AN ABSTRPCT OF THE THESIS OF Neil Brant Anuantzout for the degree of Dcctor of Philosophy in Fisheries presented on 2 Title: The Freshwater Fishes of Iran Redacted for Privacy hs tract approved: Dr. Carl E. Bond The freshwater fish fauna of Iran is representedby 3 classes, 1 orders, 31 familIes, 90 genera, 269species and 58 subspecIes. This includes 8 orders, 10 families, 14 generaand 33 species with marine representatives that live at least partof the tixne in freshwater. Also included are one family, 7 genera,9 species and 4 subspecies introduced into Iran. Overhalf the species and nearly half the genera are in the family Cypririidae; over75% of the genera and species are in the orderCypriniformes. The fish fauna may be separated into threemajor groups. The largest and nst diverse is the Sannatian Fauna,which includes the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Lake Bezaiyeh, Rhorasan,Isfahan, Dashte-Kavir, and the four subbasins of the Namak LakeBasins. Of the fish found in Iran, 14 of 31 earnilies, 48 of 90 genera,127 of 269 species and 46 of 58 subspecies are found in theSarmatian Fauna. Endemisa is low, and nstly expressed at the subspecific level.The fauna contains marine relicts from the Sannatian Sea and recentinmigrants with strong relationships to the fishes of Europe, the Black Seaand northern Asia. The marine relicts are absent outside the Caspian Sea Basin, where the fauna is best described as a depauperate extensionof the Caspian and Aral Sea faunas. The second major fauna is the Nesopotamian Fauna,and includes the Tigris and Euphrates river Basins, the Karun1iver Basin, and the Kol, nd, Maliarlu, Neyriz and Lar Basins. The fauna istransitional between the Palearctic and Oriental Regions with some Ethiopian influence and does not readily belong in either the Palearctic or Oriental Pgions. Nine of the 11 faitLlies, but only 12 of 33 generain Iran are shared with the Oriental Fauna, while 16 out of33 genera but only 5 of 11 families are shared with the Sannatian Fauna.Endemism is high at the specific level; 37 of 89 species, or over40%, are endemic. The third major fauna is the Oriental Fauna, which represents the weslern-nost extension of the abundant and diverse fauna of Southeast Asia. It is found in the coastal Mekran drainages, and in the Barrur, Dashte-Lut, Kerrnan, Yazd, Seistan and Enclosed Northeastern Basins. The limited habitat is reflected inthe sparse fauna; only 9 of 31 families, 16 of 90 genera, 39 of 269species and 3 of 58 subspecies found in Iran are foundinthe Oriental Fauna. Endenisra is high; 22 of 39 species are endemic. All nine families are cannon in regions to the east, whileeight of the nine extend further west to the Nesopotainian Fauna. With the exception of the marine relicts in the Saxnitian Sea and. marine fishes entering freshwater along the Persian Gulfand Gulf of Ctnan, the Iranian fish fauna developed during themajor faunal migrations of the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Recedingmarine waters and the fonnation of major river systems inUesopotamia and northern India facilitated an east-west faunal exchange along whatis now the Persian Gulf and. Mekran Coasts of Iran. At the sametime, the pmping action of glacial advances and retreats in the northfacilitated southward rrvennts of Palearctic fishes. üle the nountain massif stretching fran the Taurus Mountains in Thrkeythrough Iran, Afghanis- tan, Central Asia and the Tibetan Plateau ofChina prevented extensive faunal exchanges, sane exchanges did occurinnortheastern Iran, by way of the Sefid Rud and Azerbaijan, along theifelmand River, and through the Inatolian Uplands of Turkey. The present fish fauna in Iran is the result ofcolonizers able toestablish themselves in the limited habitatinIran. Species diversity and abundance are best developedinthe Sefid Rud and Caspian Sea, and in the Tigris and Karun Rivers wherehabitat is greatest. In the internal basins, diversity andabundance are Uinited by the lack of suitable habitat. () Copyright By Neil Armantrout All Rights Reserved The Freshwater Fishes of Iran by Neil Brant Aimantrout A TFESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfilment of the recjuirerrents for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 1981 Redacted for Privacy Professor of Fisheries in Charqe of Major Redacted for Privacy Redacted for Privacy Date Thesis is Present Typed by Neil B. Axinantrout for Neil Brant Arrnaritrout 11 While many pple have provided support and encouragerrent, several deserve special acknowledganent. These include: Dr. Victor Springer, for providing access to the collectIons and library of the Smithsonian Institution and for assisting In acquiring sarrles from Iran; Wayne Kinunen, Steve Bullock, Pay RaLonde and Pete Walczak for providing fish and inventory materials from Iran; Mr. Eskandar Firouz and Mr. Robert Thck for aUowing access to the Natural History Museum in Tebran; Dr. ifassan Has seinzadeh for allowing tise of the Shilot Institution collection; Dr. Borsukov, for assistance in gaining access to the collection of the Acadeny of Sciences collection inLeningrad and for providing iiportant reference material; and Dr. Alwyne Wheeler, British Museum of Natural History, for invaluable aid in obtaining reference material. A specIal thanks is due my parents for their constant support and encouragenent. 