Doadrio, I.

Perdices, A.

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PRESENCE OF THE ASIATIC CYPRINID P S E U D O R A S B O R A  
PARVA (SCHLEGEL, 1 8 4 2 )  IN NORTH AFRICA 
Pseudorasbora parva (Schlegel, 1842), a 
cyprinid of the subfamily Gobioninae, 
originally had an eastern Asiatic distribution 
including Japan, Korea, northem and central 
China and SE of former part of USSR 
(BANARESCU & NALBANT, 1963; BERG, 
1964). 
Since the 1960 Pseudorasbora parva 
spread in Europe and western Asia. Among 
severa1 introduced exotic taxa, this species 
seems to be one of the few which found 
suitable conditions for a succesful establish- 
ment in European waters (BANARESCU, 1990). 
According to BANARESCU (1990), 
Pseudorasbora parva was first accidentally 
introduced in Europe on 1961, in fish-farms 
at Nucet in the basin of a tributary of 
Dimbovitza River (Donau System, 
Rumania) mixed with Chinese carps from 
the Changjiang River in Wuchang (China). 
In 1962, Pseudorasbora parva was also 
introduced in fish-farms at Cef2, western 
Rumania. 
Since then, it became established in other 
European countries in the rivers of the 
Donau and other systems. In 1961, 
Pseudorasbora parva was introduced in the 
Republic of Uzbekistan (former part of 
USSR) (BANARESCU, 1990). 
Some years later, in 1967, the species 
was collected in the Donau River in 
Hungary (ZITNAN & HOLCIK, 1976). Later on 
1972, Pseudorasbora parva was found in 
Dniester River (Moldavia) (Koz~ov, 1974). 
Pseudorasbora parva was also collected in 
the Skadar Lake in Montenegro region 
(Yugoslavia) (KNEZEVIC, 1981). 
Meanwhile, the presence of 
Pseudorasbora parva continues to be 
reported in other locaties in the Donau 
System: in the Tisza River (ZITNAN & 
HOLCIK, 1976) and in the confluence of Ipel 
River with the Donau (ENENKL, 1977) in 
Czechoslovakia. 
In 1982, it was found in the March, big 
Tulln and Pinka Rivers from Austria 
(WEBER, 1984). In 1985 it was collected in 
East Germany (ARNOLD, 1985) and one year 
later in West Germany (STEIN & HERL, 
1986). 
Outside the Donau System, it was 
recorded in the Ohrid, Prespa and 
Microprespa Lakes (Greece, Albania and 
Yugoslavia), and in the Aliakmon River in 
Greece (BIANCO, 1988). Pseudorasbora 
parva was found also in France in the Vkgre 
River (Rh6ne basin), and in some ponds of 
the River Doubs (Upper Rhein) (ALLARDI & 
CHANCEREL, 1988), and recently in the Po 
River system in Italy (SALA & SPAILIPANATO, 
1990). 
In this paper, a sarnple of Pseudorasbora 
parva collected in North Africa in the Kebir 
River, El Kala (Algeria), 16 X 1990, A. 
Perdices, 1. Doadrio & J. Cubo leg. is 
described (fig. 1). Counts and measure- 
ments of specimens are shown in table 1. 
Specimens are preserved in the Museo 
Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid 
(MNCN), collection numbers are MNCN 
72301-72328. 
In alive specimens the body colouration 
was violet, with the back darker than the 
sides, ventral side was silvery. Lateral line 
Fig. 1. Locality where specimens of Pseudorusboraparva from El Kebir River, El Kala (Algeria) were coilected. (o). 
Table 1.JMorphometric (in mm) and menstic data of specimens studied from El Kebir River, El Kala (Algena), 
n= 28: X. Mean: SD. Standard deviation. 
- 
Measures X SD Range 
Total length 
Standard length 
Head length 
Predorsal distance 
Preventral distance 
Preanal distance 
Body depth 
Body min. depth 
Lateral line scales 
Rays dorsal fin 
Rays anal fin 
complete, with 32-35 scales. The poster- from the posterior margin of the orbit and 
ior edge of each scale of the body is dark ending at the origin of caudal fin. 
(fig. 2). The colouration of living fish from 
Throughout the sides, al1 the specimens the north of Algeria is similar to the 
have a dark longitudinal band originating colouration described by BIANCO (1988) 
for  spec imens  l iv ing  in western 
Balkans. 
The presence of Pseudorashora parva in 
Algeria, is probably associated with the 
introduction of Cyprinus carpio. It was 
probably not introduced as food for 
predatory species, as it seems to be in the 
Ohrid, Prespa and Microprespa Lakes 
(BIANCO, 1988). 
La Calle Lake near The Kebir River (El 
Kala-Algeria), is the type locality of three 
cyprinids: Rarhus callensis Valenciennes, 
1842, Pseudophoxinus callensis (Guichenot, 
1850) and Pseudophoxinus guichenoti 
(Pellegrin, 1920), the last one is endemic of 
this lake, and its taxonomic position is still 
unclear (LEVEQUE & DAGET, 1984). 
The Kebir River forms small pools 
connected by small streams, Rarhus callensis 
and Pseudophoxinus callensis inhabit the 
pools while Pseudorashora parva is more 
frequent in the places where the current is 
more evident (inlet and outlet of streams of 
the pools). 
Food competition of Pseudorashora 
parva with other species is still not clear, but 
it appears not to be important (AHNELT 1989; 
BANARESCU, 1990). 
In spite of the wide tolerance of 
Pseudorashora parva in temperature range 
and water quality, the natural colonization of 
other river systems is apparently limited 
(AHNELT, 1989). Its occurrence in other 
areas, especially in northern Africa, is in 
direct relationship with human introductions. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
We would like to thank Dr. P. Banarescu for the revi- 
sion of the material and for critically reviewing the 
manuscript, J. Cubo for his help in collecting the 
material, Dr. R. Márquez for revising and translating 
the manuscript. We thank Dr. G. Kadari Director of 
CERP of the Ministry of Agriculture of Algeria for 
collecting permits and for his collaboration. The 
Director of the National Park of El Kala (Algeria) 
helped in the collection of Pseudorashora panla. 
ABSTRACT 
Presence of the asiatic cyprinid Pseudorasbora parva 
(Schlegel, 1842) in North Africa.- A short history of 
the diffusion of the cyprinid Pseudorashora parva 
outside its original range is presented and the first 
record of the species in North Africa (River Kebir, El 
Kala, Algeria) is described. 
Key words: Cyprinidae, Pseudorashora parva, 
Zoogeography. 
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Perdices, A. & Doadrio, I., 1992. Presence of the asiatic cyprinid Pseudorasbora parva (Schlegel, 1842) in 
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(Rebut: 24 XII 92; Acceptació condicional: 28 111 93; Acc. dejinitiva: 20 N 93) 
A. Perdices & 1. Doadrio, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, c/José Gutiérrez Abascal2, 28006 Madrid, 
España (Spain). 
The research work was supported by the project DGCYCIT PB880010 


Presence of the asiatic cyprinid Pseudorasbora parva (Schlegel, 1842) in North Africa

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