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Biological Conservation 72 (1995) 159-170 © 1995 Elsevier Science Limited

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M E D I T E R R A N E A N ENDEMIC FRESHWATER FISHES OF ITALY

Pier Giorgio Bianco Dipartimento di Zoologia, Via Mezzocannone, 8, 80134 Napoli, Italy

Abstract In Italy, as in several other circum-Mediterranean coun- tries, there is a unique assemblage of endemic freshwater fishes. Speciation processes, especially of endemic pri- mary 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 histor- ical times. However, natural events are now being super- seded 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).

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 uncon- taminated 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-introduc- tions - - 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) zoogeo- graphical 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 zoo- geographic regions and are usually also genetically unrelated. Acclimatization is not always possible and interactions with local communities are mostly by com- petition and predation.

While in several parts of the world the effect of intro- duced 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-intro- ductions have caused a process of fish fauna 'homo-

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

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).

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Italian endemic freshwater fish

Table 1. Threatened species in localities where translocations occurred, with an indication of the for reductions or extinctions of native local populations

161

translocated taxa most responsible

Native species a Locality Present status of native species Stocked (translocated) taxa a

Rutilus rubilio (TL) Rutilus rubilio (TL) Rutilus rubilio (TL) Rutilus rubilio (TL)

Alburnus albidus (SI)

Alburnus albidus (SI) Scardinius scardafa (TL) Scardinius scardafa (TL) Barbus fucini (TL) Barbus fucini (TL) Rutilus rubilio (TL)

Lake Trasimeno Lake Bracciano Lake Piediluco River Tiber

Rivers of S Italy

Lake Monticchio Lake Trasimeno Tiber, Arno & Magra Rivers River Tiber Arno, Ombrone & Magra Rivers River Fiora

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)

" 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 INTRODUCTIONS 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 sur- veyed 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 popula- tions 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 cen- tral 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).

FISHES 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 destruc- tion. 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 pro- posed 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 compro- mised: 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 environ- mental or regional units and the whole of Italy

Integrity coefficients ~

Units FC ZC GC

River Tevere 0.26 0.44 0-64 River Esino 0-28 0-86 0.33 River Sangro 0.25 0-35 0.71 Tuscano-Latium district 0.17 0.38 0.43 Marche Region 0.22 0.60 0-37 Italy 0.19 0.53 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-introduc- tions. The Genetic Coefficient (GC) is 0.36, which means that only 36% of original native species have not been contaminated by trans-introductions of con- specific 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 Original range" New areas

Alosa fallax nilotica (M) Anguilla anguilla (M) Esox lucius (PV) Salmo trutta (M) Salmo marmoratus (PV) Salvelinus alpinus (PV) Thymallus thymallus (PV) Rutilus rubilio (TL) Rutilus aula (PV) Leuciscus cephalus (PV + TL) Leuciscus souffia (PV + TL) Tinca tinca (PV + TL) Scardinius erythrophthalmus (PV) Alburnus alburnus arborella (PV) Alburnus albidus (SI) Chondrostoma soetta (PV) Chondrostoma genei (PV) Gobio benacensis (PV) Barbus plebejus (PV) Barbus meridionalis (PV) Barbus fucini (TL) Phoxinus phoxinus (PV) Sabanejewia larvata (PV) Cobitis taenia (PV) Atherina boyeri (M) Gasterosteus aculeatus (M) Knipowitschia panizzae (M) Padogobius martensii (PV) Pomatoschistus canestrini (M)

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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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 Lethenteron zanandreai (Vladykov, 1955) - - Lamprecla padana Distribution. Endemic to the Padua-Venetian district, is one of a few remaining near-primary freshwater fishes (Bianco & Miller, 1990) that has escaped trans- introductions 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 (Tor- tonese, 1989). It is successfully being bred and reared in captivity (Arlati et al., 1988). Conservation measures in- volve 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-

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 consid- ered as 'vulnerable'.

Salmonidae Salmo marmoratus (Cuvier, 1829) - - Trota marmorata Distribution. Alpine slopes of the upper Adriatic basins from the River Po to the River Isonzo in Italy (Som- mani, 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 down- stream of that of S. trutta. Conservation status. Present range reduced by human alteration of the habitat and competition and hybrid- ization 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 unsuc- cessfully (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 165

and to trans-introductions of alien cyprinid stocks but in R. Ombrone is on the decrease caused by introduc- tion 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 exten- sive legal trans-introductions (Bianco, 1990a). Its origi- nal 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 pre- sent to conserve the native populations. Massive trans- introductions have now surely altered any genetic evidence of isolation (Bianco, 1995).

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, espe- cially 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.

Leuciscus souffia muticellus Bonaparte, 1837 - - Vairone Distribution. Pan-Italian. The southern limits are prob- ably 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 trans- introductions, 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, unpub- lished data). To avoid extinction, no more trans-intro- ductions 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

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 eutrophica- tion (Giussani & Ruffoni, 1985).

Alburnus albidus (Costa, 1838) - - Vulturino Distribution. Endemic to southern Italy in the area be- tween 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 conserva- tion status has deteriorated (Bianco, 1980 and personal observations). Most rivers are now infested with trans- planted 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 out- side 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, espe- cially 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 moun- tain 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 re- sult 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 every- where 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-intro- ductions mainly from the Po basin to every river in cen- tral Italy (Arno, Ombrone and Tiber) (Bianco, 1990a), the species is now infesting several basins: this practice has caused genetic and zoogeographic pollution and hybri- dization 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-intro- ductions 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 acciden- tal 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 167

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 Gam- busia 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 extinc- tion 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 extinc- tion, 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 en- dangered 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 Apen- nine streams. Is locally rare because of organic pollu- tion 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).

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 Mediter- ranean until historical times.

(2) Of the 71 species established in the wild, 45 are natives. Among the natives, 25 are primary or near-pri- mary freshwater fishes with ranges restricted to Italy or Italy and the western Balkans, three taxa are Mediter- ranean endemics and the others also occur in non- Mediterranean countries.

(3) Anthropogenic habitat modifications and intro- ductions 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 'Danubiza- tion' 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 en- demic species. The present traditional practice of using legal introductions to replenish the abundance and di- versity of local fish faunas for the enjoyment of sport fishermen is supported by strong economic and politi- cal 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 con- specific) 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 tax- onomic 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 eco- nomic pressure of sport and commercial fishing.

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).

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) AND 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

170 P. G. Bianco

A P P E N D I X 1 contd GOBIIDAE

Knipowitsehia panizzae Verga, 1841 Knipowitschia punctatissima (Canestrini, 1864) Padogobius martensii (Gtinther, 1861) Padogobius nigricans Canestrini, 1867

BLENNIIDAE Salariafluviatilis Asso, 1801

Lake Trasimeno and Thyrrhenian coastal area of central Italy Basins of upper PV (PV) Rivers Magra and Amaseno TL and Sisto and Amaseno Rivers

Insular and peninsular Italy

Abbreviations as in Table 1.