Biota and Environment of Natural Areas

Prozorova L.A.

Biodiversity assessment of freshwater malacofauna of the Amur River and adjacent region (Southern Russian Far East)

Year: 2022, Number: 2, Pages: 5-19

Biodiversity of freshwater molluscs of the Amur River catchment area without Sungari R., rivers inflowing in the Sea of Japan and Tatar Strait, and the Tugur River basin is assessed on the base of novel data on fauna, taxonomy and phylogeny. The revised taxonomical list of the regional malacofauna counts 118 species (47 bivalves and 71 gastropods) in 52 genera, 13 families and 8 orders. Genus level endemism of malacofauna of the Amur River and adjacent region is 34%, species level one – about 60%. The Amur-Primorye continental freshwater basin is the second in northern Eurasia in terms of diversity and endemism of mollusks after the catchment area of Lake Baikal, slightly ahead of the insular Japanese basin. According to the same parameters, among the river basins of the continent, the Amur ranks third on the continent after the Mekong and the Yangtze. Eleven rare and endangered mollusk species need protection, 8 of which are listed in the Red Data Book of Russian Federation in 2021, and 3 more species are recommended for the new Red data Book of Primorsky Krai.

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