Iran. J. Ichthyol. (September 2015), 2(3): 177–193 Received: June 7, 2015 © 2015 Iranian Society of Ichthyology Accepted: August 27, 2015 P-ISSN: 2383-1561; E-ISSN: 2383-0964 doi: http://www.ijichthyol.org Ichthyofauna of Urmia basin: Taxonomic diversity, distribution and conservation Hamid GHASEMI1, Arash JOULADEH ROUDBAR2, Soheil EAGDERI*3, Keivan ABBASI4, Saber VATANDOUST5, Hamid Reza ESMAEILI6 1Eastern Azerbaijan Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center, P.O. Box: 53555-141 Tabriz, Iran. 2Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Sari, Iran. 3Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. 4Iranian Fisheries Sciences research, Inland Waters Aquaculture Research Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Anzali, Iran. 5Department of Fisheries, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran. 6Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71454–Iran. * Email: [email protected] Abstract: Fish biodiversity investigation in Urmia basin which is a part of Irano- Anatolian hot spot aimed to determine the state of fish in this endorheic basin. Based on the obtained results, freshwater fish species of the Urmia basin comprise 29 species in 25 genera, 7 families, 5 orders and one class. The most diverse order is the Cypriniformes with 23 species (79.31%) followed by Salmoniformes and Perciformes each with two species (2 species, 6.9%), Siluriformes and Cyprinodontiformes each with one species (1 species, 3.45%). The most diverse family is the Cyprinidae with 20 species (69%), Nemacheilidae (3 species, 10.3%), Salmonidae (2 species, 6.9%) followed by, Siluridae, Poeciliidae, Percidae and Gobiidae each with only one species (3.45 %). This basin comprises five endemic species to the basin itself (only found in Urmia basin, 17.24%) and 11 exotic species (37.93%). Zarrineh River had high species diversity and Sufi and Shahri Rivers had low species diversity. The fish composition and community structure of Urmia basin have been changed during the last few years due to (i) human-induced disturbance or anthropogenic activities including hydrological alteration, introduction of exotic species, over-fishing, unusual methods of fishing, rapid sedimentation, and land erosion and (ii) natural disturbance such as climate change which causes drought in this basin. Most of the native (including endemic) fishes of the Urmia basin have not been assessed for the IUCN Red List and some others have been considered as Least Concern or Data Deficient which is suggested to be re-assessed. Keywords: Iran, Urmia basin, Permanent river, Biodiversity, Fishes. Introduction drainage basins (Fig. 1) including both exorheic Iran is one of the most complex geographical areas of where the rivers and lakes drain to the sea and Palearctic realm and due to its considerable extent in endorheic, where rivers drain to an internal basin Southwest Asia has tremendous biodiversity. It is such as a lake, or are lost in the desert, and have no bordering the Oriental and African zones (Coad & connection with the sea (Coad 2015; Esmaeili et al. Vilenkin 2004) and its north-west, west and south- 2015; Jouladeh Roudbar et al. 2015). Paying west, are parts of Irano-Anatolian hot spot with high attention to biodiversity conservation of these basins biodiversity especially freshwater fish (Esmaeili et from different aspects is crucial and needs more al. 2010, 2014a). Iran is divided into nineteen investigation. Diversity is a key issue in 177 Iranian Journal of Ichthyology (September 2015), 2(3): 177-193 Fig.1. Map of Iran showing 19 basins including Urmia basin (L.M: Lake Maharlu basin). environmental protection and it aims to protect the be known as Lake Kabuda (Kabodan), from the word environment to maintain the maximum possible for "azure" in Persian, or 'կապույտ' number of native species in an area. ("Kapuyt/Gabuyd") in Armenian. Its Latin name was Today, growing agricultural, industrial activities Lacus Matianus so it is referred to in some texts as and fish breeding operations at inland waters on one Lake Matianus or Lake Matiene. hand and construction activities, such as building Lake Urmia, one of the largest saltwater lakes on hydraulic structures, on the other hand caused a need earth and a highly endangered ecosystem, is on the for further studies in these basins or ecoregions brink of a major environmental disaster similar to the including Urmia basin. catastrophic death of the Aral Sea (AghaKouchak et Urmia basin and its center international wetland al. 2015) which will affect the whole basin. Urmia of Urmia Lake are considered as important and Lake is an important natural asset with considerable valuable ecosystems in northwestern Iran. The lake is cultural, economic, aesthetic, recreational, scientific, named after the provincial capital city of Urmia, conservation and ecological value (Kelts & Shahrabi originally an Assyrian name meaning Puddle of 1986; Karbassi et al. 2010). It is a closed-basin water. Its ancient Old Persian name was Chichast wetland for which the only outlet is evaporation and (meaning, "glittering"–a reference to the glittering the inlet is precipitation, rivers, runoff flow and mineral particles suspended in the lake water and negligible groundwater inflow. With a new found along its shores). In medieval times it came to composite of multi-spectral high resolution satellite 178 Ghasemian et al.