Conserving the Corfu Killifish
(04/2012 – 12/2017)
OBJECTIVES
- Long-term monitoring of Corfu killifish populations
- Maintenance of fish stocks in close-circuit conditions
- Trial translocation for population augmentation/reintroduction in the wild
- Public awareness activities
ACTIONS AND OUTCOMES
- We monitored the population status of the Greek killifishes by field sampling throughout the duration of the project (2012-2017) to discern long-term population trends of the species
- We conducted a trial maintenance of Corfu killifish in aquarium conditions (Kastoria Aquarium) to obtain baseline information on the species’ breeding in close-circuit conditions (2015-2016)
- We studied various aspects of the biology, ecology and genetics of the target species in situ and in laboratory studies
- We conducted two bi-annual fish translocation activities to enhance/reintroduce killifish populations in two localities in Western Greece in 2015 and 2016. Preliminary work ensured the release sites fulfilled the ecological requirements of the species. Between 25 and 50 individuals of both sexes were translocated, with zero mortalities during the procedure. These actions are followed by monitoring. A short film was created using material form the translocation exercises
- We organised three environmental awareness activities at the Environmental Educational Centres of Arachthos, Filippiada and Krestena in November 2017 and March 2018. These actions targeting students of local schools included laboratory and field activities
- We also organized four “HCMR in your Classroom” outreach digital activities on the Corfu killifish with students from the Greek Secondary School of London in November 2017, and with students of two secondary schools in Greece (Anthoussa and Aspropyrgos) and with one Scouts group (Kastoria) in March 2018
SCIENTIFIC OUTPUT
- Kalogianni E., Giakoumi S., Andriopoulou A. & Y. Chatzinikolaou (2010b). Feeding ecology of the critically endangered Valencia letourneuxi (Valenciidae). Aquatic Ecology, 44/1: 289-299
- Vogiatzi E., Kalogianni E., Giakoumi S., Magoulas A. & C. S. Tsigenopoulos (2009). Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers in Valencia letourneuxi (Valenciidae) and cross-amplification in two other cyprinodontiform species. Conservation Genetics Resources, Springer Netherlands, 1/1: 27-30
- Vogiatzi E., Kalogianni E., Zimmerman B., Giakoumi S., Barbieri R., Paschou P., Magoulas A., Tsaparis D., Poulakakis N. & C. S. Tsigenopoulos (2014). Reduced genetic variation and strong genetic population structure in the freshwater killifish Valencia letourneuxi (Valenciidae) based on nuclear and mitochondrial markers. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 111: 334-349
- Kalogianni E., Giakoumi S, Andriopoulou A & Y. Chatzinikolaou (2014). Prey utilisation and trophic overlap between the non native mosquitofish and a native fish in two Mediterranean rivers. Mediterranean Marine Science, 15/2, 287-301
- Kalogianni E., Kmentová N., Harris Ε., Zimmerman Β., Giakoumi S., Chatzinikolaou Y., Vanhove M, P. M. (2017). Occurrence and effect of trematode metacercariae in two endangered killifishes from Greece. Parasitol Res (2017) 116:3007-3018
- Kalogianni, E., Koutsikos, N., Vardakas, L., Giakoumi, S., Chatzinikolaou, Y., & Oikonomou, A. (2019). Impacts of the alien mosquitofish on the abundance and condition of two Mediterranean native fish. Mediterranean Marine Science, 20(4), 727-735
COLLABORATING BODIES
This project was led by Dr Eleni Kalogianni, Researcher at the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters (IMBRIW) of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) and Brian Zimmerman, Aquarium Curator at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
FUNDING
Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
