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Biological Conservation 72 (1995) 159-170
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M E D I T E R R A N E A N E N D E M I C FRESHWATER FISHES OF
ITALY
Pier Giorgio Bianco
Dipartimento di Zoologia, Via Mezzocannone, 8, 80134 Napoli, Italy
The survival of native fishes in Italy is threatened by
a number of factors (pollution, habitat destruction and
dam construction). In this article most attention will be
paid to introductions of alien taxa. The reason for this
is that, while other factors rarely totally eradicate a
species from a river basin (as small perennial uncontaminated river sections operate as genetic reservoirs
for the fish fauna), an alien taxon may eliminate or
exterminate a native species by competition or predation
from the whole basin.
Three kinds of introductions (any human alteration
of the composition of the native fish fauna) have been
recently proposed (Bianco, 1995): (1) trans-introductions - - fish transfers between isolated river basins
within the same political country; (2) cis-introductions
- - transfers between branches of the same river basin;
(3) iso-introductions - - transfers between different
political countries. Trans-introductions are the most
dangerous because they may be responsible for at least
five kinds of negative interactions with the local native
populations: (1) loss of genetic identity; (2) zoogeographical pollution; (3) massive cases of interspecific
hybridization; (4) reduction or extinction by predation;
or (5) by competition. Cis-introductions may produce
similar effects to those of trans-introductions when the
transfers are between tributaries separated by long
distances. In iso-introductions, the introduced taxa
sometimes originate from very distant and distinct zoogeographic regions and are usually also genetically
unrelated. Acclimatization is not always possible and
interactions with local communities are mostly by competition and predation.
While in several parts of the world the effect of introduced species on native communities has been taken
into consideration (Welcomme, 1984), in Europe, very
little attention has been paid to this subject (Lelek,
1987).
In Italy, transfers of non-native species have brought
about an ecological disaster in terms of biogeographic,
genetic and faunistic pollution and the local extinction
of native species (Bianco, 1990a). The current situation
in Italy is very similar, on a smaller scale, to what
occurred as a result of the introduction of non-native
commercial species into Central African lakes, which
caused the extinction of hundreds of endemic species
(Barel et al., 1985; Ogutu-Ohwayo, 1989).
In Italy, more than 20 years of active trans-introductions have caused a process of fish fauna 'homo-
Abstract
In Italy, as in several other circum-Mediterranean countries, there is a unique assemblage of endemic freshwater
fishes. Speciation processes, especially of endemic primary or near-primary freshwater fish, most probably
occurred during the Lago Mare era of the Mediterranean
(about 5 million years BP). However, the present-day
distribution patterns are surely the result of events that
occurred more recently, from the Pleistocene until historical times. However, natural events are now being superseded by anthropogenic interference with fish faunas.
Among the various negative human factors the most
harmful is the introduction of non-native species, which in
Italy are responsible for the present catastrophic situation.
Of the 71 species currently with natural self-sustaining
populations in Italian waters, only 45 are natives. Of the
latter, only 16 (or fewer) have not been subjected to
deliberate human transfers. In Italy there about 28 endemic
Mediterranean taxa, but most have either been deliberately
or accidentally introduced to areas outside their natural
range. The result of this persistent practice on a little
known and unique fish fauna is zoogeographic pollution,
massive cases of hybridization and loss of genetic identity
by local native populations. The problem of freshwater
fish conservation is not a matter of public concern in
Italy. Sport fishing has a political and econ~bmic value
and introductions are legally carried out and 'welcomed'
by most fishermen; most biologists and conservationists
are either unaware or unconcerned.
Keywords: endemic, fish~ conservation, Italy.
INTRODUCTION
In Italy, as in several other circum-Mediterranean
countries, there is a unique assemblage of primary and
near-primary freshwater fishes. Several are endemic
taxa, possibly isolated from present Danubian elements
since the Messinian era (about 5 million years BP)
(Bianco, 1987a, 1990b), but the modern distribution
pattern seems to be a result of more recent events, such
as local plate-tectonics along the Apennine ridge which
caused river captures between the headwaters of rivers
(Bartolini & Pranzini, 1988; Cattauto et al., 1988) and
river catchments that occurred on the continental shelf
(the Adriatic in Italy) during the last wtirm glacial
marine regression (10,000-15,000 years BP) (Bianco,
1990b).
159
160
P. G. Bianco
genization'. This is mostly due to stocking practices
operated from a 'major dispersal centre' located in
northern Italy near the town of Verona, which carried
out introductions from the Po and Adige basins to
•
P
every other catchment in central and southern Italy
(Fig. 1): in this way, the identity and the limits of the
two main Italian ichthyogeographic regions (Fig. 1)
have become confused (Bianco, 1990a).
*'%
X is f '
#
,o
4~
o~
.
o
o
%
/ :-
\..---.
