Species Accounts - Cyprinidae - Vimba
Genus Vimba
Fitzinger, 1873
This genus is found in the basins of the Baltic, Black and Caspian seas and has a single species. It is characterised by a compressed, moderately deep body with an inferior, crescentic mouth, a scaleless keel between the pelvic and anal fins, a scaleless groove in front of the dorsal fin and an evident keel behind it, pharyngeal teeth in a single row, short dorsal and long anal fin, gill rakers short, and scales moderate in size. Bogutskaya (1986) using skull morphology reaffirms the generic separation of Vimba Fitzinger, 1873 from Abramis Cuvier, 1816 although Howes (1981) considers it to be a synonym.
Vimba vimba
(Linnaeus, 1758)
CMNFI 1979-0435, Gilan, stream 10 km west of Ramsar
Common names
سياه كولي (= siah kuli or siahkooli, meaning black fish, cooli, couli, coli, kooli or kuli being any small fish; in Gilaki), mahi siah kuli.
[garasol in Azerbaijan; chernospinka, Kaspiiskii rybets or Caspian vimba, both in Russian; southern white-eye, vimba].
Systematics
Cyprinus Vimba was originally described from lakes of Sweden.
Cyprinus persa Gmelin, 1774 is a nomen nudum - see Kottelat (1997) - and was later made available by Pallas. Vimba vimba persa (Pallas, 1814) described from "Persa; in lacubus ad Cyrum", i.e. the southern coast of the Caspian Sea in lakes of the Kura River system in Azerbaijan, is the Caspian Sea basin subspecies distinguished by larger scales and usually fewer anal rays from the type subspecies.
A hybrid with Alburnus chalcoides was reported from the Safid River (Petrov, 1926).
Key characters
The snout projects over the lower jaw and in large fish is quite bulbous, there is a keel on the belly and on the back, and fin ray counts are distinctive.
Morphology
Western and southeastern populations in the Caspian Sea can be distinguished morphometrically, and represent different stocks.
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched rays (always 2 in the subspecies persa (Berg, 1948-1949) but the first unbranched ray is minute and visible in x-rays in Iranian specimens) and 7-9, usually 8, branched rays, anal fin with 3 unbranched and 12-22 branched rays (16-18 in persa but see below), pectoral fin branched rays 11-18 and pelvic fin branched rays 7-10. Lateral line scales 47-64, 48-54 in persa (but see below). The lateral line runs below the midline of the caudal peduncle. Predorsal scales are small and crowded. A pelvic axillary scale is present. The naked ventral keel begins 0-3 scales behind the pelvic fin bases. Scales at the anal fin base form a sheath. The anterior scale margin is wavy and the posterior margin is crenualte. There is a central focus, numerous fine circuli and few anterior and posterior radii. Gill rakers 12-20, small and reaching the raker below when appressed. Pharyngeal teeth usually 5-5, with the largest teeth having long and narrow, flat to slightly concave crowns, and tips recurved or very slightly hooked. Vertebrae 38-45. Gill rakers 14-19. The gut is s-shaped. The chromosome number is 2n=50 (Klinkhardt et al., 1995) or 2n=52 (Reshetnikov, 2002).
Meristic values for Iranian specimens are:- branched dorsal fin rays 7(1) or 8(39); branched anal fin rays 16(3), 17(13), 18(18) or 19(6); branched pectoral fin rays 14(8), 15(22), 16(7) or 17(3); branched pelvic fin rays 8(10) or 9(30); lateral line scales 47(1), 48(4), 49(7), 50(10), 51(14), 52(1), 53(1), 54(1) or 55(1); total gill rakers 15(1), 16(2), 17(12), 18(14), 19(9) or 20(2); pharyngeal teeth 5-5(15), 5-4(4) or 4-5(1); and total vertebrae 41(3), 42(9), 43(24) or 44(3). Abbasi et al. (2004) found 149 Safid River fish to have mean values of 50.83 lateral line scales, branched dorsal fin rays 7.96 and branched anal fin rays 17.58.
Sexual dimorphism
Females are slightly larger than males of the same age and differ morphometrically on account of the eggs distorting body shape. The males become black on the back, reddish on the belly, their fins become red and the tips of the dorsal and caudal fins become dark, and they develop minute tubercles on the body during the spawning season (Kuliev, 1988; Abbasi et al., 2004). Females may also develop tubercles but to a lesser extent. Safid River fish showed differences in 2 meristic and 16 morphometric characters, especially body depth and lengths of dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins (Abbasi et al., 2004).
Iranian specimens have small tubercles lining the scale margins and larger tubercles over the whole head but particularly on the dorsal surface and upper sides. Fin rays bear small tubercles in files following the branching of the rays. The pelvic fin has weakly developed tubercles on its ventral surface as well as dorsally. The unbranched pectoral and pelvic rays bear several rows of tubercles.
Colour
The back is a reddish-brown to grey-blue, flanks are silvery and the belly yellowish. Paired fins are red at the base, pink distally. The anal fin base is red while other fins are grey to hyaline. Spawning fish develop black stripes along the dorsal and ventral body.
