, September 2013) | Poster | Abstract