11
0
C= D
0
0
0
a
,a
o,
%
0
I
%
200
I
I
km
I
I
Fig. 1. The main ichthyogeographic district in Italy: P, Padano-Venetian; T, Tuscano-Latium; S, Southern Italy. M, location of
the fishery more involved in native freshwater fish transfers.
Italian endemic freshwater fish
161
Table 1. Threatened species in localities where translocations occurred, with an indication of the translocated taxa most responsible
for reductions or extinctions of native local populations
Native speciesa
Rutilus
Rutilus
Rutilus
Rutilus
rubilio
rubilio
rubilio
rubilio
(TL)
(TL)
(TL)
(TL)
Locality
Present status of native species
Stocked (translocated) taxaa
Lake Trasimeno
Lake Bracciano
Lake Piediluco
River Tiber
Virtually extinct
Very seldom in the lake
Nearly extinct
Seldom in main course of
the basin
Endangered in all rivers of
southern Italy
Virtually extinct
Endangered
Endangered
Endangered
Unknown
Rare
Scardinius erythrophthalmus (PV)
Rutilus aula (PV)
Rutilus aula (PV)
Alburnus alburnus arborella (PV)
Chondrostoma genei (PV)
Rutilus rubilio (TL)
Leuciscus cephalus (PV + TL)
Rutilus aula (PV)
Scardinius erythrophthalmus (PV)
Scardinius erythrophthalmus (PV)
Barbus plebejus (PV)
Barbus plebejus (PV)
Chondrostoma soetta (PV)
Alburnus albidus (SI)
Rivers of S Italy
Alburnus albidus (SI)
Scardinius scardafa (TL)
Scardinius scardafa (TL)
Barbus fucini (TL)
Barbus fucini (TL)
Rutilus rubilio (TL)
Lake Monticchio
Lake Trasimeno
Tiber, Arno & Magra Rivers
River Tiber
Arno, Ombrone & Magra Rivers
River Fiora
" Original district of the species: PV, Padano-Venetian district (basins north of the River Vomano in Italy and north of the River
Krka in Dalmatia on Adriatic slopes); TL, Tuscano-Latium district (basins between the River Serchio and the River Tiber on
Tyrrhenian slopes); SI, Southern Italy. (Modified from Bianco, P. G. (1990a). Vanishing freshwater fishes in Italy. J. Fish Biol.,
37A (Suppl.), 235-7. Reprinted by permission.)
FISH I N T R O D U C T I O N S IN ITALY
While in the past, fish restocking mostly involved
species of value either commercially or for angling
(both exotics and natives), in the last 25-30 years,
many 'less attractive' (for anglers and fishery managers)
species were also involved in deliberate introductions.
The worst custom was stocking many catchments
in peninsular Italy with 'white fish': a mixture of
unidentified species, mostly native to northern Italy,
including minnow, chub, barbel, cobitids, gobies, etc.
(Bianco, 1990a). Some results of these practices,
recorded by the author in water bodies repeatedly surveyed in the last 10-15 years, are shown in Table 1.
Official practices have allowed massive introductions
mostly from north to south, for nearly a century. From
the end of the last century until 1970, two major official
institutions (the Rome and Brescia fish farm centres)
provided fish for introductions throughout Italy. The
Rome fish farm operated in central and southern Italy
and mostly did trans-introductions from north to
south, while the Brescia fish farm mainly carried out
restocking across northern Italy. It has been estimated
that about 350 million native cyprinids (chub, barbel,
minnow, rudd) were cis- and trans-introduced from the
Padua-Venetian area, from the River Isonzo (which
rises in Slovenia), as far as the eastern Liguria and
Piedmont Regions (Ministero Agricoltura e Foreste,
1931; Bianco, 1987b). The Rome fish distribution centre
trans-introduced conspecific and allospecific populations of cyprinid species from northern basins (mostly
the Po, Adige and Lake Garda) to the River Tiber,
Lake Trasimeno and other basins in central Italy
(Moretti & Gianotti, 1966; Sommani, 1969). These
practices have increased in the last 20-30 years when
the official management of rivers was devolved to the
regional and provincial level.
By means of introductions, several species present as
'impurities' in the stocked samples were unintentionally
spread to several sites in Italy. This was the case for
Table 2. Native species with their original range
Species
Range"
Lethenteron zanandreai
Lampetra fluviatilis
Lampetra planeri
Petromyzon marinus
Acipenser sturio
Acipenser naccarii
Huso huso
Salmo carpio
Leuciscus lucumonis
Scardinius scardafa
Barbatula barbatula
Aphanius fasciatus
Salaria fluviatilis
Gobius nigrieans
Knipowitschia punctatissima
Cottus gobio
PV, alpine basin of Rivers Po and Potenza
TL, River Magra and Sele
TL, Rivers Magra and Sele and, on Adriatic slope, River Pescara
Peninsular Italy, seldom in large islands
Adriatic Sea and connected rivers
Upper Adriatic Sea and connected rivers
Adriatic Sea and connected rivers
Lake Garda
TL
TL and Scanno Lake (Pescara River basin)
NE alpine area of PV
Insular and peninsular Italy
Insular and peninsular Italy
TL and Sisto and Amaseno Rivers
Basins of upper PV
PV and TL
" Abbreviations as in Table 1.