Size
Reaches 51 cm and 3 kg. The subspecies persa is smaller, to 30 cm.
Distribution
Found from central Europe to the Caspian Sea basin. In Iran it is recorded from the Aras to the Atrak rivers in the Caspian Sea basin including the Manjil Reservoir on the Safid River, the Anzali Mordab and Gorgan Bay, and the southeast Caspian Sea, southwest Caspian Sea and south-central Caspian Sea (Kozhin, 1957; Nümann, 1966; Holčík and Oláh, 1992; Riazi, 1996; Abbasi et al., 1999; Kiabi et al., 1999; Abdoli, 2000). It has also been introduced to Sistan.
Zoogeography
This species reaches its most south-easterly occurrence in Iran and has been given subspecific status. Its relationships lie with European taxa (see Abramis).
Habitat
Caspian vimba have a sparse distribution in the sea and are not fished there commercially. It is more common in Gilan than Mazandaran and Golestan coastal waters (Jolodar and Abdoli, 2004). The semi-migratory form enters fresh water or brackish water only for reproduction in spring. After spawning, it migrates to river mouths to feed until the next reproductive season (Kuliev, 1988). Riazi (1996) reports that this species is native (resident) to the Siah-Keshim Protected Region of the Anzali Mordab. S. Bazari Moghaddam (www.meeresschule.com/cgi-bin/abstracts/gastbuch.asp, downloaded 17 January 2005) records a migration into the Safid River in spring for reproduction. Feeding continues on this migration. Knipovich (1921) reports this species from depths of 36.6-53.0 m in the Iranian Caspian Sea. In fresh water it occurs in schools in the lower reaches of rivers, in deep water over stone and gravel bottoms. It may also occur in lakes over mud bottoms.
Age and growth
Maturity is attained in the second or third year of life, males maturing at age 2 in the Anzali region. In the Safid River migrating fish were 2-4 years old, predominately 3-year-old fish (S. Bazari Moghaddam, www.meeresschule.com/cgi-bin/abstracts/gastbuch.asp, downloaded 17 January2005). Four-year-olds predominate in the spawning population in Kyzylagach or Imeni Kirova Bay, Azerbaijan. Most spawning females are 16-23 cm (46%) and males 13-19 (42%). Large fish spawn first and the number of smaller fish spawning increases towards the end of the reproductive season (Kuliev, 1988; Shikhshabekov, 1979). Most fish on the spawning migration into the Anzali Mordab are 170-250 mm and ages 3-4 years (Holčik and Oláh, 1992). Fish on the spawning migration of the Safid River had a fork length of 116-208 mm and a weight of 21.1-116.1 g in males and 122-222 mm and 23.1-170.0 g in females. Spawning males were 2-6 years old and females 3-7 years (Abbasi et al., 2005). Maximum life span is about 15 years.
Food
Diet is aquatic insects, crustaceans, snails, worms and algae on muddy bottoms. Iranian specimens had zebra mussels and insect remains. S. Bazari Moghaddam (www.meeresschule.com/cgi-bin/abstracts/gastbuch.asp, downloaded 17 January 2005) reports oligochaetes, chironomids and Odonata in fish from the Safid River.
Reproduction
Kuliev (1988) and Shikhshabekov (1979) studied reproduction in the Kyzylagach Bay of the southwestern Caspian Sea and the waters of Dagestan respectively. The spawning migration begins in March or April at 10-13°C and spawning takes place at the end of April at 16-20°C, continuing until the end of May or into June.
Fish enter the Anzali Mordab of Iran in mid-January at a water temperature of 8-9°C, peaking from 21 April-10 May at 19-21°C (Holčík and Oláh, 1992). Khaval (1998) reports a spawning migration into the Safid River despite construction, sand removal and pollution. Fish from the Shafa River estuary in Iran caught on 10 April had highly developed eggs measuring 1.3 mm. Fecundity is up to 89,200 eggs per female, increasing with age and body size (elsewhere in Europe to 200,000 eggs with a diameter of 1.4 mm). Spawning is non-intermittent, in contrast to Black Sea vimbas. Eggs are deposited on gravel or stones where there is a current of 0.6-0.9 m/second. Concrete structures and flooded fields may be used as long as there is some current (Holčík and Oláh, 1992). The eggs may form a layer up to 10 cm thick. Initially attached to plants or stones, the eggs are later washed down between the plants or stones. Other fishes eat these eggs and mortality is high. Some fish deposit eggs in sandy shallows of bays or on the roots of reeds and bulrushes. The young migrate to the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea for the summer, moving to greater depths as winter approaches. At temperatures of 17-22°C, eggs incubate for 70-77 hours (Annual Report, 1994-1995, Iranian Fisheries Research and Training Organization, Tehran, p. 37-38, 1996).
