Fish Species Composition Research Articles

Important fish diversity maintenance status of the tributaries in a hotspot fish conservation area in the upper Yangtze River revealed by eDNA metabarcoding

This study employed Environmental DNA (eDNA) barcoding technology to delve into the influence of the tributaries and mainstem on fish diversity and spatiotemporal distribution in a hotspot fish conservation area in the upper Yangtze River. A total of 123 fish species were detected, belonging to 7 orders, 19 families, and 77 genera. The composition of fish species in tributaries is similar to that in mainstem, with higher fish community diversity in tributaries during the spring and summer. Exploration of fish ecotypes revealed significant differences between mainstem and tributaries. The fish community is mainly influenced by key environmental factors such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and ammonia nitrogen, with a higher impact of these factors on tributaries than on mainstem. In conclusion, while tributaries and mainstem in the Jiangjin section exhibit similarities in fish community composition, there are notable differences in community structure and diversity. Therefore, the protection of not only mainstem but also tributaries and their associated fish habitats is crucial for promoting the overall health and sustainability.

Характеристика прибрежной ихтиофауны губ Восточного Мурмана в летний период 2021 года

In the article was considered species composition of fish in the littoral and sublittoral zones of Yarnyshnaya and Zelenetskaya bays (Barents Sea) during summer 2021. Also quantitative characteristics of the distribution for each fish species are represented. The dynamics of abundance and diversity of coastal fish communities were analyzed. At whole was discovered 12 species of fish and most abundent between them is young saithe Pollachius virens. Comparing of perennial data with 2021 indicates that at the present observed average species composition, fish distribution density, abundance of young Gadidae and indicators of biodiversity in coastal communities.

Regional-scale disturbances drive long-term decline of inshore coral reef fish assemblages in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Anthropogenic pressure is increasing the variety and frequency of environmental disturbance events, limiting recovery and leading to long-term declines in wild plant and animal populations. Coral reefs and associated fish assemblages are inherently dynamic due to their susceptibility to a host of disturbances, but regional-scale nuances in the drivers of long-term change frequently remain poorly resolved. Here, we examine the effects of multiple potential drivers of change in coral reef fish assemblages across 4 inshore regions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), Australia, over 12-14 years (2007-2021). Each region had a unique disturbance history, in conjunction with long-term changes in physical and habitat variables. Phases of recovery were apparent in the years between disturbance events at all locations, but these were not long enough to prevent substantial declines in reef fish density (by 33%-72%) and species richness (by 41%-75%) throughout the study period. The main drivers of change in fish assemblages varied among regions; however, the most rapid changes followed cyclone and flood events. Limited recovery periods resulted in temporal shifts in fish species composition from typically coral-associated to algae-associated. Most trophic groups declined in density except farmers, grazers, omnivores and parrotfish. No-take marine reserves (NTMRs) had small and inconsistent effects on total fish assemblages, but delivered benefits for fishery-targeted piscivores. Our findings suggest that coral reef responses to local stressors and cumulative escalating climate change impacts are highly variable at regional scales, and that small NTMRs are unlikely to mitigate the impacts of increasingly frequent climatic disturbances. Nearshore coral reefs worldwide are high-value habitats that are either already degraded or vulnerable to degradation and the loss of important fish groups. Global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be coupled with effective local management that can support the functioning and adaptive capacity of coral reefs.

Species Composition, Abundance and Trophic Relationships of Juvenile Fish in the Vorogovskoe Mnogoostrovye (Yenisei River)

Species Composition, Abundance and Trophic Relationships of Juvenile Fish in the Vorogovskoe Mnogoostrovye (Yenisei River)

Ecological Connectivity of River‐Lake Ecosystem: Evidence From Fish Population Dynamics in a Connecting Channel

