Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758)

Iftime, Alexandru & Oţel, Vasile, 2025, An annotated systematical checklist of the Romanian ichthyofauna, Zootaxa 5654 (1), pp. 1-64 : 7-8

Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758)

A native anadromous species, ascending the Danube ( Bănărescu 1964; Radu et al. 2008; Cocan & MireȘan 2018); much afflicted by the construction of the Iron Gates dams and by overfishing/poaching, this species is still, however, achieving natural reproduction in the lower reaches of the Danube, aided by supported stocking, albeit it is scarcer than Acipenser stellatus (Oțel 2007; Maximov et al. 2014; Holostenco et al. 2019; Strat & Gheorghe 2023).

ORD. ANGUILLIFORMES

Fam. Anguillidae

Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758)

A native ( Apostolou et al. 2013) catadromous species; always rare in Romania, historically found in the Danube, MureŞ, Olt, SomeȘ/Bistrița Ardeleană, Cerna, Bega, CriŞul Negru, and Buzău, and brackish/marine waters ( Black Sea, Razim lagoon system, littoral lakes); females tend to occur deeper inland ( Bănărescu 1964; Oțel 2007; Radu et al. 2008).A drastic all-range decline has occured in this species ( Dekker & Beaulaton 2016). In Romania, still found in the Razim lagoon system, the Danube and its delta, including deltaic marine waters; stocked in Babadag lake (part of the Razim system) (Oțel 2007; Radu et al. 2008; Apostolou et al. 2013; Urdes et al. 2015; Cocan & MireȘan 2018; Năstase et al. 2022; Năstase & Năvodaru 2023). Mentioned by Yankova et al. 2014, but not by Țoțoiu et al. 2018, or Niță et al. 2022, which would indicate absence of recent records in the Romanian Black Sea.

Fam. Congridae

Conger conger (Linnaeus, 1758)

A native marine species, occasionally found in Romanian Black Sea waters, south of the Danube Delta ( Bauchot & Saldanha 1986; Vasil’eva 2007; Oțel 2007).

ORD. CLUPEIFORMES

Fam. Engraulidae

Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758)

A native marine species, found along all Romanian Black Sea waters; formerly also in the Sinoe lagoon ( Bănărescu 1969; Oțel 2007; Radu et al. 2008; Yankova et al. 2014; Țoțoiu et al. 2018; Cocan & MireȘan 2018; Maximov et al. 2019; Niță et al. 2022).

Fam. Clupeidae

Sprattus sprattus (Linnaeus, 1758)

A native marine species, found along all Romanian Black Sea waters ( Bănărescu 1969; Oțel 2007; Radu et al. 2008; Yankova et al. 2014; Țoțoiu et al. 2018; Cocan & MireȘan 2018; Maximov et al. 2019; Niță et al. 2022).

Fam. Ehiravidae

Clupeonella cultriventris (Nordmann, 1840)

A native anadromous/euryhaline species, found along all Romanian Black Sea waters and ascending the lower Danube; also found in littoral lakes/lagoons ( Bănărescu 1969; Oțel 2007; Radu et al. 2008; Yankova et al. 2014; Țoțoiu et al. 2018; Cocan & MireȘan 2018; Niță et al. 2022).

Fam. Alosidae

Alosa fallax (Lacepède, 1803)

A native anadromous species, rare/sporadical in Romanian waters ( Kottelat & Freyhof 2007; Vasil’eva 2007; Radu et al. 2008; Yankova et al. 2014). It is rare in Romanian ( Radu et al. 2008), Bulgarian ( Dobrovolov et al. 2012), Russian and adjacent ( Dyldin et al. 2022) waters. It appears to be conspecific with Alosa agone (Scopoli 1786) , which would then have nomenclatural priority (see Dyldin et al. 2022 and references quoted therein).