Lipid composition in muscle and liver of sympatric coregonid fishes from Lake Baikal (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus</Emphasis> spp.) under common garden experiment

The content of total lipids, total phospholipids, and fatty acids of total lipids in muscles and liver of juvenile Lake Baikal sympatric coregonid fishes have been analyzed for the first time under a common garden experiment. Baikal omul, Coregonus migratorius Georgi, is an active migrant of the pelagic zones of the lake. Baikal (lacustrine) whitefish, C. baicalensis Dybowski, is a colonizer of the bottom habitats, which are relevant to the pelagic zones of the littoral and underwater slope. Structural lipids (phospholipids and cholesterol) dominated in total lipids of the tissues of all fish under study. Spare lipids significantly prevailed in omul muscles when compared to whitefish. The highest variability of fatty acid composition was reported in muscles of coregonid fishes. Statistically significant differences were revealed in the content of the ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in muscles of lacustrine whitefish and omul. Associations of lipid compositions revealed in tissues of the whitefishes under the study with their respective ecotypes have been discussed.     

New host species and new distribution areas of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmincola lavaretus</Emphasis> (Copepoda: Lernaeopodidae): A parasite of coregonid fishes of Siberia

Data on the infestation of certain fish species by the parasitic copepod Salmincola lavaretus are presented for the first time. The infested fish species included Bauntovsky whitefish (Coregonus baunti), an endemic species from the Maloye and Bolshoye Kapylyushi lakes; Siberian whitefish (C. pidschian) and Siberian cisco (C. sardinella) from Bolshoye Kapylyushi Lake and Baunt Lake, which belong to the Tsypo-Tsypikan lake system (the Lena River basin, Transbaikalia); and Teletsky whitefish (C. lavaretus natio smitti) from Teletskoe Lake (the Ob River basin). Previously, S. lavaretus had been described as a parasite of Baikal omul (C. migratorius) and Baikal whitefish (C. baicalensis) from Baikal. The taxons of S. longimanus complex (S. longimanus, S. l. sibirica, S. svetlanovi, and S. lavaretus)—parasites of nasal fossae of grayling and coregonid fishes—were registered in the lakes of the Lake Baikal basin (Lake Baikal and Khovsgol Lake), the Lena River, the Yenisei and the Ob rivers (the largest rivers of the Arctic zoogeographic province), and the Kobdo River (the Western Mongolian province). It was assumed that S. longimanus complex is more widely distributed in the water bodies of the Arctic zoogeographic province of the Palearctic.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus peled</Emphasis> (Gmelin) transplanted into Ulaagchny Khar lake (western mongolia) showed no evidence of hybridization with other introduced <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus</Emphasis> species

Coregonus peled (Gmelin) (Teleostei: Salmoniformes: Coregonidae), which is considered an important object of coldwater aquaculture, had been successfully introduced into an enclosed Western Mongolian lake Ulaagchny Khar in the early 1980s. At the same time larvae of two other Coregonus species—Baikal omul C. migratorius (Georgi) and least cisco C. sardinella Valenciennes—had also been released into the lake. Baikal omul was then reported as a naturalized species. This might have caused interspecific hybridization and gene introgression. Identification of coregonids by morphology can be problematic, so to determine which species was dominant in the lake (we presumed it was peled) and if its gene pool was affected by other introduced Coregonus species we sampled 40 individuals and analyzed them by sequencing a fragment of mtDNA cyt b and by allozyme electrophoresis. The analysis showed that all the fish belonged to C. peled with no evidence of admixture from other coregonid species. Taking into account mass release of both species in 1980s, it is evident that naturalization of peled in the lake was much more successful than that of Baikal omul.     

Morphofunctional peculiarities of erythrocytes in wild and farmed Coregonid fishes from Lake Baikal

Structure and cytometric indices of red blood cells (RBC) and hemoglobin content (Hb) and oxygen capacity of the blood (OCB) of omul, whitefish, and hybrids thereof captured in Lake Baikal (wild) and incubated and grown in a freshwater aquarium complex (FAC) (farmed) have been analyzed. Cytometric parameters of red blood cells of wild omul, whitefish, and hybrids thereof exceed those of the cells of fish reared in aquariums under identical conditions. The effect of aquarium rearing on the shape of red blood cells is the least pronounced in Siberian whitefish and F1 progeny of Siberian whitefish females and omul males (f Sw x m Om). The erythrocyte size in hybrids of female Lacustrine whitefish and male omul (f Lw x m Om) is determined by the size of these cells in female parents, since female Lacustrine whitefish have the largest erythrocytes. Cytometric parameters of erythrocytes of all Coregonid fishes investigated are higher in fish reared in warm aquaria than in conspecifics reared in aquaria with cold water. Erythrocyte nuclei are smaller in artificially propagated hybrids than in parent fish captured in the wild or in whitefish and omul reared in aquaria under the same conditions. A distinct pool of erythrocytes from whitefish captured in the wild have a 20–30% higher content of functionally active mitochondria than erythrocytes of whitefish reared in aquaria; a disrupted mitochondrial structure is also observed in erythrocytes from the latter population of fish. The results show that distinctive features of metabolism related to oxygen transport in the Baikal coregonid fish that were investigated are determined by adaptation to the conditions of the ecological niches occupied by the fish.     