AbstractClimate change and human activities, for example, dam construction, largely affect hydrologic and hydrodynamic processes of river‐lake system, and hence exerted serious pressure on its aquatic ecology. It's challenging to restore its ecological environment without systematic investigation and knowledge about the features of hydrodynamics, water quality, and aquatic ecology. This study conducted field surveys of hydrodynamic, water quality, and fish distribution in the Yangtze‐Poyang system, the largest river and largest fresh lake in China, to investigate the effects of hydrologic and hydrodynamic variations on fish population dynamics, especially the extreme drought and its effects were largely concerned. In two surveys, discharge decreased from 12,000 m3/s to less than 1,000 m3/s. Distinct differences on fish density, species composition, and populations connectivity between two surveys were observed. During high‐water, connecting channel secured effective transition of river‐lake habitats, its strong hydrological connectivity and flow heterogeneity supported great biodiversity and bidirectional populations connectivity. Limited flow space and elevated turbidity during low‐water confined fish to a few channel units with sufficient depth and width, increasing fish density up to 7 times greater than during high‐water, and seriously weakening ecological connectivity of the system. Furthermore, species interaction was intensified due to limited environmental capacity, periodic strategists were favored while opportunistic strategists visibly diminished, leading to a dramatic decline in species by nearly half. In the future with increasingly frequent extreme climate, engineering measures, for example, effective ecological project regulation, are needful to alleviate the drought problem, being of great significance for maintaining ecological connectivity within the river‐lake system.

Economic assessment and sustainable management of artisanal fisheries: Insights from River Jhelum, Kashmir, India

This study was conducted to comprehensively assess artisanal fishers’ economic and financial viability, relying heavily on a shared resource, namely the River Jhelum. Employing a proportional multi-stage stratified sampling approach, a total of 200 fishers were interviewed across six districts in Kashmir, covering the entire length of the river. The Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 1.1, coupled with a positive Net Present Value (NPV), underscores the economic profitability of artisanal fisheries. Constraint analysis highlighted that fishermen express substantial concerns regarding the ongoing decline in both catch and the composition (Garret score: 83) of native fish species, particularly Schizothorax, and pollution in the river (Garret score: 73). Considering the perspectives of all stakeholders, it becomes evident that comprehensive sustainability measures are imperative. To achieve this, multiple stakeholders must collaborate and establish a unified administrative body, solely dedicated to the protection of riverine resources. In addition to implementing a two-month fishing ban and modifying the licensing policy, maintaining a detailed record of daily fish catches, including both biological and economic data, at each fishing site is also crucial. Such actions will facilitate the implementation of optimal exploitation levels for this invaluable inland water resource. Keywords: Constraint analysis, Economic performance, Financial feasibility, Net present value, Schizothorax, Sustainability

The native fish diversity with environmental influencing factors in the Daqing River basin, China

IntroductionInvestigating and assessing native fish diversity and conducting regional assessments of threats are vital for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity. For this specific study, the Daqing River basin in China was chosen as the research area. Field surveys were carried out between 2018 and 2019, supplemented by a review of pertinent literature and other records.MethodsTo evaluate fish diversity, the following parameters are selected for analysis: Relative abundance (Pi), Frequency of occurrence (Fi), Margalef richness index (D) , Shannon Wiener diversity index (H′) , and Pielou evenness index (J′).Relative abundance levels are categorized as follows: dominant species make up more than 10%, common species account for 1%–10%, and occasional species constitute less than 1%. Canoco 5.0 software was utilized to conduct Redundancy Analysis (RDA) on the fish species composition and environmental factors at 34 sampling sites.ResultsThe findings revealed that 85 fish species have been recorded in the basin, consisting of 78 freshwater species categorized into 8 orders, 17 families, and 59 genera, among which Cypriniformes comprised 64% of the total catch. The low proportion of threatened and endemic species was an important feature of the fish diversity of the Daqing River. Despite the theoretical presence of 85 species, field surveys managed to collect only 42 species, of which 33 were confirmed as naturally occurring within the basin. The average values of Margalef richness index, 22 Shannon Wiener diversity index and Pielou evenness index were 1.72, 2.04 and 0.80 respectively, signifying a low fish diversity with relatively uniform distribution across the sampled regions.DiscussionThis study found that the community structure and diversity of fish were closely related to environmental factors, particularly water quality. Among these factors, ammonia nitrogen emerged as a significant determinant of fish diversity. High concentrations of ammonia nitrogen inhibit fish growth, endanger health, and can even lead to death. Additionally, dams and other water infrastructure also impact fish community structure and diversity. This baseline study can provide a basis for the protection and ecological restoration of fish resources in the Daqing River.