162
P. G. Bianco
Sabanejewia larvata in Lake Trasimeno, Leuciscus
souffia in the River Biferno, Chondrostoma genei in central Italy and Cobitis taenia and Alburnus alburnus
arborella, natives of the Padua-Venetian region, but now
spread throughout Italy. The impact of this 'tradition'
on a fish fauna that was largely still unknown was
catastrophic. Today we are unable to trace the original
range of any primary freshwater fish species. To do
this, it must be deduced from the literature (when this
is available and credible), or better from examination
of historical collections preserved in Natural History
Museums or other similar institutions (Bianco, 1987a).
F I S H E S OF ITALY
In Italy, about 71 species are currently reported to be
breeding in waters outside captivity: 45 are natives and
26 introduced. Of the native species, only 16 have till
now escaped trans-introductions (Table 2), but nearly
all are endangered by pollution and habitat destruction. Most of the native species have been subjected to
authorized or clandestine trans-introductions (Table 3).
To evaluate the level of degradation of the native fish
fauna in an environmental unit (lake, basin, region,
country), three integrity coefficients have been proposed and calculated for several units by Bianco
(1991a) and are shown in Table 4. In Italy as a whole,
the status of the native fish fauna is seriously compromised: the Faunistic Coefficient (FC) is only 0.17,
which means that only 17% of the original fish fauna
Table 4. Ichthyological integrity coefficients of some environmental or regional units and the whole of Italy
Integrity coefficients~
Units
FC
ZC
GC
River Tevere
River Esino
River Sangro
Tuscano-Latium district
Marche Region
Italy
0.26
0-28
0.25
0.17
0.22
0.19
0.44
0-86
0-35
0.38
0.60
0.53
0-64
0.33
0.71
0.43
0-37
0.35
" FC, faunistic coefficients; ZC, zoological coefficients; GC,
genetic coefficients. (Modified from Bianco, P. G. (1991b). Sui
pesci d'acqua dolce del flume Esino. Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat.,
132, 49-60. Reprinted by permission.)
(mostly endangered diadromous species) have not been
involved in human manipulations and trans-introductions. The Genetic Coefficient (GC) is 0.36, which
means that only 36% of original native species have
not been contaminated by trans-introductions of conspecific populations or transplanted to one or more
localities outside their original range. The Zoological
Coefficient (ZC) is 0.53, which means that the original
ranges of nearly half of all native species have been
artificially altered.
In smaller units (Table 4) the situation is basically
the same as that described above for the whole of Italy:
the Esino shows the highest ZC value (0.86) because it
Table 3. Translocated native species with their original ranges (in parentheses), and new areas where they are established
Species
Alosa fallax nilotica
Anguilla anguilla
Esox lucius
Salmo trutta
Salmo marmoratus
Salvelinus alpinus
Thymallus thymallus
Rutilus rubilio
Rutilus aula
Leuciscus cephalus
Leuciscus souffia
Tinca tinca
Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Alburnus alburnus arborella
Alburnus albidus
Chondrostoma soetta
Chondrostoma genei
Gobio benacensis
Barbus plebejus
Barbus meridionalis
Barbus fucini
Phoxinus phoxinus
Sabanejewia larvata
Cobitis taenia
Atherina boyeri
Gasterosteus aculeatus
Knipowitschia panizzae
Padogobius martensii
Pomatoschistus canestrini
Original range"
(M)
(M)
(PV)
(M)
(PV)
(PV)
(PV)
(TL)
(PV)
(PV + TL)
(PV + TL)
(PV + TL)
(PV)
(PV)
(SI)
(PV)
(PV)
(PV)
(PV)
(PV)
(TL)
(PV)
(PV)
(PV)
(M)
(M)
(M)
(PV)
(M)
New areas
Volcanic lakes of Latium
Regularly stocked in many basins
Peninsular and insular Italy
Peninsular and insular Italy
Tiber basin in Central Italy
Stocked in many alpine waters
Nera (River Tevere)
Appenine side of PV and SI
Some lakes of PV and SI
Rivers of SW Ligury, TL and SI
Rivers of SW Ligury and River Biferno in SI
Peninsular and insular Italy
Lakes and rivers of TL
Lakes and rivers of Peninsular Italy
Rivers Lao and Noce in SI
Rivers and lakes of TL
Rivers of TL
Two rivers of TL: Arno and Tiber
Peninsular Italy
Several rivers of SW Ligury and TL
Rivers of central and SI
River Pora, SW Ligury
Lake Trasimeno and Tiber basin
From Ligury to TL and SI
Lakes of central Italy
Lakes Scanno and Villalago in SI
Lake Trasimeno and Thyrrhenian coastal area of central Italy
Rivers Magra and Amaseno
Gulf of Taranto
M, diadromus or of recent origin. Other abbreviations as in Table 1.
