Freshwater Fishes of China in Coloured Illustrations, Volume 3 [Chinese]

About this book

Language: Chinese with scientific nomenclature and English summary

The content of the third volume describes fishes mainly from the northern part of China. It reflects the status quo of the freshwater fish-fauna and the fish resources in the northeast and the northwest China. Being located in the high latitude and the frigid zone, the northeast of China belongs to the frigid-temperate and temperate region. A great number of cold water fishes distribute in the region, such as the families of Petromyzonidae, Acipenseridae, Salmonidae, Hymallidae, Osmeridae, Esocidae, Gasterosteidae, Cottidae and the genus Phoxinus, Leuciscus of Cyprinidae. Among them some are anadromous fishes. However, Leuciscus brandti and L. hakonensis are the only anadromous fishes in Cyprinidae, which are very rare in the world. In the Tumen Tiver, Acipenser medirostris which is endemic. Sachalin is the first record in China.

The northwest China is located in the inland of Asia. It has a typical contental climate with arid weather, sufficient sunshine and great change of temperature between day and night. Within its boundary, there are high mountains, meadows, deserts and Gobis. Besides the Huanghe River and the E-erqisi river, there are some other rivers and many mineralized lakes such as the Talimu River, Yili river, Qinghaihu Lake, Bositenghu Lake and Wulungu Lake. In the region neighbouring with northern border of Qinghai-Xizang (Chinghai-Tibetan) Plateau, the fish-fauna mainly consists of Schizothoracinae and Triplophysa of Cobitidae. But in the Gansu Corridor and its western area, the fish-fauna is relatively poor, a few saline-alkali-resistant and cold-resistant fishes of Cobitidae and Cyprinidae distribute in this region. The E-erqisi River, located in northern Xinjiang, is the only drainage in China which empties itself into the Arctic Ocean. Its fish-fauna is characterized by possessing Thymallus arcticus arcticus, Esox lucius, Tinca tinca, Rutilus rutilus lacustris, Leuciscus idus, L. leuciscus baicalensis, Aspius aspius, Perca fluviatilis, Acerina cernua and Cottus sibiricus altaicus. In addition, fish-fauna is very abundant in Yunnan Province which is located in the southwest of China and, some species were described in the second volume. Here we add the others in this volume. 142 species belonging to 17 families are compiled in this volume. A brief introduction and location of photo taken are given for each species both in Chinese and in English.

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