ENDANGERED FRESH-WATER FISHES OF GREECE

The freshwater fish fauna of Greece includes 106 species of which 79 a re native primary species. Of these 38 species are endemic to Greece a nd southern parts of neighbouring countries. Endangered species are di vided into three groups: wholly endangered, locally endangered and rar e and threatened. In the first group ave eight taxa, usually found in a very restricted area (Eudontomyzon hellenicus, Alosa caspia vistonic a, Pseudophoxinus beoticus, Ladigesocypris ghigii ghigii, Barbus euboi cus, Barbus cyclolepis cholorematicus, Pungitius hellenicus and Knipow itschia goerneri). The second group includes five species with a wide area of distribution but some local populations which are extinct or i n obvious decline (Salmo trutta, Pseudophoxinus stymphalicus, Vimba me lanops, Valencia letourneuxi, Proterorhinus marmoratus). The third gro up comprises nine endemic taxa, mainly with a wide distribution in Gre ece, or widely distributed in Europe but represented in Greece by loca l populations, sometimes recognized as subspecies (Phoxinellus pleurob ipunctatus, Barbus prespensis, Gobio kessleri banarescui, Gobio uranos copus elimeius, Carassius carassius, Orthrias barbatulus vardarensis, Pungitius platygaster, Knipowitschia thessala, Economidichthys pygmaeu s). These taxa often have rare or threatened local populations. The ma in reasons for the decline of fish species are. agricultural and indus trial activity, overfishing, partial or total destruction of many kars tic springs, public and private works abstracting water, drainage, irr igation, tourist and industrial installations, darns, mixing of fish f aunas of different origin and introduction of exotic species.