The fish fauna of the Province of Bolzano currently comprises at least 35 species, mostly identified based on morphological characteristics, and largely belongs to the Po–Venetian biogeographical district. In the past, fish from north of the Brenner Pass were repeatedly introduced into the province. In recent years, several genetic studies have been carried out on fish species of interest to fisheries, such as marble trout, barbel, grayling, and pike. However, only a few native species of the so-called minor fish fauna, which are of conservation relevance, have been genetically analysed so far. The aim of a research project conducted in collaboration between the Museum of Nature South Tyrol, the Conservation Genomics Research Unit of the Edmund Mach Foundation, the Office for Wildlife Management, and the Centre for the Protection of Aquatic Species, is to clarify through genetic analyses which species of the minor fish fauna are actually present in the Province of Bolzano. Accurate taxonomic identification is essential to distinguish native from non-native species and to identify potentially threatened populations that deserve protection. In the case of non-native species, it is also important to understand the history of their introduction and spread information that is crucial for the effective conservation and management of the regional fish fauna. During the Colloquium, the results of genetic analyses conducted on over 600 samples from as many fish, belonging to 10 different genera and collected in 25 water bodies across the Province of Bolzano, will be presented.
Massimo Morpurgo, biologist, works as curator of the aquaria at the Museum of Nature South Tyrol. He is a certified scientific diver and a member of the Provincial Fishing Examination Commission. For many years, he has been studying hydrozoans, bivalves, and freshwater fish in the Province of Bolzano.
The event can also be followed online on the Museum’s YouTube channel.
