EXPEDITIONS

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THE COMPLEX ICHTHYOLOGICAL EXPEDITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF DIADROMOUS AND FRESHWATER FISHES OF SAKHALIN AND SOUTHERN KAMCHATKA

MAY-AUGUST 2003.
Support

project leader: Nina G. Bogutskaya
head of expedition: Alexander M. Naseka

         A report will appear ...



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THE COMPLEX ICHTHYOLOGICAL EXPEDITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF FRESH WATER BODIES OF THE SOUTHERN RUSSIA

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2002.
Support:
RFBR 02-04-63152


project leader: Nina G. Bogutskaya
head of expedition: Alexander M. Naseka

         Field works were organized on the territory of the Volgogradskaya and Rostovskaya Provinces, and also separate samplings were done in the drainage area of the Tul'skaya Province (Oka R.). The expedition was based on field stations, while travelling by auto transport or from a research vessel. Explored werewater bodies in drainage areas of the Lower Volga, Lower and Middle Don and River Mius. Tsymlyanskoie Reservoir ,the lower part of the Volga-Don Canal, rivers Volga and Akhtuba within the system of the upper Volga-Akhbuba flood-lands were investigated together with researchers of the Volgograd Branch of the State Institute of Lake and River Fisheries (Volgograd GosNIORKh). The Lower Don and Mius were sampled together with members of the Rostov State University, and the Middle Don and its tributaries - with a help from the Directorate of the M.A. Sholokhov Museum and Nature Reserve Collected and fixed using different methods are specimens of freshwater fishes from the families Cobitidae, Balitoridae, Esocidae, Gobiidae, Percidae and some others. In total, more than 1000 specimens of 43 species are collected which catalogued in the ichthyological collection of the Zoological Institure RAS, as well as collection of the Volgograd GosNIORKh. The material was fixed in formaldehyde and samples of tissues were fixed in alcohol for molecular genetic analysis. A preliminary examination of the collected materials already revealed rare or poorly known taxa as well as confirmed an occurrence in rivers of the southern slope of species recently described and those reported for the first time for the rivers investigated, provided new data to expanding ranges of some invasive species from the families Cyprinidae and Gobiidae. There were done unique pictures of alive specimens from rare species of Cyprinidae, Gobiidae and Cobitidae. The materials collected by the expedition will be a considerable addition to taxonomic, faunistic and zoogeographic studies within the four projects supported by the RFBR.



THE INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF FRESHWATER FISHES OF WATER BODIES OF THE BLACK SEA BASIN

JUNE-JULY 2002.
Support:
Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany,
RFBR 00-07-90304


Participants:
Yuriy V. Movchan (Kiev, Ukraine),
Jorg Freyhof (Berlin, Germany),
Nina G. Bogutskaya, Alexander M. Naseka (St.-Petersburg, Russia),
Jorg Bohlen, Karel Janko (Libechow, Czech Republic)

         The expedition were organized on the territory of Ukraine. Samplings were taken from rivers of the Crimea Peninsula, Dnieper, South Bug, Dniester, and Western Bug drainage areas with main tributaries. There were collected and fixed according to different methods specimens of lampreys (Petromyzontidae) and freshwater fish of many families (Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Balitoridae, Siluridae, Gasterosteidae, Esocidae, Salmonidae, Gobiidae, Percidae, and others). In total, there were collected over 3000 specimens of over 45 species deposited in the collections of the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg, National Natural History Museum of Ukraine, Kiev, and Jorg Freyhof's collection, Berlin. Numerous are fixations for molecular analysis and karyological study. Among specimens collected, there are those of rare or poorly known species, for example, some Barbus species, Dniester and Crimea gudgeons. New data confirmed the occurrence of invasive non-native species, Perccottus glenii, Pseudorasbora parva, Lepomis gibbosus, in the fauna of Ukraine. The expedition contributed to getting new data on morphology, mode of life, habitats and distribution of freshwater fishes in Ukraine. New photos of fishes are made.



THE COMPLEX ICHTHYOLOGICAL EXPEDITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF FRESH WATER BODIES OF THE NORTHERN CAUCASUS

JULY-AUGUST 2001
Support:
RFBR 01-04-63132


project leader: Nina G. Bogutskaya

         Field works were organized in Lazarevsky and Sochi Districts of the Krasnodarsky Krai, Adyghe and Karachay-Cherkesse Republics. Explorated were the basins of rivers draining to the Black Sea from Tuapse to Psou (the border between Russia and Abkhazia as well as the Kuban' River basin with main tributaries from Bolshoi Zelenchuk to the delta (the Sea of Azov). Rivers of the Black Sea basin were sampled together with researchers from the Caucasian Biosphere Preserve and the Rostov State University, River Kuban' - with co-workers from the Kalmykia State University. Collected and fixed using different methods were specimens of lampreys and fishes from the families Petromyzontidae, Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Balitoridae, Siluridae, Gasterosteidae, Esocidae, Salmonidae, Gobiidae, Percidae and others including tissues for molecular analysis. Behavior of ammocoetes and some Cobitidae have been observed. Photos were done for the most of the taxa in consideration. In total, fixed in alkohol or formalin are over 2 thousand specimens of 55 species which enriched the collections of the laboratory of Ichthyology of the Zoological Institute and above-mentioned institutions. A preliminary examination of the collected materials already revealed a number of rare or poorly known taxa.



THE COMPLEX ZOOLOGICAL EXPEDITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF FRESH WATER BODIES OF THE PRIMORSKY TERRITORIES

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2000
Support:
RFBR 00-04-63069,
by Dr. K. Bauer (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien)


project leader: Nina G. Bogutskaya
head of expedition: Alexander M. Naseka

        Field works were organized in Arseniev, Spassk, Ussurijsk and Vladivostok Districts of the Primorsky Territories based on field stations or during travelling by auto transport or boats. Explorated were the basins of River Ussuri, Lake Khanka, Bay of Peter the Great and Ussuri Bay. Collected and fixed using different methods are over 2000 specimens of fishes from the families Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Balitoridae, Siluridae, Bagridae, Odontobutidae, Gasterosteidae, Esocidae and others, aquatic larvae and imago of insects from the orders Psocoptera, Odonata, Heteroptera, Diptera, as well as freshwater hydrozoans. Behavior of some insect species have been observed and imago produced from larvae of a special interest. A collection of alive hydrozoans was transported to S.-Petersburg for further cameral study. Photos and videos were done for the most of the taxa in consideration. For the first time in Russia there was received a video material for hydras which will be included in a CD-ROM about the Hydrida. In total, fixed in alkohol or formalin, pinned or kept alive for studying in culture are over 5 thousand specimens which enriched the collections of three laboratories of the Zoological Institute - laboratory of ichthyology, those of insect systematics and of marine research. A preliminary examination of the collected materials already revealed quite a number of occurrence of rare or poorly known taxa as well as those new for science or earlier unknown for the fauna of Russia.