FISHES I -O PUBLISHING HOUSE

The book represents the first~.~.abo~t,fjshesof the and freshwa- ters of Georgia. It includes pickurei, characteristics (size, weight, age, spawning period, fecundity), distribution and international conservation status for each taxon. Nomencla- ture is based on global information system - http: // .org 1. Taxonomic status is given from appropriate references for some local forms, which are not included in the above mentioned base. A large number of well-known zoologists were actively involved in collecting of speci- mens: G. Radde, L. Berg, R. Schmidt, M. Tikhii, V. Mart, F. Kavraisky, R. Shelkovnikov, KSatunin, N. Smirnov, R. Elanidze, M. Demetrashvili, G. Barach, A. Sadowski, N. Ni- ma, I. Chkhikvishvili, L. Chinchaladze and others. Totally 168 species are discussed, 61 species inhabit freshwater, 77 inhabit sea and 30 species are transitory. 13 species are included in the Red List of Georgia. These species are: relict, endemic and endangered species: Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser stzwio), Colchian sturgeon (Acipenser colchicus), * Fringebarbel sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris), Starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus), Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii), Persian sturgeon (Acipenserpersicus), Be- luga (Huso hzso), Pontic shad (Alosa immaculata) (=Alosa pontica), Trout (Salmo trutta Brio), Black Sea roach (Rutilusfiisii), Colchic khramulya (Capoeta sieboldi) (=Varico- $hinus sieboldi), Ciscaucasian spined loach (Sabanejewia caucasica)and Monkey goby R (Neogo biusJzwiatilis). There are more than 26000 rivers in Georgia, most of them are short and shallow streams in the mountains.There are 273 rivers more than 25 km in length and there are more than 860 lakes. The number of water reservoirs has increased in recent years and there are now more than 45. These reservoirs support electric power stations, terminals, irrigation systems and are widely used for the fish industiy. The Georgian Black Sea coast stretches mroximately 3 15 km. Its faunal complex is made up mostly of Paratethys relictic fauna. This fauna has changed according to increasing and decreasing salinity. Freshwater and *Mediterranean Sea fauna are usually added to local fauna. We've seldom seen species @om other distant seas: Gray triggerfish - Balistescapriscus Gmelin, that was found near Sokhumi, a very rare species the Angler - Lophius piscu$urius Linnaeuswas caught near Gonio in the Black Sea which originates from the Mediterranean Sea. There are 30 thousand species of fish-and numerous vertebrate groups, which have an important place in biodiversity of Georgia. Humans have been using fish since the Stone Age not only as a food, but for making tools such as needles from fishbone and arrow- heads for hunting. Salting fish for preservation has been practiced since the Middle Ages. Data of the records of the sturgeon industry along the Rioni River and local residents' knowledge for how to prepare sturgeon dates to the second half of the 18th century. Historians of Georgian kings describe even earlier period of sturgeon