Jörg Freyhof

Jörg Freyhof
Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity | MFN · Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery

Dr.

About

429
Publications
212,389
Reads
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Introduction
Based in Berlin/Germany, I am a scientist in freshwater biodiversity, ecology and ichthyology. I work at the Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science in Berlin (https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en) where I am mostly focussed on biodiversity & bioeconomy which is a really very interesting task. Browsing through my publications will give you an idea about some parts of my interests and expertise.
Additional affiliations
June 2019 - present
Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity
Position
  • Project Manager
September 2016 - May 2019
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
Position
  • Researcher
March 2014 - August 2016
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research
Position
  • Managing Director

Publications

Publications (429)
Article
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The conservation of freshwater ecosystems has lagged behind that of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and often requires the integration of large‐scale approaches and transboundary considerations. This study aims to set the foundations of a spatial conservation strategy by identifying the most important catchments for the conservation of freshwater...
Chapter
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This chapter aims to assist biodiversity observation networks across the world in coordinating comprehensive freshwater biodiversity observations at national, regional or continental scales. We highlight special considerations for freshwater biodiversity and methods and tools available for monitoring. We also discuss options for storing, accessing,...
Article
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Subterranean biodiversity in Europe is spectacularly rich, with the Western Balkans being home to about 400 cave species, representing the highest number of species per area worldwide [1]. Nonetheless, cave fishes, which are the most commonly found vertebrates in underground habitats [2], have not been described from Europe so far [3]. Here, we rep...
Article
Following an exhaustive review of published molecular data and morphological characters, we propose a new generic classification for the Cyprinodontiform family Aphaniidae. The generic concept applied is based on monophyly, reasonable compactness, and morphological diagnoses. The proposed genera are monophyletic and compact groups that can be diagn...
Article
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Snow trout (Schizothorax), endemic to the high-altitude freshwater systems of the Tibetan Plateau and the Tien Shan Mountains region, are key components of these ecosystems. This fish lineage may serve as an appropriate model to understand the evolution of biodiversity in the Tien Shan Mountain water ecosystems. However, research has been hindered...
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Freshwater ecosystems are highly biodiverse¹ and important for livelihoods and economic development², but are under substantial stress³. To date, comprehensive global assessments of extinction risk have not included any speciose groups primarily living in freshwaters. Consequently, data from predominantly terrestrial tetrapods4,5 are used to guide...
Article
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To understand biodiversity change and support conservation decision-making, estimates of species' long-term population trends at regional and national scales are essential. However, such estimates are missing for many freshwater taxa, despite the diverse range of threats that they face. For this study, we mobilised monitoring data on riverine fresh...
Article
Here, we report a new locality for a subterranean species of Garra in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. The mitochondrial DNA of fish from this locality is closely related to that of G. typhlops, but genomic data and presence of a mental disc are indicative of a possibly hybrid origin for the analyzed individual. Based on the genetic relationships amon...
Preprint
Eurasia has undergone substantial tectonic, geological, and climatic changes throughout the Cenozoic era, primarily associated with tectonic plate collisions and a global cooling trend. The evolution of present-day biodiversity unfolded in this dynamic environment, characterised by intricate interactions of abiotic factors. However, comprehensive,...
Preprint
Eurasia has undergone substantial tectonic, geological, and climatic changes throughout the Cenozoic era, primarily associated with tectonic plate collisions and a global cooling trend. The evolution of present-day biodiversity unfolded in this dynamic environment, characterised by intricate interactions of abiotic factors. However, comprehensive,...
Article
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Species loss is highly scale‐dependent, following the species–area relationship. We analysed spatio‐temporal patterns of species' extirpation on a multitaxonomic level using Berlin, the capital city of Germany. Berlin is one of the largest cities in Europe and has experienced a strong urbanisation trend since the late nineteenth century. We expecte...
Preprint
Full-text available
Eurasia has undergone substantial tectonic, geological, and climatic changes throughout the Cenozoic era, primarily associated with tectonic plate collisions and a global cooling trend. The evolution of present-day biodiversity unfolded in this dynamic environment, characterised by intricate interactions of abiotic factors. However, comprehensive,...