THÀNH PHẦN LOÀI CÁ LƯU VỰC SÔNG NGÀN PHỐ, HUYỆN HƯƠNG SƠN, TỈNH HÀ TĨNH

The composition of fish species in the Ngan Pho River basin, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province, was studied from 2020 to 2022. The study aims to evaluate the diversity of fish species and their situation of exploitation in the area. Our results have found 78 species of fish distributed in 8 sampling points in the basin. Forty-eight fish species have been identified as high economic value, of which 16 species were found to be cultivated. Combined with the results of previous research, we have determined 107 fish species belonging to 72 genera of 20 subfamilies and 29 families belonging to 11 orders in the Ngan Pho River basin. Moreover, 39 species were discovered for the first time distributed here. In addition, some species were not reencountered during the field survey, including marine species migrating for food, such as Echidna polyzona, Ophichthus microcephalus, and Pisodonophis boro. They are possibly impacted by anthropogenic factors such as sand exploitation along the basin and changes in the flow from the Lam River estuary to the La River tributary and then to the Ngan Pho River. Keywords: Freshwater fish; Huong Son; Fish fauna; Ngan Pho river.

Comparative Study of the Proximate Composition and Sensory Evaluation of Fresh and Smoke-dried Fish Species from Omambala River, Anambra State, Nigeria

This study investigates the proximate composition and organoleptic properties of fish species from the Omambala River in Anambra State. A total of 40 fresh fish samples, specifically Clarias gariepinus and Heterotis niloticus, with a mean length of 25 cm and mean weight of 380 g, were analyzed. The fish samples, initially scaled, had their viscera removed and were washed in clean water before undergoing brining. This involved immersing the fish in a 75% saturated brine solution, prepared by dissolving 27 g of NaCl in 100 ml of water for 30 seconds. The samples were then smoke-dried in a smoking kiln. Proximate composition was assessed using standard methods from the Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC), while organoleptic properties were evaluated using a 9-point hedonic scale. Data were collated and analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with GENSTAT version 4 software, and mean separation was performed using the Least Significant Difference at a 5% probability level. Results indicated that the proximate analyses revealed an increase in all nutrient compositions after smoke-drying, except for moisture and carbohydrates, which significantly decreased from 44.58% to 14.15% and from 37.10% to 7.88%, respectively, for C. gariepinus. In the case of H. niloticus, increases were noted in ash, fiber, fat, and protein, while moisture decreased significantly (p<0.05) from 44.87% to 17.89%. Organoleptic evaluation showed a preference for C. gariepinus, which had a significantly higher overall acceptability mean score of 8.40±0.66 compared to 6.70±2.26 for H. niloticus. This research demonstrates that smoke-drying fish effectively reduces moisture content, enhances nutrient composition, and improves organoleptic properties, thereby increasing shelf life. It is recommended that both C. gariepinus and H. niloticus be hygienically smoke-dried to maximize organoleptic qualities, nutrient composition, and shelf life, ultimately yielding better economic returns. Keywords: Nutrient composition, organoleptic properties, Smoking kiln, Fish species

Nutrient Status of Some Food Fishes with Respect to Their Proximate Composition: A Review

The nutritional awareness is a vital issue in most of the developing countries. Consumption of imbalance nutrients is globally responsible for the malnutrition, a curse for the people who belongs to below poverty line. Fish is a vital source of protein and many other essential nutrients for the human health. More than one billion of people around the world include fish food in their regular diet. Many of the developing countries like India are resided by poor villagers who gladly consume the small fish species which are of low cost and easily available in the water lands. The nutrient status the small food fishes are of greater interest to the researchers in the field of biochemistry in terms of their socio-economic impact and sustainable human food chain. Advanced researches on the biochemical constituents of different fishes are signified and essential to the human health as well as medicinal practitioners to formulate newer medicines for the prevention of many life risk diseases of the community. This review article is an attempt to review the current scientific literatures on the nutrient status with respect to their proximate composition of different fish species across the globe. The significance of such study on Food-to-food fortification (FtFF) on the basis of proximate composition of fish along with challenges and future perspectives are also highlighted.

