And Abbottina Rivularis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in the Lake Buyr Drainage, Mongolia
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J. Great Lakes Res. 34:334–341 Internat. Assoc. Great Lakes Res., 2008 First Records of Rhinogobius lindbergi (Teleostei: Gobiidae) and Abbottina rivularis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in the Lake Buyr Drainage, Mongolia David A. Neely1,*, Mark H. Sabaj Perez2, and Bud Mendsaikhan3 1California Academy of Sciences 875 Howard St. San Francisco, California 94103 2Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 3Institute of Geoecology Baruun Selbe-13 Ulaanbaatar 211238, Mongolia ABSTRACT. We report the first records of Amur goby, Rhinogobius lindbergi and the Chinese false gudgeon, Abbottina rivularis from the Lake Buyr drainage of eastern Mongolia. Both species were previ- ously known only from much farther downstream in the Amur River basin. Because of their abundance at three sites separated by 11 km in Lake Buyr and a tribuary stream, and presence of multiple size classes, we strongly suspect that these species are established. Both species have been widely dispersed outside of the Amur River basin as contaminants in cultured, large-bodied cyprinids (Ctenopharyngodon, Hypoph- thalmichthys, Parabramis), and we suggest that this is the most likely means of their introduction into Lake Buyr. The long-term impacts of these species on the native ichthyofauna are unknown, but unlikely to be positive. We suggest that immediate measures be taken to monitor their dispersal, and to prevent similar introductions in the future. INDEX WORDS: Fishes, Gobiidae, Cyprinidae, introduced, invasive, non-indigenous, Asia, Amur River. INTRODUCTION heterogeneous drainages translocations may be as Human-mediated dispersal of non-indigenous or- damaging as inter-basin movement. ganisms plays a major role in the homogenization A survey of fishes in the upper Amur River of native faunas on a global scale (Sheldon 1988, drainage of eastern Mongolia during August, 2006 Rahel 2000). Aquatic faunas in general, and large resulted in the discovery of two fishes native to the lakes in particular, are disproportionately impacted lower Amur River but not previously recorded from (Witte et al. 1992, Ricciardi and Maclsaac 2000). the upper Amur River. Neither species had previ- Invasive aquatic species are introduced through a ously been reported from Mongolia. Herein we dis- wide range of possible mechanisms, are nearly im- cuss these species, the level of threat they pose to possible to eradicate once established, and may the native ichthyofauna, and suggest a likely mech- have far-reaching and unexpected impacts (Witte et anism for their introduction. al. 1992, Fuller et al. 1999, Clout 2005, Mooney and Cleland 2001). The impact of within-basin STUDY AREA translocations is harder to quantify, but in large, Lake Buyr (also occasionally spelled Lake Buir or Buyr Nuur) is a large (615 km2 surface area), *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] shallow (10 m maximum depth) natural lake, on the 334 Translocated Fishes from Mongolia 335 FIG. 1. Amur River drainage. Mouth of Bidzhan River represents previous upstream record for Rhinogobius in the drainage. eastern border between Mongolia and China (Figs. METHODS 1, 2). The lake is surrounded by dry, sandy steppe, We sampled several sites in the Lake Buyr and the bottom is composed primarily of sandy sub- drainage during late August 2006 as part of a sur- strates. The lake receives and is also drained by the vey of the fishes of the Amur River drainage of Halhin River, which flows north into Lake Hulun Mongolia. We used a 3.6 m × 1.3 m haul seine with and eventually to the mainstem Amur River (which 3.1 mm mesh, a 9 m × 1.3 m bag seine with 9.5 mm is formed by the confluence of the Argun and Shilka rivers). The Kerulen River is a large tribu- mesh, or a backpack electrofishing unit, depending tary to Lake Hulun that drains from the Kentai on current velocity, water depth, substrate composi- Mountains in central Mongolia eastward, entering tion, and density of aquatic vegetation. We at- China just east of the city of Choybalsan. tempted to sample all habitats present at each site, Lake Buyr previously supported an important and retained specimens of all species encountered. commercial fishery as well as a diverse fish com- Captured fishes were anesthetized with clove oil munity of > 40 species, but catches have declined (0.05 mL L–1), preserved in 10% formalin or 95% precipitously since the 1980s (Dulmaa 1999, Kotte- ethanol, and deposited into the Academy of Natural lat 2006). Lake Buyr is still intensively fished by Sciences, Philadelphia (ANSP), Pennsylvania, the Chinese, especially during winter, when large USA; Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, nets are pulled by truck under ice cover (M. Er- USA (STL); or a reference collection at the Insti- denebat, pers. comm., Institute for Geoecology, tute of Geo-Ecology, Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. A list Baruun Selbe-13, Ulaanbaatar 211238, Mongolia). of vouchered specimens is provided below in the 336 Neely et al. FIG. 2. Lake Buyr and surrounding area, with localities of capture of Rhinogobius lindbergi and Abbottina rivularis depicted by closed symbols; other localities in drainage sampled during August 2006 depicted by open symbols. Shaded box in inset corresponds to extent of larger map. Appendix. Selected specimens of each species were would have escaped notice in prior sampling ef- photographed prior to preservation in the field. forts. Contents of the digestive tract of subsamples of fish In the Halhin River, both Rhinogobius lindbergi specimens were identified to the finest taxonomic and Abbottina rivularis were collected in near-shore level possible under a dissecting scope and enumer- habitats with silty substrates at depths of from 0.1- ated. Standard length is abbreviated as SL. 1.2 m. The main channel was composed almost en- tirely of shifting sand, and both species were RESULTS notably absent from this habitat. In Lake Buyr, both species were most abundant along the wave-swept On 28-29 August 2006 we collected 263 speci- shoreline (depths < 0.5 m), and less abundant away mens (SL 17–30 mm) of Amur goby, Rhinogobius from shore over open sand. The lake had a high lindbergi Berg (Fig. 3) at two sites along the north- concentration of Spirulina algae, which dramati- east shore of Lake Buyr (elevation 578 m) and at cally reduced water clarity. Other species collected one site in the Halhin River (elevation 582 m) ap- in these efforts are listed in Table 1. proximately 4 km upstream from its confluence Examination of digestive tract contents of 20 with the lake (Fig. 1). At the same localities we also Amur gobies revealed microhabitat-associated differ- collected 12 specimens (SL 33–58 mm) of Chinese ences in food items; the predominant food item in 10 false gudgeon Abbottina rivularis Basilewsky (Fig. specimens from ANSP 185372 (a shallow, heavily 4). Both represent first records for Mongolia. vegetated cove of Lake Buyr) was ostracods (abun- Neither species was found at two additional sites dant), with much lesser numbers of chironomids (un- on the Halhin River, approximately 100 and 120 km common) and a single ephemopteran. In contrast, 3 upstream from its mouth near the town of Halhgol, of 10 specimens from ANSP 185223 (Halhin River,) Mongolia, elevation 679–707 m, nor were they col- had recently ingested small (~1 mm in diameter) fish lected at several sites in the upper portion of the the eggs, likely from cyprinids. Other food items in- Kerulen River (Fig. 2). Given their current abun- cluded chironomids (abundant), odonates (uncom- dance, and as the lake and its tributary streams have mon), and hymenopterans (uncommon). been thoroughly sampled in the past (Sokolov 1983, Digestive tract contents of five Abbottina rivularis Dulmaa 1999), we do not feel that these species (ANSP 185398) were primarily (~80% of organic Translocated Fishes from Mongolia 337 FIG. 3. Rhinogobius lindbergi, ANSP 185223, 30 mm SL (top), 29 mm SL (bottom). See http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/field/Mongolia2006/ for color version of same photo of live speci- mens. matter) ostracods, with a large quantity of ingested pacted by competition with Amur goby and Chinese sand grains (~50% by volume). Chironomids and ter- false gudgeon. restrial hymenopterans were uncommon (< 5%). Length-frequency distribution of 227 specimens Food items observed in both taxa appeared to re- of Rhinogobius lindbergi (Fig. 5) suggests the pres- flect the most common benthic invertebrates at each ence of two year-classes. Gonads of larger speci- site. Given this, dietary overlap with other small- mens (> 23 mm SL) of both sexes of Rhinogobius bodied benthic invertivores is expected to be sub- were resorbing, suggesting that they had spawned stantial. We suggest that other benthic fishes in earlier in the year. Some specimens as small as 23 Lake Buyr and its tributaries (Gobio cynocephalus mm SL displayed bright sexually dichromatic pat- Dybowsky, Microphysogobio anudarini Holcik and terns, suggesting attainment of reproductive matu- Pivnicka, Sarcocheilichthys soldatovi (Berg), rity during their first year. Sex ratio in 20 Saurogobio dabryi Bleeker) may be particularly im- specimens was 11 males:9 females. FIG. 4. Abbottina rivularis, ANSP 185399, 49 mm SL. See http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/ field/Mongolia2006/ for color version of same photo of live specimen. 338 Neely et al. TABLE 1. Additional fish species collected at each locality supporting invasive species. Location Family Scientific Name Common Name Halhin River Cyprinidae Acheilognathus