Article
Cobitis feroniae, new species, is described from central Italy. It is distinguished from C. zanandreai, its putatively closest relative, by having several, small, black dots below Z4; minute, black spot at the upper caudal peduncle, and the pigmentation in Z2 separated from pigmentation in Z1 anterior to the dorsal-fin origin. It is further disting...
Article
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Oxynoemacheilus chaboras, new species, from the stream Beyazsu in the Euphrates drainage, belongs to the O. persa species group, being closely related to O. shehabi from the Orontes, O. sarus from the Seyhan and Ceyhan, O. euphraticus from the Euphrates and Tigris, O. karunensis from the Karkheh, and O. persa from Central Iran. The new species is d...
Article
The Aegean Luciobarbus graecus, L. lydianus, and L. kottelati were described based on morphological characters. However, re-examination of fresh material from the three species revealed greater intraspecific variability in morphological character states, and wider overlaps in all postulated diagnostic traits than initially documented. Consequently,...
Article
Turcinoemacheilus inexpectatus, new species, is described from the Greater Zab, Lesser Zab, and Sirvan drainages, all tributaries of the middle Tigris. It belongs to the T. kosswigi species group. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by an indistinct or prominent midlateral stripe broader than the eye diameter often overlaid by a row...
Article
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Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species’ distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and mar...
Article
Cabdio occidentalis, new species, is described from the Lake Mashkid basin and the Makran region of Iran. It is distinguished from other species of the genus by a combination of characters: 38–42+1–2 total lateral-line scales, 19–23 predorsal scales, 9–11 pectoral-fin rays, and the absence of a keel between the pelvic-fin base and the genital papil...
Book
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Die Gesamtartenliste der sich im Süßwasser reproduzierenden Fische und Neunaugen Deutschlands umfasst 111 etablierte Arten. Eine Rote-Liste-Kategorie wird für die 90 indigenen und archäobiotischen Arten ermittelt. Die bundesweite Gefährdungsanalyse beruht auf den länderspezifischen Einschätzungen von 59 Expertinnen und Experten aus allen Ländern un...
Article
Atlantor, new genus, is proposed for Barbus reinii from the Atlantic basin in Morocco. The sole species of the genus is clearly separated from related genera based on its phylogenetic position, and from Carasobarbus, Mesopotamichthys and Pterocapoeta in its morphological characters. Atlantor was previously included in Labeobarbus, making this genus...
Article
Glyptothorax vatandousti, new species, from the upper Karkheh drainage, a tributary of the Iranian Tigris, is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by having the flank with a fine, pale-brown mottled pattern overlaid by small and large, blackish or dark-brown blotches, deep caudal-peduncle (its depth 1.1–1.3 times in length), a...
Article
Two new species of Salariopsis are described from the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Salariopsis burcuae, new species, from the Bay of Antalya east to the Jordan, is characterised by having a short cirrus, usually not overlapping the 9th circum-orbital sensory pore, and many tiny black dots on the cheek not organised in rows or bands. The new species...
Article
Mystus misrai from the northern Orontes drainage (Mediterranean Sea basin) is re-examined and recognised as a valid species. It is distinguished from M. pelusius from the Gulf basin by the lack of stripes on the flank, shorter fins, the eye situated below the dorsal head profile, and a K2P distance of 7.3% in its COI barcoding gene. Mystus misrai i...
Article
Barbus urmianus, from the upper Mahabad River in Lake Urmia basin, was distinguished from B. cyri based on several morphological characters. Our analysis demonstrated very small molecular (COI) differences between both species and mostly overlapping or identic morphological character states. Therefore, Barbus urmianus is treated as a junior synonym...
Article
Glyptothorax sardashtensis, new species, from the upper Lesser Zab in Iran, is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by: a plain flank without black or brown blotches; a wide and round anterior margin of the medial pit in the thoracic adhesive apparatus; few, short median striae in the thoracic adhesive apparatus; three yellowi...
Article
Garra rezai, new species, is described from the Chooman, a tributary of the Lesser Zab in Iran, and from headwaters of the Yanarsu, a tributary of the upper Tigris in Turkey. It is distinguished from its congeners in the Garra variabilis species group by having two pairs of barbels, a well-developed mental disc, 35-40 total scales along the lateral...
Article
DNA barcodes (COI) of Troglocobitis starostini, endemic to a single site in Turkmenistan, were analysed and put into the taxonomic context of the large group of nemacheilid loaches known from Western and Central Asia. All applied phylogenetic tree-based analyses place the species into the genus Paracobitis. This finding supports previous morphologi...