Italian endemic freshwater fish
163
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P. G. Bianco
Lethenteron zanandreai (Vladykov, 1955) - -
species in the northern Mediterranean, sometimes living
in sympatry (Quignard & Douchement, 1991) is difficult
to understand. Introduced in lakes in central Italy. In
Sardinia upstream migratory populations trapped after
dam construction tend to assume the morphology of
landlocked populations (lacustris ecophenotype) after a
few generations.
Habitat. Pelagic and gregarious either in the sea or in
lakes. The diet consists mainly of zooplankton, but in
the sea and in rivers it is able to catch larger prey such
as fish and macro-crustaceans.
Conservation status. Migratory populations are gradually
disappearing due to a number of factors such as pollution,
river barrages, professional fishing and poaching. In
Italy it is progressively vanishing (Bianco, 1989). In
Greece (Economidis, 1991), Spain (Doadrio et al.,
1991) and other countries (Maitland, 1991) it is considered as 'vulnerable'.
Lamprecla padana
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian district,
Salmonidae
belongs to the Padua-Venetian district from where
most trans-introductions originated and shares several
species with it; Sangro has the higher GC value
because, until now, no trans-introductions of native
cyprinids have occurred there.
Of the 45 freshwater fish species native to Italy, most
are endemic to the Mediterranean (28 species)
(Appendix 1) and fall into the category of primary (25
species) or near-primary freshwater fishes (Bianco &
Miller, 1990). The general features of each species
and their current conservation status are given in the
following list.
LIST OF ENDEMIC MEDITERRANEAN SPECIES
IN ITALY
Petromyzonidae
is one of a few remaining near-primary freshwater
fishes (Bianco & Miller, 1990) that has escaped transintroductions and for this reason may be considered as
a valuable biogeographical indicator (Bianco, 1992).
Habitat. Brooks or brooklets with clean water and
muddy or sandy bottoms, where the temperature
ranges from 5°C in winter to 19.5°C in summer
(Bianco, 1986a).
Conservation status. Endangered by pollution and habitat
destruction (Bianco 1986a; Delmastro, 1986). It is now
abundant only in the headwaters of the Po River near
the towns of Saluzzo, Villa-Franca and Biella (Alessio &
Gandolfi, 1983) and in the Potenza River in east-central
Italy where it was recently found (Bianco, 1992).
Acipenseridae
Acipenser naccarii Bonaparte, 1836 - - Storione cobice
Distribution. Endemic in the Adriatic drainage basin
from the Po to Isonzo in Italy to Corfu in northern
Greece (Tortonese, 1989). In the River Po it does not
reach Piedmont, but is still present both upstream and
downstream of the Caorso dam on the River Po.
Habitat. Anadromous species. Main courses of rivers
and shallow seas. Its present distribution has been
reduced by habitat destruction or dam construction.
Conservation status. The scarcity of the species in Italian
rivers may not be as severe as usually reported (Tortonese, 1989). It is successfully being bred and reared in
captivity (Arlati et al., 1988). Conservation measures involve habitat preservation and installation of fish-passes
on dams. Of the three sturgeon species living in Italy, A.
naccarii is the only one at present in the Po basin (Rossi,
et al., 1992): its presence upstream of dams suggest that
landlocked populations are established in the river.
Clupeidae
Alosa fallax nilotica (Geoffroy, 1827) - - Cheppia
(migratory form); Agone (landlocked form)
Distribution. Mediterranean Sea. Enters eastern Atlantic
and western Black Sea. The recognition of three sub-
Salmo marmoratus (Cuvier, 1829) - - Trota marmorata
Distribution. Alpine slopes of the upper Adriatic basins
from the River Po to the River Isonzo in Italy (Sommani, 1960) and the River Neretva in Dalmatia (Povz
et al., 1990).
Habitat. Sandy or gravelly bottoms of running or
standing clean and cold waters in the upper courses of
Alpine rivers and glacial lakes. Its zonation is downstream of that of S. trutta.
Conservation status. Present range reduced by human
alteration of the habitat and competition and hybridization with stocked S. trutta (Tortonese, 1980:
Forneris & Alessio, 1986, Marconato et al., 1986;
Forneris et al., 1990). S. marmoratus is being bred, reared
and stocked in rivers and lakes. Successfully introduced
into the Tiber River basin (Sommani, 1962, 1969).
Salmo carpio Linnaeus, 1758 - - Carpione del Garda
D&tribution. Endemic to Lake Garda.
