First records of Gobio nigrescens and Gobio sibiricus (Cypriniformes: Gobionidae) from the Amu Darya River basin, Uzbekistan

DNA barcoding revealed a wider distribution of Alburnoides holciki (Teleostei: Leuciscidae) in the inland waters of Uzbekistan

“…At the same time, based on the absence of genetic divergence between the Amu Darya and Hari rivers populations, the results of our and previous studies confirm the hypothesis of a recent connection between these two basins in the Lower Quaternary (Levin et al., 2019; Sokolov, 1952). Furthermore, in our recent study (Sheraliev et al., 2020) that Gobio nigrescens , previously considered occurring only in the Hari River basin, has been recorded in the Amu Darya basin, once again corroborates that the above hypothesis is closer to reality.…”

Molecular diversity of Uzbekistan’s fishes assessed with DNA barcoding

“…This study clarified the taxonomic status of a number of taxa, such as Alburnoides oblongus and A. taeniatus, which belong to Alburnus, which is consistent with the results of Matveyev et al 54 and Jouladeh-Roudbar et al 55 ; Schizothorax fedtschenkoi is a valid species; another Schizothorax sp. from the southern part of the country is an undescribed species; the Alburnoides population (previously considered as A. eichwaldii) from the inland waters of Uzbekistan, is de facto A. holciki 49 ; three Gobio species occur in the inland waters of the country 50 ; Glyptosternon and Rhodeus each consist of two species and not just one, as previously believed; thus, additional taxonomic research is required; two species of the genus Neogobius (N. melanostomus and N. pallasi) (previously believed to belong to N. melanostomus and N. fluviatilis 56 ) occurred in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya; the population of Opsariichthys in Uzbekistan belongs to the same species, and O. bidens is not O. uncirostris as previously believed 56 ; the entire Rhinogobius population in Uzbekistan belongs to the same species (Rhinogobius sp. ), which is neither R. brunneus nor R. similis as previously thought 56,57 ; thus, taxonomic clarification is required (Figs.…”

“…At the same time, the drying up of the Aral Sea, which is the largest water basin in the region, global climate change, population growth, river damming, water pollution, water withdrawals for agriculture, poaching, overfishing, and habitat destruction, all affect the fish species in the region 46,47 . To date, studies on piscifauna have been based mainly on traditional morphological criteria and have not been comprehensively barcoded, except in our recent studies [48][49][50] . Recently, molecular identification has been applied to identify mainly nematodes among animal species 51 .…”

Fish diversity in a doubly landlocked country - a description of the fish fauna of Uzbekistan using DNA barcoding

“…This study clarified the taxonomic status of a number of taxa, such as A. oblongus and A. taeniatus , which belong to Alburnus , which is consistent with the results of Matveyev et al [54] and Jouladeh-Roudbar et al [55]; Schizothorax fedtschenkoi is a valid species; another Schizothorax sp. from the southern part of the country is an undescribed species; the Alburnoides population (previously considered as A. eichwaldii ) from the inland waters of Uzbekistan, is de facto A. holciki [49]; three Gobio species occur in the inland waters of the country [50]; Glyptosternon and Rhodeus each consist of two species and not just one, as previously believed; thus, additional taxonomic research is required; two species of the genus Neogobius ( N. melanostomus and N. pallasi ) (previously believed to belong to N. melanostomus and N. fluviatilis [56]) occurred in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya; the population of Opsariichthys in Uzbekistan belongs to the same species, and O. bidens is not O. unirostis as previously believed [56]; the entire Rhinogobius population in Uzbekistan belongs to the same species ( Rhinogobius sp. ), which is neither R. brunneus nor R. similis as previously thought [56, 57]; thus, taxonomic clarification is required; moreover, there is only one species of Gambusia ( G. holbrooki ) occurring in the waters of Uzbekistan, while previously it was believed that both G. affinis and G. holbrooki were found in the waters of the country [56, 58] (Figs S1, 4; Table S2).…”

“…At the same time, the drying up of the Aral Sea, which is the largest water basin in the region, global climate change, population growth, river damming, water pollution, water withdrawals for agriculture, poaching, overfishing, and habitat destruction, all affect the fish species in the region [46, 47]. To date, studies on piscifauna have been based mainly on traditional morphological criteria and have not been comprehensively barcoded, except in our recent studies [48-50]. Recently, molecular identification has been applied to identify mainly nematodes among animal species [51].…”