Abbasi et al. (2005) found that the Safid River population started the spawning migration in March and this continued until July, peaking in mid-April to late May. Gonad weight for females increased with distance from the estuary. Spawning occurred from late May to late June, peaking in May at 18-29ºC water temperatures. Eggs were shed on pebble and gravel grounds 25-75 km from the estuary. The Disaam tributary was the major spawning site.
Parasites and predators
Jalali and Molnár (1990a) record the monogeneans Dactylogyrus cornoides and D. haplogonus from this species in the Safid River and Pazooki and Aghlmani (no date) record the trematode Asymphylodora kubanicum from Iranian specimens. Sattari et al. (2007) record the cestodes Caryophyllaeus laticeps and Caryophyllaeus fimbriceps, the digenean Diplostomum spathaceum and the monogenean Dactylogyrus extensus in this species in the Anzali wetland of the Caspian shore.
Economic importance
The vimba catch over the whole Caspian Sea basin was less than 100 tonnes per year in the 1980s (Kuliev, 1988). The catch by local fishermen in the Anzali Mordab region in 1990-1991 was 823 kg or about 8400 fish (Holčík and Oláh, 1992). They are caught in rogas and inflowing rivers of the mordab in late winter and early spring. In 1994-1995, the population of this species was noted as declining in recent years (Annual Report, 1994-1995, Iranian Fisheries Research and Training Organization, Tehran, p. 37-38, 1996).
Robins et al. (1991) list this species as important to North Americans. Importance is based on its use as food and in aquaculture.
Conservation
Weirs are a problem for this species in Iran as they block the spawning migration, the fish massing below the obstruction, and causing re-absorption of eggs and sperm (Holčík and Oláh, 1992). Aquaculture of this species has been investigated in Iran; it can be bred semi-artificially using methods similar to that for Rutilus species (Annual Report, 1994-1995, Iranian Fisheries Research and Training Organization, Tehran, p. 38, 1996).
Lelek (1987) classifies this species as intermediate to rare in northwestern Europe.
Kiabi et al. (1999) consider this species to be near threatened in the south Caspian Sea basin according to IUCN criteria. Criteria include commercial fishing, sport fishing, abundant in numbers, habitat destruction, widespread range (75% of water bodies), absent in other water bodies in Iran, and absent outside the Caspian Sea basin. Mostafavi (2007) lists it as near threatened in the Talar River, Mazandaran.
Further work
The relationships of the Caspian Sea taxon to other Vimba needs investigation as do certain aspects of its biology in Iranian waters as it is under some threat.
Sources
Iranian material: CMNFI 1970-0531, 8, 44.4-70.5 mm standard length, Mazandaran, Larim River (36º46'N, 52º56'E); CMNFI 1970-0543A, 9, 38.9-87.4 mm standard length, Gilan, Caspian Sea at Hasan Kiadeh (37º24'N, 49º58'E); CMNFI 1970-0544, 1, 162.2 mm standard length, Gilan, Caspian Sea near Bandar-e Anzali (37º28'N, 49º27'E); CMNFI 1979-0431, 1, 145.0 mm standard length, Mazandaran, fish bazaar at Now Shahr (no other locality data); CMNFI 1979-0435, 1, 141.1 mm standard length, Gilan, stream 10 km west of Ramsar (36º57'N, 50º37'E); CMNFI 1979-0436, 5, 115.1-156.5 mm standard length, Gilan, stream 26 km west of Ramsar (37º02'30"N, 50º27'E); CMNFI 1979-0437, 1, 155.2 mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River, 2km west of Astaneh (37º16'30"N, 49º56'E); CMNFI 1979-0438, 2, 139.5-152.6 mm standard length, Gilan, Gholab Ghir River (37º27'N, 49º37'E); CMNFI 1979-0788, 2, 28.5-50.7 mm standard length, Mazandaran, Gorgan River (37º00'N, 54º07'E); CMNFI 1980-0120, 7, 47.8-65.5 mm standard length, Mazandaran, Babol River at Babol Sar (36º43'N, 52º39'E); CMNFI 1980-0121, 3, 139.5-152.2 mm standard length, Gilan, Shafa River estuary (37º35'N, 49º09'E); CMNFI 1980-0126, 1, 170.8 mm standard length, Gilan, Caspian Sea near Bandar-e Anzali (37º28'N, 49º27'E); CMNFI 1980-0127, 2, 180.3-182.1 mm standard length, Gilan, Caspian Sea near Hasan Kiadeh (37º24'N, 49º58'E); CMNFI 1980-0129, 1, 51.9 mm standard length, Mazandaran, Tajan River (36º49'N, 53º06'30"E); CMNFI 1980-0138, 10, 28.1-105.0 mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River estuary (ca. 37º28'N, ca. 49º54'E); CMNFI 1980-0142, 1, 180.1 mm standard length, Gilan, Nahang Roga River (no other locality data); CMNFI 1980-0908, 4, 87.8-135.7 mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River estuary (ca. 37º28'N, ca. 49º54'E).
© Brian W. Coad (www.briancoad.com)