Abstract—
The composition of ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay (southeastern Kamchatka) is characterized. Over the entire period of studies since the 1930s, 27 fish species from 12 families have been recorded in the intertidal zone; Cottidae and Liparidae constitute more than 44% of them. Fishes recorded in the intertidal zone are components of seven ichthyocenes, but the nucleus (81.5%) is formed by representatives of only three of them: littoral, sublittoral, and elittoral ichthyocenes. Most species are rare (85.2%), and only stone cockscomb Alectrias alectrolophus is a numerous species that constantly occurs in biotopes formed by pebble-boulder grounds. Juveniles constitute a prevailing proportion of fish species (63%) recorded in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay.
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Despite the fact that the first information about representatives of ichthyofauna inhabiting Avacha Bay was obtained as far back as the 19th century (Tilesius, 1810; Pallas, 1814), only since 1930−1935 has the data of ichthyological surveys (Popov, 1933, 1935) and monitoring of seasonal changes in the ratio of fish species inhabiting the bay (Vinogradov, 1949) provided insight into the species composition of ichthyofauna in the bay. During the following period until the 1990s, purposeful faunistic studies on fish were not conducted in Avacha Bay, though the researchers of sectoral and academic institutions periodically carried out investigations there whose results supplemented the available information about the species composition of ichthyofauna (Matyushin, 1982, 1989; Vasilets et al., 1998). In the 1990s, the staff of the Kamchatka Institute of Ecology and Nature Management, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (KIENM, presently Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Geographical Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (KB PGI FEB RAS)) captured fish with different fishing gear and investigated the intertidal zone. Generalization of the materials collected in 1990−2005 using published and inquiry data made it possible to generally characterize the modern composition of ichthyofauna in Avacha Bay and to compare it with that in the 1930s (Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015). However, the literature data on fishes inhabiting the intertidal zone are not numerous and scarce up to the present.
The aim of this study is to characterize ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay based on the generalization of all currently available information.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present report is based on the results of the analysis of the ichthyological collection of KB PGI FEB RAS, the published data, and the data of our surveys. In April–September 2014–2017, we monitored the species composition and abundance of fish in two areas of the intertidal zone in the northeastern part of Avacha Bay subjected to a strong anthropogenic impact (Fig. 1): the first area is located near the settlement of Seroglazka near the site of location of fishing vessels (it was studied regularly during all 4 years), the second area was located near Nikolskaya sopka in the center of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (surveys were conducted only in 2016–2017). Over the period of observations, more than 4700 specimens of different fishes were found and captured with hands under stones in intertidal puddles that made it possible to obtain a clear view of the modern species composition of ichthyofauna and a relative abundance of recorded species in pebble-boulder biotopes in the intertidal zone in the northeastern part of Avacha Bay.
Fig. 1. Map of Avacha Bay and surveyed sites in the intertidal zone during different periods: (⚫) 1930−1935, (⚪) 1992−2000, (⚫) 2014−2017 ((1) near the settlement of Seroglazka, (2) near Nikolskaya sopka).
The belonging of some fish species to a particular ecological group (ichthyocene) was accepted according to Sheiko and Fedorov (2000). The degree of abundance of a particular species was determined based on the expert assessment of its occurrence in the intertidal zone: a dominant species is constantly recorded; a common species occurs periodically as solitary specimens, and a rare species is found only in some catches during the entire period of surveys. In order to have an idea for the stage of the life cycle at which each of the studied representatives of ichthyofaunal occurs in Avacha Bay, the specimens were subdivided into three groups: (1) juveniles (fingerlings and small immature fishes), (2) adults (large, mature fishes), (3) fishes of all ages. Earlier, such subdivision was used for the general analysis of the ichthyofauna composition in Avacha Bay (Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
According to the available data, 27 species of fish from 12 families have been recorded for certain in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay (Table 1). The highest species diversity is characteristic for representatives of the families Cottidae and Liparidae (six species each), which amount to more than 44% of the ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone. The other ten families include only one to two species each.