Habitat. The species has been bred and introduced into
several lakes in Italy (and in New Zealand) but unsuccessfully (Melotto & Oppi, 1987).
Conservation status. Since the 1970s has been artificially
restocked in Lake Garda but at present the species is
seldom found in the lake and professional catches have
decreased from about 20 tonnes a year in 1887 to less
than 5 tonnes a year between 1985 and 1988: overfishing,
eutrophication and modification of spawning substrates
are responsible for its present decline (Melotto & Oppi,
1987; Melotto & Alessio, 1990; Alessio et al.. 1991).
Cyprinidae
Leuciscus lucurnonis Bianco, 1982 - - Cavedano di ruscello
Distribution. Endemic to Tuscany and Latium regions
(Arno, Ombrone and Tiber river basins).
Habitat. Brooks, brooklets and small rivers in the hill
zone of the principal basins (Bianco, 1983, 1987a).
Conservation status. It has not been subject to human
transfers and is an important biogeographic indicator.
The species seems to be resistant to habitat alteration
Italian endemic freshwater fish
and to trans-introductions of alien cyprinid stocks but
in R. Ombrone is on the decrease caused by introduction of Chondrostoma genei (personal observations).
Leuciscus cephalus squalus Bonaparte, 1837 - Cavedano comune
Distribution. This chub, with soft nine-branched rays,
occurs in Italy and in the western Balkans except for
Albania (Bianco, 1986b). The species is common in
peninsular Italy.
Conservation status. It is able to withstand pollution
and habitat destruction. In Italy it is subject to extensive legal trans-introductions (Bianco, 1990a). Its original range is not well known and it is possible that it
was formerly absent from several rivers in southern
Italy. No particular measurements are needed at present to conserve the native populations. Massive transintroductions have now surely altered any genetic
evidence of isolation (Bianco, 1995).
Leuciscus souffia muticellus Bonaparte, 1837 - - Vairone
Distribution. Pan-Italian. The southern limits are probably the Vomano River on the Adriatic and the
Volturno River on the Tyrrhenian side. Introduced in
Liguria (Balma et al., 1989).
Habitat. Riverine fish living in moderately cold waters
of hill regions (the Thymallus zone of Huet, 1949)
(Spillmann, 1961; Tortonese, 1970). Currently the
species occurs in every suitable habitat.
Conservation status'. The species is safe. Locally, its
occurrence could be the result of clandestine transintroductions, as for example in the River Biferno in
southern Italy (Bianco, 1987a).
Scardinius scardafa (Bonaparte, 1837) - - Seardafa
Distribution. Central Italy and western Balkans. From
a biogeographic point of view, this species and the
common rudd S. erythrophthalmus are distinct taxa
(Bianco, 1990a).
Habitat. Parts of lakes and lower reaches of rivers rich
in aquatic vegetation.
Conservation status. Trans-introductions of common
rudd from north to central Italy have brought about
the extinction of this species in nearly all basins. In
Italy, a single (possibly non-native population) survives
in Lake Scanno in the Abruzzo region (Bianco, unpublished data). To avoid extinction, no more trans-introductions of any species of rudd should be carried out.
Rutilus rubilio (Bonaparte, 1837) - - Rovella
Distribution. Endemic to central Italy.
Habitat. Riverine species that can also colonize lakes in
absence of specialized lacustrine species.
Conservation status. Probably a native of central Italy; the
present distribution in southern Italy and Sicily (Tigano &
Ferrito, 1986) is the result of trans-introductions (Bianco
& Taraborelli, 1985). It has vanished from several lakes in
central Italy as result of transfers of Rutilus aula and
other more lacustrine cyprinids (Bianco & Taraborelli,
1985). In the rivers of southern Italy, R. rubilio tends to
165
eliminate the endemic Alburnus albidus and now infests
every river (Bianco, 1990a and personal observations). In
the Tuscany and Latium regions it is still abundant, especially in small torrential tributaries of the main fiver
basins of the Arno, Ombrome and Tiber Rivers and in
isolated small rivers flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Rutilus aula (Bonaparte, 1841) - - Triotto
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions.
Habitat. Lacustrine species that can colonize rivers in
the absence of specialized riverine species.
Conservation status. Since historical times it has been
transplanted from north to central Italy. The species is
now dominant in several central Italian lakes (Bianco
& Taraborelli, 1985). Trans-introductions have hidden
the original distribution of R. aula in rivers on the
Adriatic slope of Italy (Bianco, 1991b). In the
Padua-Venetian regions the species is abundant locally
to the extent of being a pest.
Alburnus alburnus arborella (Bonaparte, 1841) - - Arborella
Distribution. Padua-Venetian regions and the whole of
peninsular Italy, western Balkans to Albania (Bianco,
1980).
