Title:
Freshwater Fishes and Lampreys of Greece An Annotated Checklist
Date:
March 2015 | 130 pages
Abstract:
This publication provides a complete list of fish species inhabiting freshwaters in Greece as of December 2014. Our initiative aims to produce an official annotated list that will be regularly updated and reviewed by a committee of experts. An
annotated species list is critically important for biodiversity conservation, especially since fish names and taxonomic validation have undergone remarkable changes during the last decade. This checklist contains standardized information on
species’ taxonomy, distribution, habitat, and conservation status, while it also helps interpret nomenclature and taxonomic problems. Furthermore, it may serve as a scientific basis for developing a wider public interest in Greece’s
freshwater fish fauna.
This publication provides a complete list of fish species inhabiting freshwaters in Greece as of December 2014. Our initiative aims to produce an official annotated list that will be regularly updated and reviewed by a committee of experts. An annotated species list is critically important for biodiversity conservation, especially since fish names and taxonomic validation have undergone remarkable changes during the last decade. This checklist contains standardized information on species’ taxonomy, distribution, habitat, and conservation status, while it also helps interpret nomenclature and taxonomic problems. Furthermore, it may serve as a scientific basis for developing a wider public interest in Greece’s freshwater fish fauna.
The checklist is based on the approach developed by researchers at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HMCR), who have been following fish taxonomy and biogeographical patterns throughout the last two decades. Recent reviews of the regional and national fish lists and ichthyogeography document this progress (e.g. Economou et al., 1999; Economou et al., 2007a; Zogaris et al., 2009a; Koutsikos et al., 2012). Many taxonomic experts who work closely with our institute have also contributed to this list by providing their professional advice on species taxonomy, systematics and distribution records. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of our many scientific collaborators; their names appear in our recent scientific publications and reports. Updated versions of this checklist will be available on the IMBRIW websites (http://imbriw.hcmr.gr/en/). The checklist and its future web-based derivatives will be regularly updated, as taxonomic changes take place & new information becomes available.
