CLUPEIDAE, Cuvier, 1816

Family CLUPEIDAE View in CoL

Genus Alosa Linck, 1790

1. Agrakhan shad Alosa sphaerocephala (Berg, 1913)

It is endemic to the Caspian Sea basin and commercially important species. It is found throughout the Northern Caspian Sea; in spring it is most abundant along the eastern shores, and in summer along the northern shores. It is rarely found off the western coast of the Middle Caspian Sea, in Kenderly Bay and Dead Kultuk Bay ( Bogutskaya et al., 2013). The type locality is off Tyuleny Island, north of Agrakhan Bay ( Esmaeili et al., 2018). Additional conservation measures are not required due to its widespread distribution and lack of serious anthropogenic impacts ( IUCN, 2024).

2. Caspian marine shad or Brazhnikov’s shad Alosa braschnikowi (Borodin, 1904)

This is an endemic to the Caspian Sea, an abundant ( Sattari, 2021) and commercially important species ( Rustamov and Shakirova, 2013). Never enters rivers, spends its entire life cycle at sea. Most of the population is concentrated in the Southern and Middle Caspian Sea, but during the spawning season it migrates to the Northern Caspian Sea along the western and eastern coasts ( Kazancheev, 1981, Sattari, 2021). Despite the widespread distribution of this species in the Caspian Sea, genetic data are lacking. An appropriate revision should be carried out to characterise the population and to determine its conservation status ( Jafari et al., 2019). Due to its wide distribution and current high abundance, it does not require additional protection.

3. Caspian shad Alosa caspia (Eichwald, 1838)

This is an endemic to the Caspian Sea and commercially important species ( Rustamov and Shakirova, 2013). The main wintering areas are off the western coast, from Chilov Island to Astara (the border between the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea). In the Southern Caspian Sea, they occur in the southeast, in the area of the Gulf of Gorgan, and also in the western part of the Anzali Lagoon ( Holčik and Olah, 1992; Abbasi et al., 1999). Spawning migrations to the Northern Caspian Sea take place along the western coast ( Kazancheev, 1981). Dense concentrations are observed in the area of Maly Zhemchuzhny Island and opposite the outlet of the Volga-Caspian Sea Shipping Canal ( Zubkova and Kanatyev, 2016). Due to its wide distribution and high abundance, it does not require additional conservation measures.

4. Caspian anadromous shad or blackback Alosa kessleri (Grimm, 1887)

It is endemic to the Caspian Sea and commercially important species. It spends the winter in the Southern Caspian Sea off the coast of Iran, while spawning migrations to the Northern Caspian Sea take place along the western coast. It enters the Volga and, to a much lesser extent, the Ural to spawn (Kazancheyev, 1981). From 2007 to the present, despite periods of low and medium water levels, there has been a stabilisation and increase in the abundance of the spawning stock of A. kessleri , mainly due to restrictions on catch size ( Lepilina et al., 2016) and high fecundity of the species ( Pyatikopova et al., 2014). Additional conservation measures are not required due to the high abundance of this shad.

Genus Clupeonella Kessler, 1877 View in CoL 5. Black Sea sprat Clupeonella cultiventris (Nordman, 1840) View in CoL This is an endemic to the Ponto-Caspian basin and a fairly widespread species in the Caspian Sea ( Kazancheev, 1981). It is widespread throughout the sea, but mainly inhabits the shallow waters not deeper than 100 m. This euryhaline species occurring both in completely desalinated areas of the sea and in areas with high salinity (Kaydak Inlet). It winters in the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, mainly south of the latitude of the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay (at depths of 20-100 m), as well as in the Northern Caspian Sea (juveniles). Spawning in the Northern Caspian Sea occurs almost everywhere, as well as at shallow depths off the coast of the central and southern parts of the sea ( Bogutskaya et al., 2013). It is excluded from the list of the species needing protection due to its high abundance and wide distribution.

6. Bigeye kilka Clupeonella grimmi Kessler, 1877 View in CoL

This species is endemic to the Caspian Sea and commercially important species. It occurs in the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea. The bigeye kilka is more abundant in the western half of the sea than in the eastern half ( Kazancheev, 1981). Spawning occurs from November to April in the southern Caspian Sea ( Aliasghari, 2017). This species does not occur in the Northern Caspian Sea and has not been recorded in Russian waters ( Sedov and Paritsky, 2001). It is therefore excluded from the list of the species needing protection in Russian waters.

7. Anchovy tyulka Clupeonella engrauliformis (Borodin, 1904)

It is endemic to the Caspian Sea, a commercially important marine fish and a relatively widespread species. It is widely distributed in the Southern and Middle Caspian Sea ( Kazancheev, 1981). It spends the winter mainly in the southern and southeastern parts of the Middle Caspian Sea. In summer and autumn, it is also distributed in the deep waters of the Northern Caspian Sea on the border with the Middle Caspian Sea ( Bogutskaya et al., 2013). This species does not require additional conservation measures due to its high abundance and wide distribution.