-Ichthyofauna of Urmia basin Fig.2. Urmia basin and its main rivers. observations, AghaKouchak et al. (2015) and Jaafari major elements of biodiversity. et al. (2013) showed that the area of this Iranian lake This paper attempts to provide (i) an updated has decreased by around 88% in the past decades, far taxonomic fish diversity including natives, endemics, more than previously reported (~25% to 50%). exotics and transplanted species, (ii) information on Drastic changes to lake health are suggested to be the distribution and (iii) data on conservation status primarily consequences of aggressive regional water of fish species, from the Urmia basin of Iran. resources development plans, intensive agricultural activities, anthropogenic changes to the system, and Materials and Methods upstream competition over water (AghaKouchak et Study area: The Urmia basin is located in northwest al. 2015). In this basin, flowing rivers that were the of Iran with a total area of 51800km2. The Urmia major ecosystems and provided the large amount of Lake is the largest lake in the country and a Ramsar water for lake are also under severe pressures due to Site and is also one of the world's saltiest bodies of the above mentioned factors and lack of perspective water with about 128-149km long and 40-60km in environmental management along with notable wide. This lake is salty with a salinity up to 340.0gl- changes in ecological conditions. All of these 1 (mostly 217-235gl-1) and fishless (Kelts & Shahrabi parameters reduce habitat values and thus threaten its 1986; Ghaheri et al. 1999; Coad 2015). It is on the biodiversity. For this reason, one of the most brink of a major environmental disaster now effective ways to achieve biodiversity conservation (AghaKouchak et al. 2015). and restoration is to monitor its diversity in the The Urmia Lake is the terminal basin for a species, ecosystem and genetic levels which are three number of streams and rivers (Ghaheri et al. 1999). 179 Iranian Journal of Ichthyology (September 2015), 2(3): 177-193 Cornwallis (1976) notes both the draining of these marshes and the cessation of freshwater discharge from the Mahabad River. Lake Gory is a fresh to brackish lake near Tabriz occupying 120ha. It is fed by precipitation, springs and small streams, with overflow through a small stream (Coad 2015). Qanats are also found in this basin where surface water is saline. Dams are found on the Zarrineh River and on the river which flows through Mahabad paralleling the Zarrineh. The Nowruzlu Dam on the Zarrineh is occupying 1000ha and it is water storage reservoir with heavy input from surrounding farming activities. The Alavian Dam near Maragheh is a Fig.3. Type localities of enedmic species in the Urmia reservoir of 145 million cu m. The Nahand Reservoir Lake basin; = Acanthobrama urmianus; = Dam northeast of Tabriz has a capacity of 30 million Alburnoides petrubanarescui; = Alburnus atropatenae and = Petroleuciscus ulanus. cu m. Other dams include those at Ahar, Tabriz, Hashtrud, Hasanlu, Mianeh and Heris. The Prominent perennial streams include the Zarrineh Hassanlou Reservoir Dam at Naqadeh has a capacity River entering from the south and draining part of the of 107 million cu m (Coad 2015). Among the rivers northern Zagros with the Tata'u or Simineh River as of this basin, ten crucial and permanent rivers (Aji a major tributary. The saline Aji Chay or Talkheh Chay, Sufi Chay, Qaleh Chay, Mordugh Chay, (with hardness of 820mg/l; Surber 1969) from the Simineh Rud, Zarrineh Rud, Mahabad Chay, Shahri east draining the flanks of the Sabalan mountains and Chay and Nazlo Chay) were selected to study their Kuh-e Sahand, and the smaller streams from the west fish diversity (Fig. 2). This basin is type locality of such as the Zowla Chay, Nazlu Chay, Shahr Chay several fish species (Fig. 3). and Baranduz Chay (Coad 2015). In addition, there This paper has been resulted from the works are several lakes and marshes in this basin. Lake Kobi listed in the references (mainly from Saadati 1977; is a Ramsar Site in this basin at the south of Lake Armantrout 1980; Coad 2006,2015; Abbasi et al. Urmia and northeast of Mahabad. It comprises the 2005; Bogutskaya & Coad 2009; Esmaeili et al. fresh to brackish lake and associated but 2010; Moradi & Eagderi 2014) and also by discontinuous marshes of about 1200ha. The Shur examination or accessing available data in Gol, Yadegarlu and Dorgeh Sangi are endorheic ichthyological collections in Iran (e.g., ZM-CBSU, lakes at the south of Lake Urmia and northwest of Zoological Museum of Shiraz University, Collection Mahabad comprising 2500ha of lakes and associated of Biology Department, Shiraz; CMNFI, Canadian marshes.