The conservation status of large migratory cyprinids including Aspiorhynchus laticeps of Xinjiang China

Abstract

Large fish species are at high risk of extinction because of life cycle characteristics and migratory fishes are often vulnerable to river modifications and overexploitation. The freshwater fish family Cyprinidae has the highest diversity in species, varied morphological and behavioral properties, and a wide range of habitat requirements. This study included an analysis of the conservation attention on large, migratory cyprinid species, a summary of threats jeopardizing the endangered species in this group, and a case study on little known species from northwest China. About 1% of all cyprinid species exceed 1m in total length, and most of these fishes have migratory behaviors. Most of these species (79%) have not been evaluated for conservation attention, and a minor portion that have been evaluated were considered endangered. The threats to large migratory cyprinids include all the common threats to freshwater biodiversity: overexploitation, habitat alteration, water pollution, flow modification, and species invasion. The first two threats explain most of the decline in abundance and range of large, migratory cyprinids, and the others are sometimes important. The case of the Xinjiang datou fish (Aspiorhynchus laticeps) illustrates how an impressive species can be lost without much scientific or public attention. The analysis of conservation attention, threats, and the case study support the conclusion that large, migratory cyprinids are not receiving conservation efforts that should be focused on fish species that are especially vulnerable to human impacts. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag, Berlin.