Identification of freshwater fishes of Khouzestan province (Phasell)

Abstract

The province of Khouzestan lies in southwestern Iran at the head of the Persian Gulf and is one of the few low land areas in Iran. It is bordered to the west by Iraq, to the south by the Persian Gulf and to the north and east by the foothills of the Zagros Mountains. The waters of this province are part of the Tigris-Euphrates basin. During one year of monthly sampling (2000-2001) by electroshocker and cast net from the Khouzestan Province majority inland waters, like marshes, rivers, draining and lakes, fishes were caught and some species were bought at fish markets, and then studied in the laboratory. Ichthyological characters (morphometric & meristic), habitat, some behavioral and distributions aspects, has been recorded for each species. Farsi names of species given after the scientific names. The native and exotic freshwater ichthyofauna of Khouzestan listed below. Each species were studied, samples belong to 12 species, 9genera and 5 families. Identified families included: Cyprinidae (6 species), Balitoridae (2 species), Cyprinodontidae (one species), Poeciliidae (one species), Gobiidae (one species). There are 3 exotic species, they have been introduced to Khouzestan's inland waters and 9 endemic species were found in Part II project in Khouzestan Province's inland waters.