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The eastern-most members of the Salmo trutta species complex in the Aralo-Caspian Sea region were studied to infer their population genetic structure and biogeographic origin. A total of 68 individuals collected from Iranian endorheic inland basins (Namak and Urmia lakes), tributaries of the Caspian (Haraz, Kura, Samur, Volga, and Ural river draina...
Article
The 'two species' hypothesis for S. cephaloides and S. cii, both occurring in the southern Marmara Sea basin, is tested. Our results suggested that there are no morphological and molecular characters to support this hypothesis, and we treat Squalius cephaloides as a junior synonym of S. cii.
Article
Cobitis indus, new species, from the Dalaman River drainage, is distinguished from other Cobitis species in the eastern Aegean Sea basin by having two laminae circularis, a bifurcate suborbital spine, a narrow caudal peduncle, pigmentation zone 4 with 17-24 small blotches often fused into a stripe, pigmentation below Z4 usually absent, and one blac...
Article
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Freshwater ecosystems host disproportionately high numbers of species relative to their surface area yet are poorly protected globally. We used data on the distribution of 1631 species of aquatic plant, mollusc, odonate and fish in 18,816 river and lake catchments in Europe to establish spatial conservation priorities based on the occurrence of thr...
Article
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Oxynoemacheilus zarzianus was described from the Lesser Zab River drainage in Iraqi Kurdistan. Here, we report this species for the first time from the Iranian part of the Sirvan River drainage based on morphological and mtDNA COI barcode sequence characters.
Article
The Oxynoemacheilus angorae species group is revised and 10 species are recognised, two of which are described herein as new. Oxynoemacheilus anatolicus, O. angorae, O. eregliensis, O. germencicus, O. isauricus, O. nasreddini, O. mediterraneus, and O. theophilii are endemic to west and Central Anatolia. Oxynoemacheilus cinicus and O. mesudae, both...
Article
The Oxynoemacheilus bergianus species group is revised based on tree topology (ML, NJ, MP), distance (K2P and ASAP) and Poisson tree process analyses of DNA barcode data tested against morphometric and morphological characters including colour patterns. The O. bergianus species group is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus groups based on morph...
Article
Egirdira, new genus, is proposed for Pararhodeus niger from Central Anatolia based on its position in molecular phylogenetic analyses and its morphological characters. It is distinguished from all other genera of Leuciscidae except Delminichthys and Pelasgus by having the unbranched part of pectoral rays 2-3 thickened and slanted upward, with a con...
Article
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The cover image is based on the Viewpoint A global agenda for advancing freshwater biodiversity research by Alain Maasri et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13931. Image Credit: Solvin Zankl. image
Book
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With the the support of the University of Guilan and the Iranian Society of Ichthyology, the "Ninth National and the First International Iranian Conference of Ichthyology" with the goal of exchanging ideas, synergy and updating knowledge in various areas of fish biodiversity, conservation of native fish species and protection of aquatic ecosystems...
Article
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The results of Central Asian freshwater fishes Red List assessments were very briefly described. A list of all described species of freshwater fishes’ native to Central Asia was compiled and it was ensured that the taxonomy is consistent with the IUCN Species Information System (SIS) database and standard taxonomic sources. The IUCN Species Red Lis...
Article
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VIETBIO [Innovative approaches to biodiversity discovery and characterisation in Vietnam] is a bilateral German-Vietnamese research and capacity building project focusing on the development and transfer of new methods and technology towards an integrated biodiversity discovery and monitoring system for Vietnam. Dedicated field training and testing...
Article
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Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global...
Article
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National and local governments need to step up efforts to effectively implement the post‐2020 global biodiversity framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity to halt and reverse worsening biodiversity trends. Drawing on recent advances in interdisciplinary biodiversity science, we propose a framework for improved implementation by national...
Article
Five new species of Glyptothorax are described from Iran. Glyptothorax alidaeii, new species, from the Seimare in the Karkheh drainage, G. galaxias, new species, from the upper Karun drainage, G. hosseinpanahii, new species, from the Zohreh drainage, G. pallens, new species, from the Sirvan drainage, and G. shapuri, new species, from Shapur in the...
