Ichthyofauna of the Lower Dniester, the Dniester Estuary and the Adjacent Black Sea Area, with Some Ecological Comments

Ichthyological data collected over the last two decades are combined to prepare an inventory of fish species of the Lower Dniester, Dniester Estuary and the adjacent Black Sea area (north-western part of the Black Sea, NWBS). Data from literary sources were also used for the analysis of the ichthyofauna dynamics. Totally, 110 freshwater, anadromous, brackish and marine fish species were detected. They represent 27 orders, 41 families and 92 genera. Possible sources of new arrivals are the settlement of new invasive species and the migration of freshwater fish to the nearshore sea areas. The degree of similarity of fish fauna of the Lower Dniester, Dniester Estuary and the adjacent NWBS was analysed to provide the structural characteristics of fish assemblages of the area under study. The main part of the fish fauna of all three sub-regions is represented by settled, benthic and demersal species of Ponto-Caspian zoogeographical origin. Most species are pelagophiles and phytophiles. The most abundant trophic type is benthophages and fish of a mixed-feeding type. The dynamics of the species composition in the studied area and the species importance as possible subjects for conservation are discussed.