An addition to the myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) of Baikalian Siberia

Four species, Formica cinerea Mayr, 1853, Lasius gebaueri Seifert, 1992, L. platythorax Seifert, 1991, and L. sabularum (Bondroit, 1918), are recorded in the myrmecofauna of Baikal Siberia for the first time. At the present time, the myrmecofauna of Baikal Siberia includes 65 species.     

Graylings of Baikal Lake basin (Thymallus, Thymallidae): Diversity of forms and their taxonomic status

The morphological characters, molecular-genetic features, and patterns of the dorsal fin in different subspecies and forms of Arctic grayling Thymallus arcticus populating Lake Baikal and its tributaries, Irkutsk Reservoir, and Lake Khubsugul have been studied. Three groups are discernable. The first includes the white and black Baikal graylings T. a. baicalensis, as well as the western Siberian T. a. arcticus; the second group is represented by the Kosogol grayling T. a. nigrescens, and the third is composed of T. arcticus ssp. from the Yakchii lakes (the Verkhnyaya Angara basin) with a phenotype close to graylings populating the upper reaches of the Lena River. All of them are distinguished by some morphological characters, elements of the dorsal fin pattern, and by body coloration. The populations of black Baikal graylings are genetically uniform, and their distinctions from white Baikal graylings are insignificant, which agrees with the absence of a considerable divergence of these forms by a complex of meristic characters. It is assumed that in the black and white Baikal graylings the exchange by genetic information has either ceased quite recently, or persists, although, insignificantly. Some genetic remoteness of the west Siberian grayling from Irkutsk Reservoir and Nizhnyaya Tunguska, closely related to the Baikal grayling, is recorded. The formation of the Khubsugul subspecies is possibly a result of the contact of grayling populations during the rearrangements of the river system in the last glaciation period in the upper reaches of Yenisei and Selenga in Mongolia. The habitation in the Baikal system of the Upper Lena graylings indicates a connection between the Lena and Baikal basins in the past. The results of a multivariate analysis of meristic characters and the sequences of mitochondrial DNA confirm the conclusion made by Svetovidov (1931, 1936), concerning the absence of grounds to assign a species status to the Baikal forms.     

Chromosome analysis in coregonid individuals in the interspecific hybridization zone

Artificial spawning (reproduction), a popular method in fisheries, has caused the unintentional hybridization between native European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and introduced peled (Coregonus peled). The resultant hybrids are fertile and their morphological identification is impossible. The study shows the genetic characteristics of the hybrid coregonid fish specimens. Analyses of the number and morphology of chromosomes were based on conventional Giemsa staining. Nucleolar Organiser Regions (NOR) were analysed using CMA₃‐ and Ag‐NOR staining. Metaphases were also investigated by C‐banding methods. Hybrid specimens had a diploid chromosome number (2n) ranging from 76 to 80 and an arm chromosome number ranging from 96 to 100. NORs were observed on the subtelo‐acrocentric and submeta‐metacentric chromosomes. Results of the present study indicate a high level of chromosomal differentiation due to rearrangement taking place in the gene pool of whitefish/peled hybrids.     

Diatom succession trends in recent sediments from Lake Baikal and their relation to atmospheric pollution and to climate change