Article
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Background Sympatric speciation along ecological gradients has been studied repeatedly, in particular in freshwater fishes. Rapid post-glacial ecological divergence has resulted in numerous endemic species or ecologically distinct populations in lakes of the temperate zones. Here, we focus on the Baltic cisco ( Coregonus albula ) complex, to study...
Chapter
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The fishes of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers are reviewed and 242 is the total species from 58 families are recognized. From these, and 126 are coastal species, many just entering the lower Shatt Al-Arab during salt water intrusion. Additional 107 species are anadromous (Tenualosa ilisha) or restricted to freshwaters including one species (Aphanio...
Article
Previous studies on the phylogenetic relationships between lamprey species relied either on a low number of morphological characters related to the feeding apparatus, or on a low number of molecular mitochondrial DNA markers. Here, we apply a multilocus approach to assess the phylogenetic relationships of northern hemisphere lampreys, with a specia...
Article
The Volturno Spined Loach Cobitis zanandreai is thought to be restricted to only two places in Italy, the Fondi Lake (Latium) and the Volturno river basin (Campania). In this study we carried out a review of the available literature and surveyed 37 sites of potential occurrence. We discovered seven previously unknown populations of C. zanandreai in...
Article
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Aim In the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, freshwater fishes are key biogeographic indicators, while their habitats are vulnerable to ongoing anthropogenic pressures. The freshwater blenny is a widespread endemic taxon in this area. However, our understanding of the overall diversity of specific populations and their phylogenetic relationships...
Article
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• Freshwater biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. Freshwater conservationists and environmental managers have enough evidence to demonstrate that action must not be delayed but have insufficient evidence to identify those actions that will be most effective in reversing the current trend. • Here, the focus is on identifying essential...
Article
Alburnus battalgilae Özuluğ & Freyhof, 2007 from the Gediz River drainage in western Anatolia is a junior synonym of A. attalus Özuluğ & Freyhof, 2007, from the adjacent Bakır River drainage. We were unable to confirm the morphological differences originally proposed. As both species have been described in the same publication, as First Reviewers,...
Article
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Rheophilic gudgeons discovered in 2007 in the upper Mur River in Styria were initially identified as Romanogobio uranoscopus. In 2018, these fishes were described as R. skywalkeri, a relative of R. kesslerii. Both, R. uranoscopus and R. kesslerii, are listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. Species separated from those listed in the EU Hab...
Article
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The Convention on Biological Diversity’s post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will probably include a goal to stabilize and restore the status of species. Its delivery would be facilitated by making the actions required to halt and reverse species loss spatially explicit. Here, we develop a species threat abatement and restoration (STAR) metric...
Article
Oxynoemacheilus isauricus, new species, from the Lakes Beyşehir and Suğla basins in Central Anatolia is distinguished from all other species of the O. angorae group by having a very slender caudal peduncle (its depth 2.2-2.6 times in its length). The new species is further distinguished by having a short head (head length 21-24% SL), and a midlater...
Article
Full-text available
Oxynoemacheilus nasreddini, new species, from Lake Akşehir, Eber, Eğirdir, and Ilgın basins in Central Anatolia is distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Central Anatolia by having irregularly shaped blotches on flank; 2-4 dark-brown bands on caudal fin; a slender body, and an emarginate caudal fin in which the shortest middle cauda...
Article
The Glyptothorax species inhabiting the Euphrates and Tigris drainages are reviewed and six species are recognised, one of which is described herein as new species. Glyptothorax armeniacus is endemic to headwater streams in the Euphrates drainage. Glyptothorax kurdistanicus is endemic to the upper Tigris downstream to the Lesser Zab drainage. Glypt...
Article
Full-text available
There are particular challenges in defining the taxonomic status of recently radiated groups due to the low level of phylogenetic signal. Members of the Salmo trutta species-complex, which mostly evolved during and following the Pleistocene, show high morphological and ecological diversity that, along with their very wide geographic distribution, h...
Article
Oxynoemacheilus sarus, new species, is described from the lower Ceyhan and Seyhan drainages in southern Anatolia. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in Cilicia (including the Göksu, Seyhan and Ceyhan drainages) by possession of a series of irregularly shaped midlateral blotches, 3-5 dark-brown bands on the caudal fin, a complete...