Comparative Evaluation of the Proximate Composition and Amino Acid Profile in Fresh and Traditionally Sun-dried Fish Species, Puntius sophore (Hamilton, 1822) and Amblypharyngodon mola (Hamilton, 1822)

Fish is one of the most widely consumed sources of animal protein in the world. However, they are subjected to countless post-harvest changes, so technologies such as sun-drying are employed to preserve fish for a longer time. Currently, sun-dried fish also have a major place in terms of nutrients alongside fresh fish. The present study has been conducted to determine the proximate composition and amino acid content of fish species namely, Puntius sophore (Puthi), and Amblypharyngodon mola (Moa) in fresh and sun-dried conditions to enunciate the nutritional benefits of consuming sun-dried fishes together with fresh fishes. During the study period, fresh fish samples collected were divided into two batches. In one batch all the analyses were carried out under fresh conditions. In the corresponding batch, all the tests were carried out in sun-dried conditions. Proximate composition and amino acid analysis were carried out as per the guidelines of AOAC (2015). The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, ash, and carbohydrate content of the fresh and sun-dried P. sophore and A. mola revealed significantly higher moisture content in the fresh fish samples than in the sun-dried samples. Significantly higher crude protein, crude fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents were obtained in the sun-dried samples compared to the samples in fresh condition. The Essential Amino Acid (EAA) predominant in fresh and sun-dried samples of both the species were found to be Lysine and Histidine respectively. The predominant Non-essential Amino Acid (NEAA) in fresh and sun-dried samples of both species was Glutamic acid. The analysis of nutritional parameters reveals that sun-dried fish can provide comparable nutrition to fresh fish. This study is therefore designed to promote the consumption of sun-dried fish among a broader segment of society, highlighting its dietary significance.

Fish diversity, assemblage pattern along with the environmental variables in tidal fresh water stretch in the Hooghly estuary of Gangetic delta, West Bengal, India

The greatest estuary created by the Gangetic delta in India is the Hooghly estuary. Despite their importance to the estuarine biodiversity, the tidal freshwater areas of this estuary have gained little interest from ecologists. Present study aims to explore the fish diversity with its assemblage pattern and their relationship with physico-chemical parameters from June 2020 to May 2021. There have been identified 118 fish species in total, from 14 orders and 47 families, with seven (7) being near threatened, fifteen (15) vulnerable, four (4) endangered, and eight (8) not evaluated. Perciformes (29.66 %), Cypriniformes (22.88 %), and Siluriformes (21.18 %) accounted for 73.72 % of the overall species count. Station-1 has significantly higher species richness, rarefied richness, and abundance. Station-3 and station-2 followed station-1 respectively. The composition of fish species changed significantly among the stations, as shown by cluster analysis, nMDS (nonmetric multidimensional scaling), ANOSIM (analysis of similarities), and SIMPER (similarity percentage analysis) (p <0.05). The canonical correspondence analysis revealed that alkalinity, conductivity, phosphate, and total carbon dioxide of the water were the key environmental parameters. In addition to defining a sustainable management method for the fish resources in the Hooghly estuary, this effort will act as a baseline study for further investigation.

PENGARUH ATRAKTOR TALI RAFIA DAN PITA POLYPROPYLENE TERHADAP KOMPOSISI JENIS DAN KEHADIRAN IKAN PADA RUMAH IKAN DI TELUK AMBON

This research aimed to investigate the impact of attractor materials on the species composition and presence of fish around fish houses. The study took place in Teluk Ambon Dalam, specifically in Rumah Tiga Village, Teluk Ambon Dalam District (Figure 1), over a period of 2 months from September to November 2022. The visual method was employed, involving direct observations of fish houses equipped with either raffia rope or Polypropylene Ribbon attractors. The most commonly associated fish species were Apogon moluccensis, with 172 found on raffia ropes and 153 on Polypropylene ribbons; followed by Aeoliscus strigatus, with 129 on raffia ropes and 110 on Polypropylene ribbons. The least associated species were Abudefduf lorenzi, with 15 found on raffia ropes and 14 on Polypropylene ribbons. The study concluded that the choice of attractor material did not significantly affect the composition or presence of fish

Species Composition and Diversity of Coastal Trawled Fishes Landed Off the Coast of Qua Iboe River Estuary, Ibeno, Nigeria

