Modern ichthyofauna of the Lower Don basin in conditions of the anthropogenic transformation of its runoff

A list of ichthyofauna of the Lower Don basin based on modern material and comprising 71 species of fish and Pisciformes belonging to 16 families is provided. Considerable variation in the species composition and in the relative numbers of the aboriginal ichthyofauna that occurred within the last decades and the appearance of new invading species is noted. The assessment of the influence of damming and the seasonal redistribution of the Don River runoff on the conditions of reproduction of its ichthyofauna is given.     

Composition of ichthyofauna of the upper Don basin

The characteristic of species composition of ichthyofauna of the upper Don basin, including data on moderate and small rivers, is provided for the first time. The examined part of the basin embraces territories of Tula, Ryazan, Lipetsk, Tambov, and Voronezh oblasts. A total of 51 species—66.7% of the total number of species recorded in water courses of the entire Don basin—were recorded in the ichthyofauna of the region. The decrease in the number of species in the upper Don basin as compared to its other sections proceeds mainly at the expense of marine and euryhaline species, as well as due to anadromous acipenserids. In this part of the basin, a smaller number of invading species was also recorded. However, Amur sleeper Perccottus glenii that was not discovered so far in other parts of the basin has dispersed here sufficiently widely. The wide distribution of bearded stone loach Barbatula barbatula and minnow Phoxinus phoxinus can be possibly also considered a distinguishing feature of fish population of the upper reaches of the Don in relation to other sites.     

Ichthyofauna of Russian exclusive economic zone of the Bering Sea: 2. Ecological and zoogeographical characteristics

The ecological and zoogeographical characteristics of 344 species of Pisces and fish-like species comprising the ichthyofauna of the Bering Sea (Russian Exclusive Economic Zone) are presented for the study period of 1995?2012 (original studies) and those for previous findings in this area. The benthic species (elittoral, mesobenthic, and sublittoral; 216 species, or 62.8%) dominate if one takes into account the biotopic characteristics of the species; the majority belongs to the wide-boreal Pacific, wide-boreal Asiatic, and arcticboreal species (255 species, or 74.1%) by the zoogeographic characteristics. The comparative analysis of the fish communities of the western Bering Sea evidences to the significant changes of the ichthyofauna within the depth southwards Navarin Cape. Arctic-boreal species can be considered as a specific faunistic “margin” between the northern and the southern ichthyofauna of the western Bering Sea due to their eurybiont characteristics.     

Species composition of ichthyofauna of the Kuibyshev reservoir

Data on species composition of ichthyofauna of the Kuibyshev reservoir for its period of existence (1957–2012) are presented. The list of fish of the reservoir compiled on the basis of materials of studied of recent years with consideration of new taxonomic revisions and reports (13 orders, 19 families, 46 genera, and 58 species) is cited. For the period from the moment of formation of the reservoir, its ichthyofauna has been supplemented by 17 new species, nine of which have formed self-reproducing populations.     

Phylogeny and biogeography of the family Cyprinidae in the Middle East inferred from cytochrome b DNA- evolutionary significance of this region.

The phylogenetic relationships of cyprinid species from the Middle East and neighboring biogeographical areas were investigated using cytochrome b sequence variation in order to test hypotheses that consider the Middle Eastern area as an important interchange area or a center of speciation for the freshwater fauna. A total of 62 cyprinid species were analyzed over the complete cytochrome b fragment (1140 bp); 28 belong to the Leuciscinae subfamily and 34 to the Cyprininae. All the Leuciscinae lineage fish recorded in the Middle East are also found in Europe, which was interpreted as an important Palearctic influence in the Middle Eastern ichthyofauna consistent with the Lago Mare dispersion. However, it has also been suggested that several Danube species have their origins in the Middle East. In contrast, the Cyprininae subfamily showed three highly divergent lineages, one shared with the Euro-Mediterranean area (Barbus/Luciobarbus genus) relict of the Lago Mare dispersion, one shared with Africa (Carasobarbus/Varicorhinus subgenus), and the third shared with Asia (Garra genus). Furthermore, clades observed in the phylogenetic reconstructions are not consistent with morphometric or karyological data and disagree with previous taxonomic assumptions. Lastly, the dispersion history in the Middle East of this subfamily appears much more complicated and ancient than that of the Leuciscinae. However, taking into account Cyprininae and Leuciscinae distribution, the Middle East appears more like an important interchange area for the freshwater ichtyofauna than a center of speciation.     