industry. Juzeppe Judich from Milan tells readers about in Georgia in the series of letters "Georgia in XVIII century"; XVII-XVIII century Georgian political and public figure Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani identified the following for Georgia in his dictionary: sturgeon, , capoeta, shamaya, trout, , catfish and bream. "Royal capitation of Georgia" by Vakhushti Batonishvili tells about the abundance of fish in rivers and lakes of Georgia. Foreign travellers and scientists: A. Nordmann, K. Kessler, F. Steindachner, J. Gulden- stadt, G. Radde, F.Kavraisky, I. Arnold, V. Mart began scientific description of fishes of Georgia. I. Batonishvili, I. Fortunatov, A. Sadowski, L. Arnold, E. Kulakova, N. Vakh- vakhishvili and others worked on issues about industry of Georgian ichthyofauna in dif- ferent times. The fauna of the Black Sea, rivers and lakes of Georgia was investigated by G. Barach, M. Tikhi, R. Elanidze, M. Demetrashvili, V. Sharvashidze, 0. Burchuladze, G. Burjanadze, J. Meskhidze, N. Ninua, R. Shaverdashvili, A. Kokhia, L. Natadze, 0. Japoshvili, B. Japoshvili, 0. Gogmachadze, A. Komakhidze, R. Goradze, T. Kokosadze, L. Goletiani, P. Kheladze, A. Guchmanidze and others. It-

Maximum length - 5.5 cm, weight - 206 g, age - 6 years. Average length of males - 36 cm, females - 37 cm. The fish is a freshwater and marine inhabit-

Its fecundity reaches 20000-32000 eggs. All repro- ducers die after spawning. It feeds on plants, on detritus, on small organisms and on fish. It was frequent in Georgia before building the Mingechaur Reservoir, at present it's rare. The fish is distributed in Europe, in the basin. The fish has a trade importance. IUCN - Near Threatened (NT). * CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 5 jab3nnb bapaayha - Caspian Lamprey ...... 7 3jhan63pn bapoa~ha- Ukrainian Lamprey ...... 8 83na36n, ja&ha6n, 8~3obdqpn - Piked dogfish ...... 9 8q3~ba3qa, JnO3na6n bjahmbn - Thorn back ray ...... 10 8p3~b - Common stingray ...... 11 b&pa6&3hn 83cnbn, gmAm6xn - Atlantic sturgeon ...... 12 gmh~~n,x3hqap-p - Fringebarbel sturgeon ...... 13 (gahaqa6a. Starry sturgeon ...... 14 h$qpn 83mbn. Russian sturgeon ...... 15 jmpb3hn 'a3mbn .Colchian sturgeon ...... 16 b3ahb~~n'b3mbn .Persian strurgeon ...... 17 b3na. Beluga ...... 18 apo6ahnb a33pcn338b. European (Common, weed. Sing) eel ...... 19 8c03nb (33hfd3p0) a33pcn338a. European conger ...... 20 aa30 8$30b ;Jagana. ;laaba - Black sea ...... 21 a$m3nL 8$3n1, ;la9an~- Azov sea anchovy ...... 22 3bpnab&manb Jaaayn, qn3a - Paliastomi shad ...... 23 a8mpb 8~30bJaaayn - Azov shad ...... 24 8~30bJaaayn - Pontic shad ...... 25 aa30 8c3& bahp-yp, ;jahbapa - Black and Caspian sea ...... 26 ah30 8~~nb;JaAbapa, a3Am&n - Evropean sprat ...... 27 &a%gpa - Bitterling ...... 28 jmqbyhn (9~33~~- Colchic bitterling ...... 29 a&j3hnb 633ha - Kura barbel ...... 30 jmpb3hn 63fb - Colchic barb ...... 31 da6aho - Bulatmai barbel ...... 32 a 3h6a - Murtsa ...... 33 bhaa~pn- Khramulya. Trans caucasian barb ...... 34 bJ3a6nb bhaa3qn - Sewn Khramulya ...... 35 EIgnh3a8n-3pn bh- - mmlian Khramulya ...... 36 jmpb3hn bhaa3qn - CoIchie Khramulya ...... 