Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 822-823

Sander lucioperca

Common name. Pikeperch.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Sander in West Asia by: ○ 1–2 enlarged canine teeth in anterior part of each jaw / ○ 18–22½ branched rays in second dorsal / ○ 80–97 total lateral-line scales. Size up to 1000 mm SL.

Distribution. Native to Caspian, Baltic, Black, and Aral basins; Elbe (North Sea basin) and Maritza (Aegean basin) drainages. North to about 65°N in Finland. Introduced into Central Anatolia (Lakes Beyşehir and Eğirdir and Seyhan reservoirs), Iranian Tigris, Kor basin, Lake Urmia, and Namak basins, and possibly elsewhere. Introductions began in Great Britain in 1878, followed by Italy, Strymon drainage ( Greece) and continental Europe west of Elbe, Ebro, Tagus, and Jucar drainages in Iberian Peninsula, Onega and Severnaya Dvina in White Sea basin and widely introduced in North Africa, Ob and Amur drainages (Asian Russia), Lake Issyk-Kul ( Kyrgyzstan), Balkhash, and many smaller basins in central Kazakhstan.

Habitat. Large, turbid rivers and eutrophic lakes; brackish coastal lakes and estuaries. Often declines if turbidity is reduced.

Biology. Lives up to 17 years. Spawns first time at 3–10 years, usually at 4. Spawns April–May, exceptionally late February–July, depending on latitude and altitude, when temperatures reach 10–14°C (lowest temperature for egg incubation 11.5°C). May undertake short spawning migrations. Individuals foraging in brackish water migrate to freshwater habitats (migrations of up to 250 km have been recorded). Homing well developed, even neighboring populations may be relatively isolated. Male territorial digging shallow pit of about 50 cm in diameter and 5–10 cm deep in sand, gravel, or among exposed plant roots, on which eggs

are laid, usually in turbid water and at 1–3 m depth. Spawns in pairs at dawn or night. Female remains above nest while male circles rapidly around it, about 1 m from nest. Male then assumes vertical position, and both swim rapidly around, releasing eggs and sperm. Female leaves nest after all eggs are released. Male defends nest and fans eggs with pectoral fins. Female spawn once a year. Feeding larvae positively phototactic feeding on pelagic organisms after leaving nest for open water. Piscivorous, feeding mainly on gregarious pelagic fish. Stomach contents from Lake Eğirdir revealed a high predation rate on native species, particularly Anatolichcthys iconii .

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Introduced in Lake Eğirdir from Austria in 1955 and was commercially fished between 1960 and 2000. Since then, stocks have declined sharply due to overfishing.

Further reading. Craig 2000 (biology); Lappalainen et al. 2003 (biology); Küçük et al. 2009b (introduction and effects in Eğirdir).

Pikeperch in Anatolian Lakes: what has been learned? The introduction of piscivorous fishes has been a common practice worldwide, aiming to increase fisheries’ economic value. This phenomenon gained particular momentum following the Second World War. One of the most notable instances is the introduction of the Nile Perch Lates sp. to Lake Victoria (East Africa) in the mid-1950s. This has left a lasting impression on the collective memory as one of the most egregious instances of biomanipulation, with the Nile Perch serving as the primary catalyst for the decline and extinction of hundreds of native haplochromine cichlid fishes. However, similar applications have been undertaken almost concurrently in the history of West Asia. The piscivorous Sander lucioperca was introduced in several Western and Central Anatolia lakes, including Lake Eğirdir (in 1955) and Beyşehir (1978 and 1980), with the primary objective of enhancing fisheries. Within a decade of the introductions, most of the native species had disappeared from the catches in these lakes. However, their recovery began in the early 2000s, following the overfishing of pikeperch. Two endemic pelagic species did not survive and are now extinct: Pseudophoxinus handlirschi (from Eğirdir) and Alburnus akili (from Beyşehir). These are the first extinctions reported to be an immediate consequence of species introduction in West Asia. It is curious to note that Sander was introduced to Lake Beyşehir nearly fifteen years after its introduction to Eğirdir, despite the apparent decline of Eğirdir fish fauna. Today, even among the local

scientific community members, there is a tendency to condemn early scientists for the disruptive impact of Sander introductions they stirred up. It is important to consider the context in which introductions were made. At the time, the value of local biodiversity was not yet recognised, and there was an opportunity to increase the commercial value of fisheries. It was in the early 1990s that it became apparent that the decline of species or their extinction was irreversible. However, it would appear that we have not learned from these cases. Indeed, the situation is becoming increasingly serious. There is no evidence of a reversal in the introduction of non-native invasive species. The massive wave of non-native species spread, and new introductions for commercial purposes or simply to release aquarium fish have only just begun. The invasion of Perca fluviatilis throughout Anatolia is a case in point, with other species, such as Micropterus nigrescens , likely to follow. However, the conservation of endemic and native fauna remains undervalued.

Lake GÖlcük in Central Anatolia was the only habitat of Anatolichthys splendens before Sander lucioperca and others had been introduced.