Some Ecological Aspects Of Bizz Barbus Esocinus Heckel, 1843 (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae) From Tigris And Euphrates Rivers – Iraq

Abstract

Bizz, Barbus esocinus (Heckel 1843), distinctly became an enigmatic dispersed fish in last years, being at one time endemic to Tigris and Euphrates rivers wherever their reaches. Present investigations were adopted, taking into account scarcity and vulnerability of this voluble species in Iraq. Barbus esocinus is still distributed in some parts of the Tigris and Euphrates and their main affluent. In addition to morphological characteristics, some biological results were obtained: the sizes structure, quantitative indices characterizing the growth rate, reproductive capacity, spawning migration, and general conception of food. Accordingly Bizz is synchronous spawner migrating to the upper reaches of the rivers in April-May to spawn within Iraqi freshwater system. The results exposed emphatic evidence that Bizz is over-exploited and strongly threatened due to migration routs shrinking and spawning grounds degradation and losing. Thus the results must utilize with respect to exigent in captive reproduction and habitats in ecosystem of Tigris and Euphrates rivers, especially within Iraqi borders.

Key words: Iraqi fishes, Freshwater fishes, Morphology, Cyprinidae, Flood Rivers, Reproduction, Migration, Ecology, Spawning, Age, Growth