37 cnphn +~ho - Grass ...... 38 Fi333p~&hn3njahfiba6a (jahabn) - Crucian carp ...... jmbAn, am+ 4 e~rp...... 40 p3jah3fin - -.&on ...... 41 a&j3hnb una& - #tmm...... 42 $q3pmha%&c?ha - k:m0m6~0...... 43 ja3ah$n6a - Freshn.ater ...... 44 aSamba3p-3hn jaSahdo6a. Estern bream ...... 45 m3mhm3apa. White-eye bream ...... 46 W333p3bhn3n bpnja. white bream ...... 47 aan3hjb3jbbngpn bpnp. Southcaucasian bream ...... 48 6333p3b6n3n Elahcogpa, b6ha3gTa .Sclmeider ...... 49 baabh3m3po aah~gpa,ghn& - South minnow ...... 50 maqqnma. Bleak ...... 51 ban3hja3jbbn3pn mb~poma-- Southcaucasian bleak ...... 52 a&3hnb oxqpnm:, - Kura bleak ...... 53 aa36ahba - Bleckbrow bleak ...... 54 adan:, . Shamaya ...... 55 bam3aob. aaaa~a. Batumi shamaya ...... 56 b;I3paybpb .Silver carp ...... 57 $h3pn b;l3pd3bpb . Bighead. Spotted silver carp ...... 58 R333p3bhn3n $$i3bn .(Caspian. Aral) Asp ...... 59 6nm3p&'3Ra d3h3bn - Caspian asp ...... 60 jmpb3hn &man - Colchic nase ...... 61 a&j3hnb &mbo - Kura nase. Kura undermouth ...... 62 R333p3bhn3n ;jA3n - Common dace ...... 63 jq-jjJm3hn ;JASn - Chub, Skelly ...... 64 y~y,a ;jaaaJn - Dniper chub ...... 65 6a3m@ . Roach ...... 66 a&3hnb 6qm& . Kura roach ...... 67 amh33nb 6agm&, jg&$n - Kutum ...... 68 gahgp6nm3pa - Rudd Redeye ...... 69 3naba - Vimba bream ...... 70 jmpbyhn j3nhBbpa - Colchic minnow...... 71 - Tench ...... 72 15~~3p~bhn3na33pa6s - Spined loach ...... 73 6n6a~a3~abnyhna33pa6a - Ciscaucasian spined loach ...... 74 jajjabnyhn amdapa - Caucasian loach ...... 75 a&J36nb amdapa - Kura loach ...... 76 a6amhypn amdapa - Angora loach...... 77 R333p3bhn3n pm;jm - Wels catfish ...... 78 R333p3bhn3n ;jahnypaSna, 636n - Nortkern pire ...... 79 33hmSypn dagapa - European cisco, Vendace ...... 80 B333p3bhn3n bnan - European whitefish ...... 81 33pnap-1- Peled ...... 82 japaabn. Trout ...... 83 hbnb j apaabn - Lake trout ...... 84 8a3n 8~3nbmhaagpn - Black sea salmon ...... 85 0nbahhy3pa J bpaabn - Rainbow trout ...... 86 b+~p3A, '=bC3nb 3nhm338b - Shore rockling ...... 87 mphn qpabg~a- European hake ...... 88 aa3n %$3nb a$ipa6anl 3n$a . Whiting ...... 89 pmb6n - Flathead mullet ...... 90 Ln6anpn - Golden gray mullet ...... 91 aab3np0b3nh:, jaqapn - Leaping mullet ...... 92 3nr36aabn - Pilengas ...... 93 bgnh36:, - European barracuda ...... 94 baahnpa, ?Iq3& 3mh$npa - Picarel ...... 95 836gb~pa,~n~~%am6a%m6n - Damselfish ...... 96 aa3n 8q3nb acn3hn6a - Silverside ...... 97 yqjnbg3hn xn3hn6:, - Brown aterina ...... 98 LahSa6n, 8~3nL;jahnypadna - Garfish ...... 99 R33"3p3&hn3n aaa&13%na - Masquito fish, Topminnow ...... 100 L&36$ILa aabam - Three-spined stickleback ...... 101 ab3n 8q3nb a33pnb3&hn 6$bq~~%:,- Strighnose pipefishes ...... 102 ab3n 8~3nbahd3q~n6aa 63abm33%:, - Broadnosed pipefishes, Deep-snouted pipefish ...... 103 abb3np~o6ab6$bma3%a - Striped needlefish ...... 104 63hnppn6aa 63abm33%a - Narrow snouted pipefish ...... 105 ab30 8q3nb &~3~&na6n6$b~n33%a - Squama pipefish ...... 106 ah3" 8~3nbpmyag-36m3a:, 6$bm33%:, - Black-striped pipefish ...... 107 '%q3nb ~b36n- Long-snouted seahorse ...... 108 %$3nb %~p+~&n,Bn;j3n - Black scorpionfish ...... 109 %q3nb aaaapn - Greg gurnard ...... 