Identified fishes of Kol River in Hormuzgan Province

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Abstract

Kol River drains into the Persian Gulf and its watershed encompasses  areas  in  Hormozgan, Kerman and Fars provinces. Identification of fish species of the river was conducted seasonally from summer to winter 2005. We selected 8 sampling stations based on the height of  sea  level  from branches of Kol River near estuary. Totally, 160 specimens were caught with gillnet, cast net and hook. We identified 12 species, 12 genera, 7 families and 5 orders. The most diverse family was Cyprinidae represented by 5 species and 5 genera. In this family, Cyprinion watsoni was caught in 6 sampling stations and Cyprinus carpio species in only one station. Close to estuary, we found marine fish species such as mudskipper of Gobiidae, milk fish of Chanidae, ladyfish  of Elopidae, and two species of Mugilidae families. The latter two species of Mugilidae were not seen in other stations. Of the  identified  species,  Iranocichla  hormuzensis,  Garra persica  and  Schistura  sargadensis  were endemic and Cyprinus carpio was considered exotic.

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