THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ICHTHYOFAUNA OF THE KYZYLAGASH RESERVOIR (BALKHASH-ALAKOL BASIN)

aboriginal; alien; diversity; ichthyofauna; distribution; species composition; Kyzylagash reservoir.

Abstract

The article describes the species diversity of the ichthyofauna of the Kyzylagash reservoir belonging to the Balkhash-Alakol basin. The taxonomic composition of the fish of the studied reservoirs was made up of aborigines, introduced fish, commercial fish, and also non-commercial fish. As a result of the study, it was revealed that the ranges and the number of native fish are decreasing, the range of distribution of introduced fish is expanding, and the species diversity is increasing. During the study, native and alien fish species belonging to the family Cyprinidae, Balitoridae and Channiidae were discovered. Native: balkhash marinka Schizothorax argentatus (Kessler, 1874), naked osman Diptychus dybowskii (Kessler, 1874), common minnow Phoxinusp phoxinus (Linnaues, 1758), plain loach Triplophysa labiata (Kessler, 1874), Severtsov’s loach Triplophysa sewerzowii (G.Nikolsky, 1938), spotted thicklip loach Triplophysa strauchi (Kessler, 1874), tibetan stone loach Triplophysa stoliczkai (Steindachner, 1866). Alien fish species were also noted here: Pseudorasbora Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck et Schlegel, 1846), snakehead Channa argus (Cantor, 1842). Of the rare native fish species, there are Balkhash marinka, plain loach, Severtsov’s loach and spotted thicklip loach. The study was funded by the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant BR10264205).