110 %c3nb y3n0-13~0aaaapn - Yellow gurnard, Tub gmard ...... Ill a3~hqbspna6na%oyh:, - John dory ...... 112 %~~nbjahRb:,6a, pabjnhn - Annular seabream, Annular gilhead ...... 113 jn$ "36~- Puntazzo. Sharp - snouted seabream sparus ...... 114 %mp~&nb6nhgbn - Bogue, striped bigeye ...... :...... 115 &m$m baq13a - Salema ...... 116 bm6cn;laha, &aha&ypn - Black sea mullet ...... 117 pa3h:, jn - European seabass ...... 118 d3nb ;Imhdnpb, 83&h:, - Painted comber ...... 119 a~n6ahnb;lmh$np:, - River perch ...... 120 A3313p$6n3n 3ahaa - Pike - perch ...... 121 I pyphn - Bluefish ...... 122 aa3n 8~3nbbbaghnq:, - Black sea scad-horse ...... 123 b&qa6&-36o b&a3hn~a- Atlantic horse mackerel ...... 124 pm~a:,6n - Pilot fish ...... 125 8-330 bgn36a, amh&ncn - Brown meagre ...... 126 pab0n36:, - Shi drum ...... 127 6nm3pn 3bahn - Common pandora ...... 128 m;j6mL336n L3~63Ln- Gilthead scabream ...... 129 33&hm&ahm, 863363 &~Rmba6n- Green wrasse ...... 130 a63a63pa - East Atlantic peacock wrasse ...... '7 131 jmJq$na6n af;y3hm33%a - Five-spotted wrasse ...... 132 y &3Rmba6n y~636n. Grey wrasse ...... 133 pqj3bna6n &$mba6n . Oculate wrasse ...... 134 (3b3n6a &$mba6n . Nosey wrasse ...... 135 'bqgnb phajm6n. Greater weever ...... 136 aa6aa6npmb3bhn qmh~m. Marbled goby ...... 137 ja3~abn-$h x~~apmh~m(pmhXm Mnhn). Caucasian dwarfgoby ...... 138 j6n3m3n8na3 ahd3pj~~hpmh~m . Longtai dwarf goby ...... 139 amp&:, emham .Knout goby ...... 140 apn6ahnb jagjabn~hnqmh~m .Caucasian river goby ...... 141 a3;j3~&:, pmh~m. Monkey goby ...... 142 ae33aha emham .Racer goby ...... 143 da33nha pmham. Round goby ...... 144 ha&a6n. ;j3nb pmh~m. Ratan goby ...... 145 bh&y3ppn6aa pmh~m. Flatsnout goby ...... 146 pmhXm anhaa6n. Syrman goby ...... 147 bapabnb pmham. Grass goby ...... 148 3ahb~3pa3cnahn~b33pn,8p3nb dhmba. Commonstargerer ...... 149 8p3nb gn6na. bgn6;jbo. Spinx blenny ...... 150 8p3nb gn6na, gah&-~3a6~n- Pleacock blenny ...... 15; '%~3nbF1~~~p~b6n3n gn6na - Rusty blenny ...... 152 a6d3pba0303bna60 8p3nb gn6na - Tentacled blenny ...... 153 8q3nb gn6na. '=b3m6n8nhn. Zvonimir blenny ...... 154 8q3nb ;jmRmha gn6na - Galerila blonny ...... 155 ba3pmad~a8q30b baagahgpa - Tripteronotus ...... 156 ;j30aa;j3;j~, ;jgnaacnbahna - Mediterranean sand eel Smooth sand lance ...... 157 8q3nb aonh3 maa3n - Sea little mouse ...... 158 8p3nb cnaasn, a3;13n?)na - Sea mouse - Peskarka ...... 159 8p3nb cnaa3n - enha - Dragonet, Sea mouse ...... 160 cnn63bn - Atlantic bluefin ...... 161

33paanpa. Bonito ...... 162 bJ-3 abhn:, .Atlantic maskerel ...... 163 baapa330a. Bloodbild, Swordfich ...... 164 mgnqnm6n. cn330a33pa. Ophidium ...... 165 apn6ahnb ;jaabapa. apmba. European flounder ...... 166 ah6mapmba. Scadback...... 167 aa3n 0q3nb ;jaabapa, japja6n - Black sea turbot, Bastard halibut ...... 168 0p3nb 362, - Blackband sole ...... 169 %-3hah;)mba6n - Gray triggerfish ...... 170 anba6mgaha b3ohnjna - Connemarra clingfish ...... 171 anba6mgaha - Shore clingfish ...... 172 jm3e3bna6n anbaFSm3aha - Two-spotted clingfish ...... 173 8q3nb 3aaaJn. Angler ...... 174 pacnn6-36 bab3pFSm~3bacnabadn3b3pn -Undex tolatin names ...... 175 ba6833n - Contents ...... 177