Article
Garra orontesi, new species, is described from the Orontes River drainage in the eastern Mediterranean Sea basin in Turkey and Syria. It is distinguished from its congeners in the Mediterranean Sea basin and adjacent Mesopotamia by possessing 17-21 gill rakers on the lower part of the first gill arch, the pelvic-fin origin usually below the second...
Article
Oxynoemacheilus phasicus, new species, is described from the Rioni and Enguri River drainages in Georgia. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the O. brandtii group by a mottled or marbled flank pattern in adults, a slightly emarginate caudal fin, and a deep caudal peduncle. Molecular data suggest that the new species is charac...
Article
Full-text available
This study aims to complement existing fish-based assessment approaches by classifying European lampreys and fish species according to their probability of occurrence in six different longitudinal river regions and five types of floodplain water bodies under unimpaired conditions. The main objective was to provide for the first time harmonized occu...
Preprint
Full-text available
Freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and the current biodiversity crisis requires defining bold goals and mobilizing substantial resources to meet the challenges. While the reasons are varied, both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind efforts in the terrestrial and marine realms. We identify fifteen pres...
Article
Full-text available
Thermal response curves that depict the probability of occurrence along a thermal gradient are used to derive various species' thermal properties and abilities to cope with warming. However , different thermal responses can be expected for different portions of a species range. We focus on differences in thermal response curves (TRCs) and thermal n...
Article
Oxynoemacheilus amanos, new species, is described from İncesu spring in the upper Hupnik drainage, a northern tributary of the lower Orontes in Turkey. It is distinguished from the other Oxynoemacheilus species in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea basin by possession of an incomplete lateral line with 23–45 pores, terminating between the vertical throu...
Preprint
Full-text available
Freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and the current biodiversity crisis requires defining bold goals and mobilizing substantial resources to meet the challenges. While the reasons are varied, both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind efforts in the terrestrial and marine realms. We identify fifteen pres...
Article
Oxynoemacheilus shehabi, new species, is described from the upper Orontes in southern Syria. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the Levant by possession of a complete lateral line, a deeply emarginate caudal fin, a narrow caudal peduncle, a suborbital groove in male individuals, a well-developed pelvic axillary lobe, and 5-7...
Article
Alburnus nasreddini described from Lake Eber in Central Anatolia is a junior synonym of A. escherichii, a widespread species in adjacent Sakarya River drainage. We found no morphological characters to distinguish Alburnus nasreddini from A. escherichii and both are poorly distinguished on a molecular level also.
Chapter
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Introduction All together 162 species of freshwater fish and four species of lampreys are known from the Caucasus Ecoregion, of which 51 are endemic and 11 alien to the region. The fauna is biogeographically close to the adjacent faunas of the Caspian and Black Seas and many species occur beyond the Caucasus or are closely related to species outsid...
Article
Paracobitis salihae, new species, from the Göksu River in the western upper Euphrates drainage, is distinguished from other Paracobitis species by possessing a truncate caudal-fin, and a dark-brown vermiculate or marbled colour pattern. It is also characterised by 19 variable nucleotide substitutions, three diagnostic nucleotides and 3.6% minimum K...
Article
Full-text available
Aphaniops dispar, widespread around the Arabian Peninsula, was recently separated in four species (A. dispar, A. hormuzensis, A. kruppi, A. stoliczkanus) by molecular results and colour patterns, but the morphological differences are small and call for more studies. Here we report differences in skeleton and median fin osteology of these species. I...
Technical Report
Full-text available
The Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot is among the most biologically diverse regions worldwide and renowned for its richness of endemic freshwater species. But the hotspot’s lakes, rivers and wetlands are seriously threatened by an unprecedented boom in hydropower development. As a result, aquatic ecosystems have become increasingly degraded...
Article
Oxynoemacheilus cilicicus, new species, is described from the Göksu, Seyhan and Ceyhan rivers in southern Turkey. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea basin by possession of an incomplete lateral line, terminating before the vertical of the dorsal-fin origin or slightly behind the dorsal-fin base,...
Article
The results of a historic ichthyological expedition to Algeria and Tunisia are presented. In September 1982, 14 species were recorded at 32 locations. The only alien species recorded was Gambusia holbrooki, which was widespread. Anaecypris punica and Haplochromis desfontainii are still recorded these times from Algeria, in addition to Tropidophoxin...