Habitat. It has been transplanted throughout Italy: this
lacustrine species contributed to the elimination or
decline of native populations of Rutilus rubilio in lakes
and lowland rivers of the Tuscany and Latium regions
(Bianco, 1987a, 1990a). It is increasing in abundance in
most basins in northern Italy as a result of eutrophication (Giussani & Ruffoni, 1985).
Alburnus albidus (Costa, 1838) - - Vulturino
Distribution. Endemic to southern Italy in the area between the Rivers Volturno and Trigno in the north and
Sinni and Alento in the south (Bianco, 1980).
Habitat. It was formerly abundant in all rivers in
southern Italy.
Conservation status. The species has been introduced
south of the River Alento into the Rivers Lao and
Noce (Bianco, 1990a). In the last 10 years, its conservation status has deteriorated (Bianco, 1980 and personal
observations). Most rivers are now infested with transplanted stocks of Rutilus rubilio which have relegated
A. albidus to the lower reaches. Hybridization with L.
eephalus is another reason for the decline (Bianco, 1982),
Chondrostoma soetta Bonaparte, 1840 - - Savetta
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions.
Habitat. Gregarious, mostly lacustrine species, quite
common in the main stretches of principal rivers and in
lakes (Tortonese, 1970),
Conservation status. Transplanted to several basins outside its original range (Balma et al., 1989; Bianco, 1989;
Trisolini et al., 1991). Its introduction into artificial
lakes in central Italy (Salto and Turano) contributed to
the local extinction of native species (Balma et al.,
1989; Bianco, 1989). The species is locally a pest, especially in some sites where it has been stocked (Balma et
al., 1989). Endangered in the River Isonzo because of
166
P. G. Bianco
competition with the alien C. nasus (Pizzul et al., in
press).
Chondrostoma genei (Bonaparte, 1839) - - Lasca
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions
of Italy.
Habitat. Running waters of the foothill zone of mountain regions, with gravelly or sandy bottoms. Deep
water in lakes.
Conservation status. It has been introduced into central
Italy at least since 1976 and is now present outside its
native range in all the main rivers of the Tuscany and
Latium regions (Bianco, 1989). This species is regularly
transplanted together with other cyprinid species as
'white fish' (Bianco, 1989). It is quite common in all
localities and its range is progressively enlarging as a result of trans-introductions. Safe, but locally endangered.
Gobio benacensis (Polllini, 1816) - - Gobione
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian region at
least as far as the Esino River (Bianco, 1991b).
Habitat. Running clean waters with gravelly or sandy
bottoms.
Conservation status. Introduced at least in the River Arno
(Bianco & Taraborelli, 1986). The species is progressively
vanishing from several sites in northern Italy because of
habitat destruction (Delmastro, 1981; Marconato et al.,
1986). Habitat preservation is the main conservation
measurement to be adopted to save the species.
Barbus meridionalis caninus Bonaparte, 1 8 3 9 Barbo canino
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions:
according to preliminary work by P. Berrebi (pers.
comm.), Italian populations differ from those of the
rest of Europe.
Habitat. Running waters of the upper hill zone of
mountain regions. It tends to occur further upstream
than the congeneric and sympatric B. plebejus plebejus.
Conservation status. Progressively decreasing everywhere because of habitat destruction. In some cases
organic pollution may favour the expansion of local
populations (Marconato et al., 1986). Transplanted at
least into Liguria (Balma et al., 1989) and the River
Ombrone (Bianco, personal observations).
Barbus plebejus plebejus Bonaparte, 1839 - Barbo padano
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions.
Habitat. Running waters of the hill and lowland zones
of rivers.
Conservation status. As a result of massive trans-introductions mainly from the Po basin to every river in central Italy (Arno, Ombrone and Tiber) (Bianco, 1990a),
the species is now infesting several basins: this practice
has caused genetic and zoogeographic pollution and hybridization with B. fucini (Bianco, personal observations).
Barbus fucini Costa, 1838 - - Barbo cavaliere
Distribution. Endemic to the Tuscany and Latium regions.
Habitat. As the above species.
Conservation status. Transplanted into several rivers in
southern Italy. In 1987 was accidentally introduced into the
Rivers Agri and Sinni (Basilicata region) (Bianco, 1987a).
In the main rivers of central Italy (Rivers Arno, Ombrone,
Tiber) it and Barbus plebejus now occur sympatrically
(Bianco, personal observations). Stopping trans-introductions is the first step to conserve this species.
Cobitidae
Sabanejewia larvata (De Filippi, 1859) - - Cobite
mascherato
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions.
Detailed distribution still unknown.
Habitat. Standing and running waters in the lowland
and hill zones with sandy or muddy bottoms rich in
vegetation.
Conservation status. Transplanted to Lake Trasimeno
and the River Tiber basin (Bianco, 1989). Habitat
destruction is probably the main reason for the local
decline in native populations.