An assessment of the specie composition and diversity of fish species from Qua Iboe River Estuary was carried out over a period of six months (March-August, 2019). A total of thirty - one (31) species representing seventeen (17) families were identified under the families Bothidae, Charangidae, Clupeidae, Cynoglossidae, Drepanidae, Eleotridae, Gobiidae, Haemulidae, Polynemidae, Soleidae, Sciaenidae, Sparidae, Sphyraenidae, Scombridae, Tetraodontidae, Trachinidae and Trichuridae. Monthly abundance was lowest in April (122 specimens; 6.21 %) and was highest in March (545 specimens; 27.72 %). The longest species was Trichirus lepturus while the shortest were Drepane africana and Selena dorsalis. Family Sciaenidae had the highest representation in terms of species and Haemulidae had the highest number of individuals. Shannon-Weiner Index of general Diversity (H) value was showing dominance of in Charangidae family. Evenness Index (E) showed all the species were not equally distributed in the waters. Assessment of the condition factor (K) revealed that 22 out of 31 fish species K values less than 5 showing good body condition and wellbeing of the fish while 11 species showed bad body condition. The estuary has a rich ichthyofauna complex. Effective exploitation measures should be used to deter the menace of local extinction in the near future.

Long‐term changes in taxonomic and functional composition of European marine fish communities

Evidence of large‐scale biodiversity degradation in marine ecosystems has been reported worldwide, yet most research has focused on few species of interest or on limited spatiotemporal scales. Here we assessed the spatial and temporal changes in the taxonomic and functional composition of fish communities in European seas over the last 25 years (1994–2019). We then explored how these community changes were linked to environmental gradients and fishing pressure. We show that the spatial variation in fish species composition is more than two times higher than the temporal variation, with a marked spatial continuum in taxonomic composition and a more homogenous pattern in functional composition. The regions warming the fastest are experiencing an increasing dominance and total abundance of r‐strategy fish species (lower age of maturity). Conversely, regions warming more slowly show an increasing dominance and total abundance of K‐strategy species (high trophic level and late reproduction). Among the considered environmental variables, sea surface temperature, surface salinity and chlorophyll‐a most consistently influenced communities' spatial patterns, while bottom temperature and oxygen had the most consistent influence on temporal patterns. Changes in communities' functional composition were more closely related to environmental conditions than taxonomic changes. Our study demonstrates the importance of integrating community‐level species traits across multi‐decadal scales and across a large region to better capture and understand ecosystem‐wide responses and provides a different lens on community dynamics that could be used to support sustainable fisheries management.

Multifaceted biological indicators reveal an effective conservation scheme for marine protected areas

Marine protected areas are set up across the globe to safeguard biodiversity and support coastal ecosystem functioning. In Hong Kong, partially protected marine parks and a no-take marine reserve have been managed under legislation for years, yet a comprehensive evaluation of their conservation impact is still pending despite the region’s reputation for high marine diversity. Most studies assess conservation effectiveness solely in terms of taxonomic diversity, without delving into the contributions of functional and phylogenetic diversity. In this study, we used environmental DNA combined with multifaceted diversity indicators to assess the impact of the level of protection on the fish community in Hong Kong waters. Our results indicated that the marine protected areas significantly contributed to fish community conservation. The no-take marine reserve exhibited the highest taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, while partially protected marine parks showed the most balanced community composition. No significant increase in fish functional diversity was found in the protected areas. Water quality, hydrological condition, and protection level were the primary factors affecting community variation for taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, respectively. Fish species composition significantly varied with different protection levels, and species turnover was the main component of the dissimilarity. Future management of marine protected areas should assess multifaceted biological indicators and establish a rational conservation scheme.

Year-round sampling of the fish community in a boreal lake: differences between summer and winter influence estimates of species composition, catch, and fish size.

Boreal lakes experience pronounced seasonal variation in abiotic factors, especially light, temperature, and oxygen. A deep boreal humic lake was sampled year-round to test putative changes in total fish catch, species composition, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), habitat use, fish size, and condition. Monthly sampling was conducted in Lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland, during one full year in 2020-2021 as well as in March and August 2021 and 2022. The fish community was dominated by cyprinid species in all months, but the percentage of percid fish caught increased during the warm summer period. Most fish were caught in littoral habitats and the highest catches occurred in summer, but some species (e.g., ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua, and pikeperch, Sander lucioperca) remained abundant in the winter catch. The body size of fish was larger in the winter catch, while condition factor was higher in summer for most species. Fish species proportions in total catch, CPUE, and average size of fish were closest to the annual mean values in September, which may be used as the optimal period to monitor fish communities of similar deep boreal lakes. Our findings highlight the need for year-round research to reveal the impacts of rising temperatures and diminishing ice-covered periods in fish communities and lake food webs.

