Global freshwater ecosystems foster unique and sensitive biodiversity. River fish not only depend on stable physicochemical conditions (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, etc.), but also play the role of " biological corridors " and " semi-permeable membranes " in ecosystems—transferring matter and energy within food webs and maintaining the ecological balance of watersheds. Therefore, protecting the habitats and connectivity of river fish is crucial.
Table of contents
Types and common classification methods of river fish
List of River Fish Names (Examples by Region)
Top 10 largest river fish in the world
Fish that swim upstream: migration and spawning
1) Types and common classification methods of river fish
A. Based on the fat content of edible fish (commonly used in nutrition/cooking)
"White-fleshed fish" (whitefish) : They have a lower fat content, mostly live in relatively stable or deep waters, and have relatively low metabolic requirements.
"Bluefish" : has a high fat content and often has the ability to migrate long distances or engage in high-intensity activities, requiring more energy and lipid reserves.
Note: This definition is derived from dietary and nutritional habits, and the terminology may vary slightly in different languages/regions. In essence, it refers to the difference between fat and fat-soluble nutrients .
B. According to human utilization methods
Edible fish (such as trout, sturgeon, catfish, etc.).
Ornamental fish (such as guppies Poecilia reticulata , angelfish Pterophyllum scalare, etc.).
C. By life history and migration pattern (commonly used in biology)
Sedentary (living a life cycle in rivers/lakes year-round).
Anadromous migration (going to sea to spawn) : such as the genus Salmo and some sturgeon.
Catadromous migration (river-to-sea spawning) : eels such as Anguilla anguilla (which spawns in the ocean).
Potamodromous migration: migrating upstream and downstream within the same river basin to spawn, such as the South American silver carp ( Prochilodus , Spanish "sábalo").
2) List of River Fish Names (Examples by Region)
The following are examples of regions from the original text, with common Chinese names and scientific names (scientific names are in italics). To facilitate reader retrieval, we have retained the original representative species and added brief explanations.
Spain
River needlefish ( Syngnathus abaster )
Gypsy Babu (Southwest Babu) ( Luciobarbus sclateri )
River wolf/stone maggot (a species of loach) ( Barbatula quignardi )
Brown trout/Channel trout ( Salmo trutta )
European sturgeon ( Acipenser sturio )
Argentina (taking the Paraná River basin as an example)
Golden salmon/Dorado ( Salminus brasiliensis )
Silver carp ( Prochilodus lineatus ) — a representative of intra-river migratory species.
Slub catfish ( Pseudoplatystoma corruscans )
Mud eel (Synbranchidae family)
Mohara group (multiple genera in the order Characidae)
Peru
Acaronia nassa
Armored catfish ( Amblydoras nauticus )
Landonia latidens (rare species )
Jack Tepeque striped catfish ( Rhamdia jequetepeque )
Black-tailed Bighead Carp ( Brycon atrocaudatus )
Chile
Striped killifish/Aplochiton (Southern Conifer freshwater fish) ( Aplochiton taeniatus )
Southern silverfish ( Basilichthys australis )
Galaxy Angel Fish ( Galaxias maculatus )
Maule's silverfish ( Odontesthes mauleanum )
Aplochiton zebra
3) Top 10 Largest River Fish Around the World
The following are typical "giant freshwater fish", with their main distribution areas noted in brackets; individual body length/weight varies greatly with environment and age, so only representative species are listed for readers' convenience.
Arapaima gigas ( Giant Arapaima ) — Amazon River Basin, South America
Alligator gar ( Lepisosteus osseus ) — North America
Mekong giant catfish ( Pangasianodon gigas ) — Mekong River in Asia
Chinese paddlefish ( Acipenser transmontanus ) — North America
Chinese paddlefish ( Huso huso ) — Eurasian Caspian Sea — Black Sea basin ( Note: This species is not native to North America )
Spotted freshwater stingray (Potamotrygon motoro ) — South America
Paddlefish ( Polyodon spathula ) — Mississippi River Basin, North America
Nile perch ( Lates niloticus ) — Africa
Taimen salmon ( Hucho taimen ) — Asia
Bull shark ( Carcharhinus leucas ) – primarily a nearshore shark , but capable of venturing into large rivers (such as parts of the Amazon) and migrating upstream into freshwater.
4) Fish that can "swim upstream": migration and spawning
Many fish undertake long-distance migrations for reproduction , even swimming upstream and overcoming rapids and obstacles. Based on their spawning location, they can be divided into:
A. Antromous migration—migrating to freshwater to spawn.
Salmon ( Salmo spp. and Oncorhynchus spp.)
Sturgeon ( Acipenser sturio, etc.)
Silverfish/Willow Leaf Fish ( Osmerus eperlanus , referred to as "esperlano" in the text)
Gobio gobio (mostly riverine, but also capable of short-distance upstream migration)
B. Catadromous migration—to spawn in the ocean.
European eel ( Anguilla anguilla ): Spawns in the ocean (Sagazo Sea), and the larvae then enter the river to grow.
The original text categorizes eels as "upstream spawning," which strictly speaking belongs to downstream migration ; this text provides a scientific classification to facilitate readers' correct understanding.
C. Intra-river migration (Potamodromous) – breeding upstream and downstream within the same watershed.
Silver Carp/Sabarlo ( Prochilodus lineatus )
White-skinned gudgeon and other small fish such as Aphia minuta often make short-distance migrations.
The ecological significance of migration includes avoiding competition , optimizing hatching conditions , and utilizing different nutrient and temperature zones ; however, it also makes fish more sensitive to river connectivity and dry season flow .
summary
River fish maintain the ecological health of watersheds through their diverse adaptation strategies and life histories : they are situated in the food web, connected to terrestrial organic matter upstream and wetlands and lakes downstream, and are particularly sensitive to water quality , habitat integrity , and river connectivity . Understanding these fish and protecting spawning grounds, migration routes, and key habitats in watershed management is a crucial step in safeguarding freshwater biodiversity.
References
Sverlij, S. et al. (2007) Fish in the Paraná-Paraguay River Corridor. Inventory of wetlands in the Paraná-Paraguay River Corridor, pp. 341-352.
Correa, E. and Ortega, H. (2010) Fish diversity and seasonal variation in the lower Nanai River basin, Peru. Journal of Biology of Peru, Vol. 17 (1).
López, L. et al. (1987) List of freshwater fishes in Argentina. Aquatic Biology, Vol. 12, pp. 1-50.
Valdovinos, C. et al. (2012) Spatiotemporal dynamics of 13 native fish species in the lake-river ecotone of the Valdina River Basin, Chile. Gaiana Concepción Journal, Vol. 76 (1).