Table 1. Species composition of ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay
Family, species | Ichthyocene | Abundance | Age category (TL, mm) | Source of information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Salmonidae | ||||
1. Oncorhynchus gorbuscha | an ep | R | 1 (30−40) | Collection of KB PGI; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
2. O. kisutch | an ep | R | 1 (30−40) | Ibid |
2. Gasterosteidae | ||||
3. Gasterosteus aculeatus | an n | R | 2 (72) | Matyushin, 1982 |
4. Pungitius pungitius | san | R | 3 (nd) | Popov, 1933 |
3. Hexagrammidae | ||||
5. Hexagrammos octogrammus | sl | R | 1 (50−70) | Collection of KB PGI; Vinogradov, 1949 |
6. Pleurogrammus monopterygius | el | R | 1 (40) | Collection of KB PGI; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
4. Cottidae | ||||
7. Enophrys diceraus | el | C | 1 (20) | Vinogradov, 1949; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
8. Megalocottus platycephalus | sl | R | 1 (50) | Ibid |
9. Microcottus sellaris | l | R | 1 (90) | '' |
10. Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus | el | R | 1 (10−70) | Collection of KB PGI; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
11. M. stelleri | sl | C | 1 (10−103) | Collection of KB PGI Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 Our data |
12. Porocottus camtschaticus | sl | R | 1 (20) | Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
5. Agonidae | ||||
13. Hypsagonus quadricornis | el | R | 1 (nd) | Vinogradov, 1949 |
6. Cyclopteridae | ||||
14. Aptocyclus ventricosus | n | R | 2 (200−300) | Collection of KB PGI; Vinogradov, 1950; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
7. Liparidae | ||||
15. Liparis brashnikovi | sl | R | 1 (<50) | Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
16. L. callyodon | l | R | 3 (<120) | Ibid |
17. L. cf. kusnetzovi | l | R | 2 (85) | Our data |
18. L. cyclopus | el | R | 2 (80−90) | Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
19. L. miostomus | l | R | 1 (<50) | Ibid |
20. L. schantarensis | l | R | 2 (80) 1 (30−40) | Vinogradov, 1949; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
8. Bathymasteridae | ||||
21. Bathymaster signatus | el | R | 1 (140) | Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
9. Stichaeidae | ||||
22. Alectrias alectrolophus | l | N | 3 (30−143) | Collection of KB PGI; Popov, 1933; Vinogradov, 1949; Matyushin, 1989; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015; our data |
23. Opistocentrus ocellatus | sl | R | 1 (30−40) | Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
10. Pholidae | ||||
24. Pholis fasciata | sl | R | 2 (134) | Our data |
25. Rhodymenichthys dolichogaster | l | C | 2 (153−250) | Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015; our data |
11. Ammodytidae | ||||
26. Ammodytes hexapterus | el | R | 1 (58−123) | Matyushin, 1982 |
12. Pleuronectidae | ||||
27. Liopsetta glacialis | sl | R | 2 (140) | Collection of KB PGI; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2015 |
Fishes recorded in the intertidal zone are components of seven ichthyocenes (Table 1), but the nucleus is formed by representatives of only three of them: littoral (seven species), sublittoral (eight species), and elittoral (seven species) ichthyocenes whose total proportion constitutes 81.5% of all species (Fig. 2). According to the expert assessment of the degree of abundance, most species are classified as rare (23 species or 85.2%): over the entire period of survey, only their solitary catches were recorded (Fig. 3). Three species, such as antlered sculpin Enophrys diceraus, frog sculpin Myoxocephalus stelleri, and stippled gunnel Rhodymenichthys dolichogaster, may be classified as common species (11.1%) that are captured periodically as isolated species. Only one species, stone cockscomb Alectrias alectrolophus (3.7%), is a numerous species constantly occurring in pebble-boulder biotopes in the intertidal zone. Juveniles constitute a prevailing part of fishes (17 species or 63%) recorded in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay (Fig. 4, Table 1). Specimens of all age groups were found for three species (11%): in addition to stone cockscomb, they are ninespine stickleback Pungitius pungitius and spotted snailfish Liparis callyodon; only adult specimens were found for the other seven species (26%).
Fig. 2. Number of species in different ichthyocenes in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay; ichthyocenes: an ep—anadromous epipelagic; an n—anadromous neritic; san—semianadromous; n—neritic; l—littoral; sb—sublittoral; el—elittoral.
Fig. 3. Ratio of species with a different degree of occurrence in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay, % of the total number: (
) rare, (◼) common, (◻) numerous.
Fig. 4. Ratio of species represented by specimens of different age groups in ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay, % of the total number: (
) juveniles, (◼) adults, (◻) specimens of all ages.
According to the data of monitoring of 2014–2017 conducted from April to September, only stone cockscomb was constantly the only representative of ichthyofauna in pebble-boulder biotopes in the intertidal zone in northeastern Avacha Bay during ebbs; its abundance was approximately 99.8% (Tokranov and Murasheva, 2016; Murasheva and Tokranov, 2017). In addition to stone cockscomb, solitary specimens of stippled gunnel and banded gunnel Pholis fasciata and juveniles of frog sculpin and Liparis cf. kusnetzovi were recorded there (Table 2).