Fish ecology and management of the Sepik-Ramu,New Guinea,a large contemporary tropical river basin

Synopsis The ichthyofauna of the Sepik-Ramu basin is composed of diadromous species and the freshwater derivatives of marine families. Fish species diversity, ichthyomass and fish catches are low even by Australasian standards. Three major factors have produced the depauperate ichthyofauna and restricted fishery within the basin: First, the zoogeographic origins of the ichthyofauna. Australasian freshwater fishes, being mainly derived from marine families, generally exhibit ecological characteristics that have evolved for life in estuaries, not rivers. This has led to peculiarities in river fish ecology and explains the probable low fish production from rivers in this region in general. Several important riverine trophic resources are not exploited by the Australasian freshwater ichthyofauna. The modes of reproduction amongst the Australasian freshwater ichthyofauna have limited the colonisation and exploitation of floodplain habitats. Second, Sepik-Ramu lowland habitats, especially floodplains, are very young. This has resulted in low fish species diversity in lowlands, whilst diversity at higher altitudes is equable, in comparison to river systems in southern New Guinea/ northern Australia. Third, the Sepik-Ramu lacks an estuary in sharp contrast to river systems in southern New Guinea or northern Australia. Most of the 18 families of Australasian fishes missing from the Sepik-Ramu are probably absent because of this factor alone. In particular, the Sepik-Ramu has not been colonised by any family of fishes having pelagic eggs, resulting in the loss from the fauna of the few Australasian fish taxa with high reproductive rates. Consequently, the general problems with river fish ecology in Australasia are exacerbated within the Sepik-Ramu by the particular development and morphology of the basin. Fish species diversity in the Sepik-Ramu is low, even in comparison with those taxa representative of marine families resident in rivers in nearby zoogeographic regions (S.E. Asia) whose ichthyofaunas are otherwise dominated by freshwater dispersant groups. The Sepik-Ramu ichthyofauna is considered noteworthy for what is absent, not what is present. Ichthyomass and fish production can be increased by fish species introductions whilst, in theory, biodiversity of the native fish fauna can be maintained. The directions in which ecological evaluations of proposed introductions might proceed in practice for the Sepik-Ramu are discussed but are constrained by the lack of knowledge on species interactions from other areas.     

Illustrated key for the Chilean fishes of the family Serranidae (Teleostei: Perciformes)

A taxonomic key for identification of fish species of the family Serranidae of Chile, grouped in the subfamilies Epinephelinae, Serraninae and Anthiinae is presented. Basic data about the taxonomic of the group to facilitate the identification is given. In each specific case, the geographical distribution is showed. Reduced illustrations for the currently 13 serranid species considered in the Chilean ichthyofauna are included.     

Ichthyofauna of littoral of the gulf Arguin,Mauritania

According to the materials of 2000–2004, in littoral of the gulf Arguin (at the coast of Northern Africa) dwell 91 fish species. Fish young, accumulating 97.9–99.7% of ichthyofauna, endure main cycle of development in the zone of littoral, use it for pasture and as a shelter. Five types of littoral are distinguished in the gulf. Ichthyofauna composition of different littoral types has significant similarity, but differs essentially from ichthyofauna of open ocean littoral. The role of the gulf Arguin, taking into consideration its dimensions, is unique in reproduction, biodiversity maintenance and existence of numerous fish species (including fishery species) of Northern Africa.     

Annotated list of fish-like vertebrates and fish of the Kara Sea

Based on literature and new actual data from 2007–2012, a revised list of fish species inhabiting the Kara Sea is given. The modern ichthyofauna of the Kara Sea comprises 77 species of marine, anadromous, and freshwater fish from 24 families of 14 orders. For the first time, 12 fish species are indicated for this region.     

Distribution of fish in the Virgin River,a tributary of the lower Colorado River

Synopsis The Virgin River, a major tributary of the lower Colorado River, contains a unique, though impoverished, native ichthyofauna (six species) that is largely intact despite the introduction of exotic fishes (13 species) and alterations of the river. The main conclusions of the study are: (1) The longitudinal distribution pattern of the native species does not follow theoretical expectations of a downstream increase in species richness; (2) for the size of the basin (>15,000 km²), the native ichthyofauna is extremely depauperate; and (3) most of the exotic fish are not established in the river, but persist through repeated invasions from downstream reservoirs.     