Cobitis taenia bilineata (Canestrini, 1866) - - Cobite comune
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions.
Habitat. Standing or running waters of the lowland
and hill zones of the mountain region, with soft (sandy
or muddy) bottoms used by the species to hide during
the day (Marconato et al., 1986).
Conservation status. The current range of this loach
throughout Italy results from legal, illegal and accidental trans-introductions (Bianco 1987a, b). It seems to be
a species quite resistant to river pollution (Bianco,
1991a). The species may be considered safe although
locally it has disappeared through habitat destruction.
Cobitis taenia zanandreai Cavicchioli, 1965 - Cobite del Volturno
Distribution. Apparently only in the Volturno basin.
Habitat. As for C. taenia bilineata.
Conservation status. Very rare because of habitat
destruction (Bianco, personal observations). From meristic
and biometric characters (Zanandrea et al., 1965),
C. taenia zanandreai seems to be intermediate between
Sabanejewia larvata and Cobitis taenia bilineata. Could
the Volturno loach be an intergeneric stabilized hybrid
resulting from artificial introduction of both species?
Cyprinodontidae
Aphaniusfasciatus Nardo, 1827 - - Nono
Distribution. Mediterranean endemic species. Its detailed
distribution seems to be complementary to that of other
cyprinodontid species with which it usually does not occur
sympatrically (Villwock, 1970; Bianco & Miller, 1989). Its
eastern limit is near the Dardanelles: it does not enter the
Black Sea (Banarescu, 1964; Parenti, 1981). Absent in
Spain and Algeria, where it is replaced by A. iberus and in
France (Villwock & Scholl, 1982; Doadrio et al., 1991).
Habitat. Competition and predation seem to be factors
limiting the spread of the species, which is potentially
able to colonize every kind of habitat up to a salinity
Italian endemic freshwater fish
around four to five times that of the sea. The most
common habitats are transitional environments such as
brackish waters (Bianco, 1989).
Conservation status. Habitat destruction, decline in salt
works and competition with other species (mainly Gambusia affinis) are responsible for the local decline or
extinction of the species (Bianco & Ahnelt, in press).
Blennidae
Salar&flUV~ltilis (Asso, 1801) - - Cagnetto
Distribution. Mediterranean endemic species present in
every continental river with a rocky outlet as well as
those on major islands (Bianco & Taraborelli, 1988).
Habitat. Running clean water in the lower reaches of
rivers with stony or gravelly bottoms.
Conservation status. The species is in danger of extinction in Spain (ICONA, 1986; Doadrio et al., 1991), safe
in Greece (Economidis, 1991) while in Yugoslavia it is
not counted as an endangered species (Povz et al.,
1990). In central Italy the species is in danger of extinction, mainly from river pollution (Bianco, 1989 and
personal observations).
Gobiidae
Padogobius nigricans (Canestrini, 1876) - - Ghiozzo di
ruscello
Distribution. Endemic to the Tuscano-Latium regions.
Habitat. Small rivers with fast running water and with
stony bottom.
Conservation status. Very common in the past in every
suitable habitat. Today is still locally common but endangered in several rivers because of rising temperatures
and habitat destruction (Bianco, 1989; Miller, 1990).
Padogobius martensii (Gunther, 1861) - - Ghiozzo padano
Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian regions,
was introduced into the Rivers Amaseno and Magra
(Bianco & Miller, 1990).
Habitat. Small rivers in the hill zone with fast running
water and stony bottom.
Conservation status. Still very common in several Apennine streams. Is locally rare because of organic pollution and habitat destruction (Bianco, 1989).
Knipowitsch& punctatissima (Canestrini, 1864) - Panzarolo
Distribution. Endemic to north-eastern Italy.
Habitat. Springs and cold clean streams on the plain
(Miller, 1990). It is sometimes associated with the
Paduan goby. The species is endangered by habitat
destruction, especially that caused by lowering of the
water table. In the Emilia region it survives now in a
single spring (Forneris et al., 1990).
Knipowitschia panizzae (Verga, 1841) - - Ghiozzetto di
laguna
Distribution. Endemic to several Adriatic and Ionian
river basins of Italy and western Balkans: introduced
into Lake Trasimeno and coastal lagoons on the
Tyrrhenian coast of Italy (Bianco, 1989).
167
Habitat. Coastal lagoons, estuaries and the lower
reaches of rivers. Springs and brooks near the coast
with mud and vegetation (Forneris et al., 1990).
Conservation status. Unknown.
CONCLUSIONS
(I) Italy has two ichthyogeographic regions with
very rich endemic faunas which probably originated
and spread since the Lago Mare phase of the Mediterranean until historical times.
(2) Of the 71 species established in the wild, 45 are
natives. Among the natives, 25 are primary or near-primary freshwater fishes with ranges restricted to Italy or
Italy and the western Balkans, three taxa are Mediterranean endemics and the others also occur in nonMediterranean countries.
