Short communication: Biological characteristics of the introduced sawbelly, Hemiculter leucisculus (Basilewski, 1855), in three wetlands of northern Iran: Alma-Gol, Adji-Gol and Ala-Gol

• Published in: Journal of applied ichthyology Vol. 24; no. 5; pp. 617 - 620
• Main Authors: Patimar, R, Abdoli, A, Kiabi, B H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2008
• Subjects: Freshwater; Hemiculter leucisculus; Iran, Adji-Gol; ISW, Iran, Gilan Prov., Anzali Lagoon; Korea, Rep; Vietnam; Iran, Alma-Gol; Iran; Eurasia, Caspian Sea; China, People's Rep; Iran, Ala-Gol; Asia, Amur R
• ISSN: 0175-8659; 1439-0426
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0426.2008.01080.x

A variety of non-indigenous fish species have become established in Iranian fresh waters (Coad and Abdoli, 1993). These species contribute 18.7% of the 81 taxa of fish in the south Caspian basin (Kiabi et al., 1999; Abdoli, 2000; Naderi and Abdoli, 2004). Sawbelly (Hemiculter leucisculus) is one of these species with little economic importance for this region (Coad and Abdoli, 1993). Its original distribution includes rivers of China, Korea and Vietnam, and also the basin of the Amur River (Berg, 1964; Holcik and Razavi, 1992). The mode of introduction of this species into Iran is unknown, but was presumably accidentally transferred with fertilized eggs and/or larvae of Chinese carps for aquaculture. The only data available on sawbelly biology in Iran originate from Tourchi- Moghaddam (2003) and Holcik and Razavi (1992), who studied populations of this species in the Anzali lagoon, and described the age structure and diet composition of this species. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the age structure, growth and reproduction of the populations in new habitats.