Fish fauna of the Bering Sea (within Russian waters). Communication 3: Perspectives of commercial fishery

The commercial value of the ichthyofauna of the Bering Sea within Russian waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) is discussed. The ichthyofauna of this region comprises 344 species of fish and fish-like. Most of the species (283 species, or 82.3%) have no commercial value. The rest have commercial value (47 species, or 13.7%) or have the potential commercial value (14 species, 4.1%). Active and large-scale fishery is performed for 27 commercial species both in the open sea and in the coastal areas (mostly by ships); another twenty species are harvested irregularly by local coastal or nearshore fishery.     

Ria de Alvor as a spawning place and a nursery ground

Ria de Alvor is a small estuary between Lagos and Portimão on the south coast of Portugal, 37°7'–37°10'N, 8°35'–8°38'W.
Samples were collected monthly in the period April 1985–March 1986 in an ichthyoplankton and ichthyofauna survey of the estuary. A WP-2 plankton net was used for catching ichthyoplankton, and a beam trawl and a beach seine were used for catching ichthyofauna.
Scaldfish, Arnoglossus laterna (Walbaum, 1792), even though the most abundant species in ichthyoplankton samples, was never found in ichthyofauna samples.
From the results obtained, it is concluded that a great part of the fish species are temporary marine visitors using the Ria as a nursery ground, although this system appears to provide a spawning area for species with benthic eggs. No evidence was found of pelagic spawning.     

Spatial organization and population density of the fish community of the litter banks within a central Amazonian blackwater stream

Results of a study of the fish community of the leaf litter banks in the lower reaches of the Taruma-Mirim, a small central Amazonian stream is presented. The Taruma-Mirim is an acidic, blackwater, forest stream which flows through igapo forest and enters the Rio Negro close to Manaus. The commonly held view that these blackwaters hold an impoverished ichthyofauna is challenged. The studied litter banks hold about 20 species of fish, all of which were found to live within distinct subregions of the habitat. Average fish density was about 100 individuals m⁻². Absolute population sizes were found to be remarkably small; within a 200 m² area the most abundant species had a population size of about 10⁴ and the least abundant <10² individuals. It is argued that high species richness linked to specialized habitat requirements and small population size indicates considerable population stability. The factors leading to the evolution of such species richness are discussed.     

Diversity of fish species in the trawl catches in the southeastern Barents Sea in 1980–2008

Analysis of trawl catches in the southeastern Barents Sea was performed for the period of 1980–2008. One lamprey and 48 fish species were defined, including 38 marine fish species, 8 anadromous and amphidromous species, and 1 freshwater species. The ichthyofauna of several areas of the southeastern Barents Sea was described (Cheshskaya Inlet, Pomorskiy Strait, southeastern Pechora Sea, Pechora Sea, Khaipudyrskaya Inlet and adjacent areas). Biodiversity indexes and Shannon Index were applied to describe the species diversity. Cluster analysis was applied to compare the species lists from different areas. Multiyear dynamics of ichthyofauna was studied. The tendency of geographical range expansion eastward was observed for boreal species.     

Community structure and biogeography of shore fishes in the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea

Shore fish community structure off the Jordanian Red Sea coast was determined on fringing coral reefs and in a seagrass-dominated bay at 6 m and 12 m depths. A total of 198 fish species belonging to 121 genera and 43 families was recorded. Labridae and Pomacentridae dominated the ichthyofauna in terms of species richness and Pomacentridae were most abundant. Neither diversity nor species richness was correlated to depth. The abundance of fishes was higher at the deep reef slope, due to schooling planktivorous fishes. At 12 m depth abundance of fishes at the seagrass-dominated site was higher than on the coral reefs. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a strong influence on the fish assemblages by depth and benthic habitat. Fish species richness was positively correlated with hard substrate cover and habitat diversity. Abundance of corallivores was positively linked with live hard coral cover. The assemblages of fishes were different on the shallow reef slope, deep reef slope and seagrass meadows. An analysis of the fish fauna showed that the Gulf of Aqaba harbours a higher species richness than previously reported. The comparison with fish communities on other reefs around the Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean supported the recognition of an Arabian subprovince within the Indian Ocean. The affinity of the Arabian Gulf ichthyofauna to the Red Sea is not clear. Received in revised form: 2 November 2001 Electronic Publication     

The first record of the species composition and history of formation of the ichthyofauna of the Omoloy River (the Laptev Sea Basin)

The species composition of the Omoloy River is determined. Altogether, 28 species live in the river basin, belonging to 10 orders, 14 families, and 2 genera. Brief morpho-biological and ecologo-geographical characteristic of fish is formulated. The hypothesis of formation of the ichthyofauna of the Omoloy River is discussed.     