(3) Anthropogenic habitat modifications and introductions have severely altered the natural abundance
and composition of local fish faunas. From the Roman
period till modern times, introductions have been
responsible for the irreversible processes of 'Danubization' of the fish fauna in the Padua-Venetian regions
and 'Paduanization' of western-central Italy, Tuscany
and Latium regions. The final result will probably be a
general 'homogenization' of the whole Italian fish
fauna.
(4) Very few instruments exist for saving our endemic species. The present traditional practice of using
legal introductions to replenish the abundance and diversity of local fish faunas for the enjoyment of sport
fishermen is supported by strong economic and political pressures. The only chance for the survival of
endemic species is for them to survive by themselves
and to win the fight against the alien (sometimes conspecific) populations.
(5) In order to restore and conserve of our fish fauna
the following actions need to be taken urgently:
(a) Stop all kinds of legal introductions, especially those
using stocks of native species of unknown origins;
(b) If legal stockings are required, the health and taxonomic status of samples must be severely controlled
and the number of alien taxa must be reduced to a few
long-introduced species as carp, tench, pike, etc., or
sterilized or non-self maintaining species;
(c) Studies of the distribution and mapping of
residual 'pure' native populations, in particular of each
endemic Mediterranean species, in the whole of Italy;
(d) Projects for local reintroductions of species
restoration using local known native populations;
(e) Last, but not least, reduce the political and economic pressure of sport and commercial fishing.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work forms part of the program 'Componenti
Extrapale Artiche della Fauna Italiana Mediterranea'
supported by MURST.
168
P. G. Bianco
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APPENDIX 1. ENDEMIC OR MEDITERRANEAN FRESHWATER
FISHES LIVING IN ITALY WITH THEIR ORIGINAL RANGES
(IN PARENTHESES) A N D PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN
TRANSLOCATED
PETROMYZONIDAE
Lethenteron zanandreai (Vladykov, 1955)
ACIPENSERIDAE
Acipenser naccarii Bonaparte, 1836
CLUPEIDAE
Alosa fallax nilotica (Geoffroy, 1827)
SALMONIDAE
Salmo marmoratus Cuvier, 1817
Salmo carpio Linnaeus, 1758
CYPRIN1DAE
Alburnus albidus (Costa, 1838)
Alburnus alburnus arborella (Bonaparte, 1841)
Barbusfucini Costa, 1838
Barbus meridionalis caninus Bonaparte, 1839
Barbus plebejus Bonaparte, 1839
Chondrostoma genei (Bonaparte, 1839)
Chondrostoma soetta Bonaparte, 1840
Gobio benacensis (Pollini, 1816)
Leuciscus cephalus squalus Bonaparte, 1839
Leuciscus lucumonis Bianco, 1982
Leuciscus souffia muticellus Bonaparte, 1837
Rutilus aula (Bonaparte, 1841)
Rutilus rubilio (Bonaparte, 1837)
Scardinius scardafa (Bonaparte, 1837)
COBITIDAE
Cobitis taenia zanandreai Cavicchioli, 1965
Cobitis taenis bilineata (Canestrini, 1866)
Sabanejewia larvata (De Filippi, 1859)
CYPRINODONTIDAE
Aphanius fasciatus Cuvier & Valenciennes, 182 l
Alpine basin of PV
Upper Adriatic Sea and connected rivers
Insular and peninsular Italy
(PV) Tiber basin in central Italy
Lake Garda
(SI) River Lao and Noce in SI
(PV) Lakes and rivers of Peninsular Italy
(TL) Rivers of central Italy and SI
(PV) Several rivers of SW Ligury and TL
(PV) Peninsular Italy
(PV) Rivers of TL
(PV) Rivers and lakes of TL
(PV) Two rivers of TL: Arno and Tiber
(PV + TL) Rivers of SW Ligury, TL and SI
(TL)
(PV + TL) Rivers of SW Ligury and R. Biferno
(PV) Some lakes of PV and SI and River Ombrone
(TL) Appenine side of PV and SI
TL and Scanno lake of Pescara river basin
River Volturno and coastal lagoons of Latium
(PV) From Ligury to TL and SI
(PV) Lake Trasimeno and Tiber Basin
Insular and peninsular Italy
P. G. Bianco
170
APPENDIX
1
contd
GOBIIDAE
Knipowitsehia panizzae Verga, 1841
Knipowitschia punctatissima (Canestrini, 1864)
Padogobius martensii (Gtinther, 1861)
Padogobius nigricans Canestrini, 1867
Lake Trasimeno and Thyrrhenian coastal area of central Italy
Basins of upper PV
(PV) Rivers Magra and Amaseno
TL and Sisto and Amaseno Rivers
BLENNIIDAE
Salariafluviatilis Asso, 1801
Abbreviations as in Table 1.
Insular and peninsular Italy