'ii ThBLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction .1 II.iaterial aridetbods .3 Sources of :[nformat.ion . ................................3 Personal Observations and Collections ................. .3 Collections Examined ................................... 4 Literature .............. 6 Systernat..i.cs ............................ ., ...........7 Distribution...... .. ..................1S.................9 III.Previous V'brk .............................. , . .............. 10 Ic!. Physical Sett.iiig ........................................... .17 1"urita.in Ranges .............. 20 Elbu.rz Mountains ...................... .............20 zagros Mountains ............ ...............22 M.ekran Mountains ......... ,.._ ........... * ........... 22 Eastern. .....................................24 Iriterii.a.1kunt.a.ins............ ....... .24 Dra.inage Basins . ......................................24 Ca.spia.n Ba.sini ..... 24 A.zerba.ijani. ......... ........30 Lake Rezaiyeri. ........... ....... ........ .......30 Namna.k. 13a.sin ................ 33 Qcma Subbasin .......... ....... .....34 Tehran Subbasin ...... * . .34 Sernna.n. Subbasin ........ .. ., . .35 Arak. Subbasin ............................ .......35 Nai.n Subbasin. ................. .. ..35 Isfahan 13a.sin. .. ......... .. 36 Aral Sea Basin . .............. , ...............38 Internal Northeast Basins ............................. 38 Dashte-}(a.vi.r.........................................39 Heimnarid Basin .......................................... 40 1"lekrari DraJ..niages ...................................... 42 Basin ........ 44 Sirjan Basin .......................................47 Dashte-Lut .......... 47 Kerrna.rx Basin ................ 47 Yazd Basi.ni...........................................48 DlBasin, ............................................48 La.r Ba.si.n ..................... ........ ........ nd Basin. .......... ............... ........49 MaharluBasin ............. ............... Ney:riz Basin....... 50 Tigris-:Eu.phrates-Karai Basin ...... .......... .......51 iv V. Geological History of Iran and Adjacent Areas .55 Precambrian. arid Paleozoic ............. ..................60 Mesozoic .............................................. 62 Tert.iarr................. ...63 Qua.te.rna.ry................ 66 VI. Cli.ma.tic Pattern.s ............ ......... ................. 67 VII.Fossil Fishes ............................., . .......... .73 VIII. Freshwater Fishes of Iran and Adjacent Areas ........... .77 Superclass Agnatba ........................... ........80 Class Petromyzones ................... 80 Order Petrornyzontifonnes ...... a a a a . a a . a . a ....... 80 Fly Pet.romyzont.idae ....... ..80 Caspiorrtyzon wagneri ............................. 80 Superclass-iathostornat................... .80 Class Elasrrobraricb.ii .................................... .80 Subclass Selachii .......... 80 Order I.,arnni.fonnes ..................................... 80 Suborder Scyliorhinoidei ............................. .80 FlyCa.rcha.rbinId.ae ......... ...... .80 Carcba.rias lamia .,..,..,... ........ ......... ..81 C. gangeticu .... .......... .. * . .. .. .. .. ....81 Order jiforirs ...................... ..... .81 F1yPristidae ........ a . .81 Prist.is cuspidatus ................... .81 pzisrori ..... .81 Class Teleostonti .......... ,......., .................. ,.82 Subclass Actlnopterygl. a a a a a a a a a a . a . a a ....... , a . a82 Order Acipenseraformesa a a. a ............ a . a a a a a a a . ,82 FlyAcipen.seridae . a ............... a a a a a a a a a82 Hugo huso .., ............................ Acipenser nudiventris........................83 A. rutlienus ,....... .,,........a.........!......84 A. guldenstadti persicus ..........,...........,84 stellatus c"rensis . .......... ..85 OrderTupeiforrnes.. .......... .a a . ..85 Suborder Clupeoidea. ......, ...,,.. ., ...........85 Family Clupeidae ........ ........ ...... .85 Caspialosa brashnikovi . a a a a a a a a a86 C. brashn.ikovigrirnm.i, . ....... ..........86 C.brasbnJcoviautumnalis ...,.., ......86 C.brasimikovikisselewitschi ,.......,.,......86 . , . a a a a a a C. brashnicoviriirchi. .86 basbn.iJ-cov, . ...... .86 bashikovi,sarexsis.... .......... .., .......86 C.brashnikoviorientalis