Characteristics of the introduced fish fauna of Israel

Fishes have been introduced worldwide with deleterious effects on various native ecosystems. To gain insight into this phenomenon in Israel, we studied the introduced ichthyofauna. There are 27 species of introduced fishes in the freshwater habitats of Israel, a large number for a nation this size. Ten of these species reproduce in the wild. Most of these fishes were introduced for aquaculture; some are constantly restocked. The proportion of restocked versus established species in Israel is high compared to other regions. New fish introductions continue in recent decades, unlike the global trend. In Israel these species are found in the Jordan Basin, Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), and the coastal plain rivers. A few species are widespread, and most are found in Lake Kinneret. Harmful effects of introduced fishes have been suspected and in several cases demonstrated. We encourage further caution when new introductions are contemplated; in some regions eradication should be attempted.     

Spatial segregation in the reproductive activity of Neotropical fish species as an indicator of the migratory trait

This study focused on the distribution of fish with high reproductive activity along a basin, using a 430 km stretch of the Cuiabá River in Brazil as a model. The main objective of this study was to identify those fish that migrate long distances for reproduction, among all the basin species. Thus, a set of working criteria are proposed to classify species according to their reproductive behaviour (i.e., reproductive activity and distribution). Samplings were performed in the Cuiabá River basin, encompassing several environments (river, channels and lakes) during the reproductive periods (between October and February), from 2000 to 2004. Species occurrence (presence and absence – proxy of distribution) across the basin and index of reproductive activity values were used as criteria to identify the species that perform long-distance longitudinal migrations for reproduction. The study confirmed the classification of long-distance longitudinal migration species; nonetheless, some species were not classified as described in the literature. The proposed sequential criteria have proven to be effective in the classification of long-distance longitudinal migrations species and certainly contribute to filling some existing knowledge gaps of reproductive traits. This classification is of fundamental importance in planning new dam projects, in decision making and in the development of management and conservation actions for the ichthyofauna.     

Species composition and structure of the ichthyofauna of the Barents Sea

The species composition and brief characteristic of some elements of structure of the ichthyofauna of the Barents Sea within its geographic boundaries are represented. During the whole historic period of observations in the Barents Sea, 182 species and subspecies of fish were recorded, belonging to 59 families, 28 orders, and 5 classes. Most species and subspecies belong to the boreal complex (59.3%), occur principally in the bottom layers (56.6%), more than a half feed on bottom and demersal invertebrates (52.2%), and are commercial species (52.7%). In the Barents Sea, 21 species and subspecies are commercial. Their ration in catches depends on the integral impact of natural and anthropogenous factors. In the arctic zone of the Barents Sea, the part of noncommercial species makes by biomass 1.18%; in the boreal zone—0.26%; in the Pechora Sea—10.6%.     

Distribution patterns and chorological analysis of fish fauna of the Arctic Region

Chorological structure of ichthyofauna of the Arctic Region is described. Distribution patterns of 504 fish-like vertebrates and fish species are characterized. One hundred and eighty-nine range types are defined, which are combined into eight main categories: 1—Arctic; 2—Atlantic-Arctic; 3—transitional subarctic zone of Atlantic sector; 4—Pacific-Arctic; 5—transitional subarctic subarctic zone of Pacific sector, 6—Pacific-Atlantic (amphiboreal); 7—bipolar; 8—continental (fresh and brackish waters). Arctic and boreal regions are bordered by transitional (subarctic) zones, which are the areas of intermutual penetration of faunas. The distribution of most fish species that penetrate into to the Arctic Region from the southern areas is limited by these transitional zones. The benthic fish species prevail in the group of autochthonous Arctic species (which includes 64 species or 14% of marine fauna). The demersal fauna of the Arctic preudoabyssal is presented by endemic species. Ten variations of amphiboreal distribution patterns are revealed. Three areas may be defined within the Atlantic-subarctic zone in regard to the fish fauna and range types, i.e., Labrador-Greenland region, the Barents Sea region, and Icelandic (transitional) region.