On the Fish Fauna of Lake İznik (Turkey)

Authors: MÜFİT ÖZULUĞ, ÖMER ALTUN, NURETTİN MERİÇ

Abstract: Lake İznik, which is under the threat of pollution, has been subject to a very limited number of studies in terms of its fish fauna, and therefore the species living in the lake are not well known yet. It was demonstrated that 19 fish species inhabit Lake İznik: Alburnus alburnus (Linnaeus, 1758), Alburnus chalcoides (Güldenstadt, 1772), Barbus tauricus escherichi Steindachner, 1897, Capoeta tinca (Heckel, 1843), Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782), Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758, Leuciscus cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), Rutilus frisii (Nordmann, 1840), Rutilus rutilus (Linnaeus, 1758), Vimba vimba (Linnaeus, 1758), Tinca tinca (Linnaeus, 1758), Cobitis vardarensis Karaman, 1928, Nemacheilus angorae Steindachner, 1897, Silurus glanis Linnaeus, 1758, Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810, Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859, Gasterosteus aculeatus Linnaeus, 1758, Salaria fluviatilis (Asso, 1801) and Proterorhinus marmoratus (Pallas, 1814). B. t. escherichi, C. tinca, C. gibelio, T. tinca and G. holbrooki were recorded for the first time from the lake. The diagnostic characteristics of these 5 species and Rutilus rutilus were studied and are given in detail.

Keywords: Fauna, Fish, First records, Lake, İznik, Turkey

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