Recent environmental change in Lake Baikal has been attributed to anthropogenic influences on the ecosystem, especially through pollution and cultural eutrophication. These hypotheses are tested in this paper principally by diatom analyses in 20 short sediment cores. Most of the cores were collected with a new type of box corer specifically designed for use on Lake Baikal. Most cores contain a good sediment record but turbidites occur in some sediment profiles which may be best recognized using a combination of techniques, such as radiometric dating and percentage dry weight analyses. The most recent sediments, especially those in the southern basin and in the very north of Baikal, contain a record of anthropogenic contamination in the form of lead and spheroidal carbonaceous particles, which confirms that the southern basin of Baikal is most affected by atmospheric sources of pollution. However, there is no sedimentary diatom evidence indicating offshore water quality deterioration in Baikal owing to air pollution or eutrophication. Small increases in diatoms which indicate nutrient enrichment (e.g. Stephanodiscus minutulus, Synedra acus v. radians and Synedra acus v. acus) may reflect local eutrophication of the shallow waters close to the Selenga Delta and certain coastal sites in the southern basin near to the Baikalsk paper and pulp mill. By using numerical techniques, Lake Baikal can be split into at least four regions on the basis of its surface sediment flora: the south, middle and north basins, and the shallow waters surrounding the Selenga Delta region. Diatom analyses reveal that the endemic flora of Lake Baikal has been constantly changing over at least the last 2000 years and that these fluctuations are probably responses to natural climatic variability. Recent sediments of Baikal may be affected by taphanomic processes (e.g. dissolution) and turbidite deposition, and these must be taken into account when interpreting the sedimentary diatom record. The diatom flora of the lake is currently dominated by several species, such as Aulacoseira baicalensis, A. islandica, Cyclotella minuta and Stephanodiscus binderanus v. baicalensis. All these species, except for C. minuta, have become more common in the lake in approximately the last 130 years, and we hypothesize that these changes may be attributed to a number of different processes linked to an ameliorating climate after the end of the Little Ice Age. The results presented here have important implications for this recently designated World Heritage Site, with regard to future pollution controls and catchment management policies.     

Modern state of the diversity of Coregonids from Onega Lake and the problems of their species identification

The revision was made of all forms of the whitefish Coregonus lavaretus and of the European vendace C. albula that exist in Onega Lake up to the present time. The available data indicate that the entire diversity of coregonid forms has been retained: C. albula is represented by two forms (usually a small form and a large form—kilets); all nine forms were found in C. lavaretus. Various taxonomic approaches for the determination of the systematic status of these forms are discussed.     

Antagonistic activity of actinomycetes of Lake Baikal

It was demonstrated that the actinomycetes of Lake Baikal are strong antagonists of other microorganisms. Representatives of the genera Streptomyces and Micromonospora inhibit the growth of bacteria isolated from the lake, as well as of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms causing various human diseases. Baikal actinomycetes display a wide range of antagonistic activity and are potential producers of new biologically active substances.     

Colorless sulfur bacteria <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thioploca</Emphasis> from different sites in Lake Baikal

The colorless sulfur bacteria Thioploca spp. found in Lake Baikal are probably a marker for the influx of subterranean mineralized fluids. Bacteria act as a biological filter; by consuming sulfide in their metabolism, they detoxicate it and maintain the purity of Lake Baikal’s water. The bacteria were investigated by various techniques. According to analysis of the 16S rRNA gene fragment, Thioploca sp. from Frolikha Bay, Baikal belongs to the clade of freshwater species found in Lake Biwa and Lake Constance; it is most closely related to Thioploca ingrica.     

Genetic and morphological heterogeneity of Lake Baikal endemic gastropod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Benedictia fragilis</Emphasis> (Dybowski, 1875)

Baikal endemic Benedictia fragilis gastropods distributed in a wide range of depths (from sublittoral to abyssal) of three lake basins are studied. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the COI mitochondrial gene fragment and internal transcribed nuclear DNA spacer (ITS1) demonstrates that the studied gastropods are represented in Lake Baikal by three genetic groups. The results of the studies on genetic diversity, phenotypic traits, and distribution allow us to assume that the detected groups are incipient allopatric (geographical) species. On the basis of the data obtained and geological and climatic history of Baikal, possible pathways of the B. fragilis resettlement in the lake and the emergence of three genetic groups are hypothesized.     

Centric diatoms from Lake Frolikha (Transbaikal area) and peculiarities of distribution of some taxa in Asia

The species composition of centric diatoms from Lake Frolikha (Transbaikal area) has been studied. The lake is located on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal and connected with it by a river. Twenty-three species of Centrophyceae from 7 genera (Aulacoseira, Cyclostephanos, Cyclotella, Discostella, Handmania, Pliocaenicus, and Stephanodiscus) have been found. The most represented genus is Aulacoseira (11 species). Fifteen species and 4 genera are new for the lake record. All revealed species are known in other lakes of the Baikal region; however Baikal endemics are absent in Lake Frolikha. The flora of centric diatoms in Lake Frolikha can be divided into two groups. The first group includes taxa common in Lake Baikal, and the second group includes taxa not typical for Lake Baikal. The level of differences between flora in Lake Baikal and Lake Frolikha is high (43%) despite the close location and connection to the river. An analysis of distribution of interesting species in Asia is presented.     

Polymorphism of the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) Baikal population

The phenotypic composition of the Baikal population of the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) was analyzed based on the material collected in Irkutsk Province in 2009–2010. Significant microgeographic phenotypic variation was revealed on the Baikal coast and in the city of Irkutsk. The morph axyridis, widespread in Siberia, was dominant (80–90%) but the light-colored morph succinea was also present with high frequencies (43–59%) in some samples. Some individuals possessed an elytral ridge, their frequency in the Baikal population being low (4–6%). An increase in the number of the morph succinea in Irkutsk Province is not related to hybridization between the populations from the Far East and Siberia.     