Different ploidy-level hybrids derived from female common carp × male topmouth culter

Distant hybridization is an effective strategy for creating polyploids in fish genetic breeding. In this study, the cross of common carp (Cyprinus carpio, 2n = 100, COC, ♀) and topmouth culter (Culter alburnus, 2n = 48, TC, ♂), which belonged to different subfamilies, was conducted and obtained surviving hybrid offspring (CT hybrids). Based on the measurement of DNA content and chromosomal numbers, three ploidy levels of CT hybrids were identified: diploid hybrids (2n = 74, 2nCT), triploid hybrids (3n = 124, 3nCT), and tetraploid hybrids (4n = 148, 4nCT). Analyses of countable traits and measurable traits indicated a significant similarity between CT hybrids and COC in comparison to TC. The genetic variation analysis of 5S rDNA and HoxD10a gene in CT hybrids revealed the retention of all COC genotypes and the partial elimination of TC genotypes, as well as the generation of novel variant genotypes (derived from TC genotypes) and recombinant genotypes (derived from parental genotypes), which suggested that in CT hybrids, the paternal subgenome exhibited greater instability than the maternal subgenome. In addition, the droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) method, combining allele-specific probes targeting the EPHX2 gene, was employed for the first time to investigate the genome composition of hybrids. The results showed that the ratios of COC-allele number to TC-allele number were approximately 1 in 2nCT, 2 in 3nCT, and 1.5 in 4nCT, respectively, which confirmed the hybridization origins for each type and effectively distinguished between the three CT hybrids. The obtainment of CT hybrids harbors potential benefits and application in aquaculture and provides an ideal model for understanding the influence of hybridization and polyploidization on the genomic composition of fish species.

Fish Species Composition, Distribution, and Community Structure in the River Kankai, Eastern Nepal

It is essential to track how fishing pressure affects the exploited fish population in the River Kankai to ensure resource development and sustainability. The current state of affairs in the River Kankai, situated in the eastern Nepalese districts of Ilam and Jhapa, continues to raise serious concerns among the general public. The purpose of this study is to determine trends in the fish communities in the River Kankai across time and location and to examine how physicochemical factors affect fish dispersal and abundance at six sites that were chosen based on operability and accessibility. Monthly fish samples were collected between January 2023 and December 2023. We used cast nets in different sizes, monofilament gill nets, fish baits, and local fish traps to collect the fish. Fish abundance and distribution were largely determined by water parameters like turbidity, total hardness, total alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, water temperature, and nitrate-N, according to an analysis of variance (ANOVA) on canonical correspondence analysis. Altogether, 94 species in 12 orders, 28 families, and 60 genera were gathered, of which 6 species represented Nearly Threatened (NT) and 3 species were found to be Vulnerable (VU) as per the IUCN red list categories of threatened species. The current study aims to improve the community structure and ichthyofaunal diversity in the River Kankai.

Changes in fish species composition in the rivers of the Ararat Plain during the last century

Changes in fish species composition in the principal rivers of the Ararat Plain have been assessed over the last century through an analysis of the literature and field studies. A total of 39 fish species, spread across 12 families and 31 genera, have been documented across the Ararat Plain (Araks River basin within southern Armenia and northeast Turkey). In the Armenian section of the plain, 37 taxa have been recorded, including 12 non-native species. Over the past century, the number of fish species in the Metsamor River has increased from 15 to 23, and from 6 to 23 in the Hrazdan River. Currently 16 of the 21 native fish species, previously recorded, are still present in water bodies of the Armenian part of the plain. Rhinogobius cf. similis has been documented for the first time in this region. The primary reasons for the changes in the ichthyofauna composition in the Armenian part of the Ararat Plain are the introduction and subsequent spread of non-native species into reservoirs. This process involves species such as Rhodeus amarus, Knipowitschia caucasica, species of Gobio and invasive non-native species such as Pseudorasbora parva, Carassius gibelio, Rhinogobius lindbergi, R.cf. similis, and Oncorhynchus mykiss.