Table 2. Ratio of abundance of five fish species recorded during the ebb in the surveyed parts in the intertidal zone in northeastern Avacha bay in April–September 2014–2017
Parameter | Alectrias alectrolophus | Rhodymenichthys dolichogaster | Pholis fasciata | Myoxocephalus stelleri | Liparis cf. kusnetzovi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Near the settlement of Seroglazka, 2014−2017 | |||||
Number of fishes, ind. | 2647 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Proportion, % of the abundance | 99.811 | 0.075 | 0.038 | 0.038 | 0.038 |
Length (TL), mm | 30−143 | 192−201 | 134 | 34 | 85 |
Near Nikolskaya sopka, 2016−2017 | |||||
Number of fishes, ind. | 2080 | 2 | − | 4 | − |
Proportion, % of the abundance | 99.712 | 0.096 | − | 0.192 | − |
Length (TL), mm | 33−134 | 153−193 | − | 56−103 | − |
Total in the both parts, 2014−2017 | |||||
Number of fishes, ind. | 4727 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Proportion, % of the abundance | 99.768 | 0.084 | 0.021 | 0.106 | 0.021 |
Length (TL), mm | 30−143 | 153−201 | 134 | 34−103 | 85 |
The comparison of available data on the species composition of ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay in the 1930s with the present data makes it possible to conclude that the species diversity of fish in some parts of the intertidal zone most subjected to the anthropogenic impact reduced slightly by the beginning of the 1990s (Matyushin, 1989; Tranbenkova, 1999). Therefore, some representatives of ichthyofauna previously common in the intertidal zone (e.g., spawning specimens of smooth lumpsucker Aptocyclus ventricosus) occur solitary or are completely absent in recent years. The absence of some fish species at present in the intertidal zone that were registered in the littoral in the 1930s is probably caused by their rarity or inaccessibility of some areas occupied by port installations for investigations. On the other hand, findings of several previously unknown representatives of ichthyofauna in the 1990s–2000s (juveniles of Atka mackerel Pleurogrammus monopterygius, Kamchatka fringed sculpin Porocottus camtschaticus, spotted snailfish and smallmouth snailfish Liparis miostomus, Brashnikovi snailfish L.brashnikovi) clearly demonstrate—as it was reported early (Tokranov et al., 2000; Tokranov and Sheiko, 2002, 2015)—an insufficient knowledge of ichthyofauna both in Avacha Bay and in its intertidal zone.
Unlike the species composition, the abundance and frequency of different fish species in some parts of Avacha Bay have currently decreased compared to the 1930s. In our opinion, it is caused, first, by pollution of the intertidal zone by industrial and domestic wastes and disturbance of the natural state of many parts in the intertidal zone as a result of their anthropogenic transformation entailing destruction and complete disappearance of the belt of macrophytic algae (Klochkova and Berezovskaya, 2001), which was the habitat of quite a number of representatives of ichthyofauna, especially at early stages of ontogenesis.
CONCLUSIONS
At present, 27 fish species from 12 families have been recorded in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay. Cottidae and Liparidae are characterized by the highest species diversity (more than 44% of recorded species); the other ten families are represented by one to two species. Fishes recorded in the intertidal zone are components of seven ichthyocenes (Table 1) though the nucleus is formed by representatives of only three of them: littoral (seven species), sublittoral (eight species) and elittoral (seven species) ichthyocenes whose total proportion constitutes 81.5% of all species. Among representatives of ichthyofauna found in the intertidal zone, 85.2% of species are rare: over the entire period of surveys, only solitary cases of their catches were recorded. Only stone cockscomb may be reasonably characterized as a dominant representative of ichthyofauna that constantly occurs in pebble-boulder biotopes of the intertidal zone. At present, its proportion reaches more than 99.8% of the abundance in some sites. Among fish specimens registered in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay, 17 species are represented by juveniles, seven by adult specimens, and three species (ninespine stickleback, spotted snailfish, and stone cockscomb) by specimens of all age groups.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to all scientists at KIENM–KB PGI FEB RAS, Zoological Institute (ZIN), Russian Academy of Sciences, Kamchatka Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (KamchatNIRO), and other institutions who participated in the collection of materials on ichthyofauna in the intertidal zone of Avacha Bay in the 1990s–2000s.
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Tokranov, A.M., Murasheva, M.Y. Ichthyofauna in the Intertidal Zone of Avacha Bay (Southeastern Kamchatka). J. Ichthyol. 58, 502–507 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945218040161
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945218040161