New data on the distribution of the Upper Lena form of grayling (Thymallidae) in the basin of Lake Baikal and its taxonomic status

The habitation of the Upper Lena form of grayling in the upper reaches of the Tiya (the northwestern tributary of Lake Baikal) and Barguzin rivers, where Baikal grayling Thymallus baicalensis Dyb. also occurs, was established. The listed forms can be diagnosed from the body coloration, dorsal fin pattern, combination of meristic characters, as well as by molecular-genetic methods. The sympatric habitation of the Upper Lena and Baikal graylings in the northern tributaries of Baikal, considerable phenotypic and genetic differences, as well as the absence of individuals with intermediate characters, make it possible to consider them as independent species. The results indicate the need to revise the intraspecies structure of the Arctic grayling T. arcticus (Pall.) and the entire genus Thymallus. The localization of populations of the Upper Lena grayling in the upper reaches of Baikal tributaries testifies to its possible penetration of the Baikal basin by means of temporary river catchments that formed in the past and which are probable at present at watersheds with the Lena River. A wider distribution of this form is apparently hindered by the pressure of aboriginal species.     

Materials on the flora of diatoms (Centrophyceae) from lakes of the Baikal Region and Transbaikalia

The species composition of Centrophyceae (Bacillariophyta) in the phytoplankton of nine lakes in the Baikal Region and Transbaikalia was studied using electron microscopy (SEM) methods. Nineteen species and varieties of Centrophyceae were recorded; Aulacoseira distans var. septentrionalis and Cyclotella arctica were registered in this region for the first time. Aulacoseira baicalensis, Cyclotella minuta, and Stephanodiscus inconspicuus were also found in the studied lakes and attributed to being endemic to Lake Baikal.     

Microsporidian Parasites Found in the Hemolymph of Four Baikalian Endemic Amphipods

At present, approximately 187 genera and over 1300 species of Microsporidia have been described, among which almost half infect aquatic species and approximately 50 genera potentially infect aquatic arthropods. Lake Baikal is the deepest and one of the oldest lakes in the world, and it has a rich endemic fauna with a predominance of arthropods. Among the arthropods living in this lake, amphipods (Crustacea) are the most dominant group and are represented by more than 350 endemic species. Baikalian amphipods inhabit almost all depths and all types of substrates. The age and geographical isolation of this group creates excellent opportunities for studying the diversity, evolution and genetics of host-parasite relationships. However, despite more than 150 years of study, data investigating the microsporidia of Lake Baikal remain incomplete. In this study, we used molecular genetic analyses to detect microsporidia in the hemolymph of several endemic species of amphipods from Lake Baikal. We provide the first evidence that microsporidian species belonging to three genera (Microsporidium, Dictyocoela and Nosema) are present in the hemolymph of Baikalian endemic amphipods. In the hemolymph of Eulimnogammarus verrucosus, we detected SSU rDNA of microsporidia belonging to the genus Nozema. In the hemolymph of Pallasea cancellous, we found the DNA of Microsporidium sp. similar to that in other Baikalian endemic amphipods; Dictyocoela sp. was found in the hemolymph of Eulimnogammarus marituji and Acanthogammarus lappaceus longispinus.     

Diversity of 16S rRNA genes in metagenomic community of the freshwater sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis

Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA genes in the metagenomic community of Lubomirskia baicalensis has revealed taxonomic diversity of bacteria associated with the endemic freshwater sponge. Fifty-four operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to six bacterial phyla (Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria (class ??-Proteobacteria and ??-Proteobacteria) Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, and Nitrospira) have been identified. Actinobacteria, whose representatives are known as antibiotic producers, is the dominant phylum of the community (37%, 20 OTUs). All sequences detected shared the maximal homology with unculturable microorganisms from freshwater habitats. The wide diversity of bacteria closely coexisting with the Baikal sponge indicate the complex ecological relationships in the community formed under the unique conditions of Lake Baikal.     

Karyotype and morphology of Chironomus wulkeri (Diptera, Chironomidae) from Lake Baikal region

The karyotype and morphology of the Palaearctic chironomid, Chironomus wulkeri Filinkova et Belyanina 1993, inhabiting the Baikal coast were studied. The banding patterns of chromosomal arms B, C, and D are presented for the first time. The karyotype and chromosome polymorphism of Ch. wulkeri from the Baikal population have no significant difference from those in northern Sweden and the Polar Ural populations. One heterozygous inversion in arm A was found in 38% of larvae. A comparative morphological analysis of 46 quantitative characters of larvae from Baikal region and the Polar Urals showed that they did not differ from each other. However, there are some differences in the width of the ventromental plates and height of the mentum.