Desert Fishes of Iran

Authors: Brian W. Coad, Hamid R. Esmaeili

Year: 2009 (xli)

Abstract

The freshwater fishes of Iran comprise about 160 native species in 25 families. New species are still being described, especially in the smaller-sized taxa such as Balitoridae, Cyprinidae and Cyprinodontidae. Climatically, over 80% of Iran is classed as arid or semi-arid. The fauna is derived principally from the Palaearctic with some species showing Oriental and African relationships. There is also a strong endemic element of West Asian species. The family Cyprinidae dominates with 75 species (47% of the total), followed by the Balitoridae with 18 (11%). Desert fishes are a subset of this fauna having anatomical structures favouring desert life such as scraping mouth parts. The fishes are found in streams, springs and in qanats. Ponds and lakes are rare. The qanat is an artificial irrigation system forming a major refuge for fishes. The fauna is distinctive by major basins, but not by individual springs, with two major exceptions, in a cave and a hot spring. Conservation is a major concern as climate change reduces water stored as snow, the qanat refuge is lost to modern techniques, competition from exotics spreads, and demands on water increase with a doubling of the human population over the last 30 years.