Fish species of the Far East northern part. The latest discoveries
In 2019 specialists of Kronotsky reserve conducted a grand-scale investigation of water ecosystems of northern Kamchatka, Koryakiya and continental Chukotka with the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, President Grant Foundation, Russian Science Foundation and AO “Gold of Kamchatka”.
The north-east of Russia is still underexplored, and, fortunately, not exploited by people as far as is possible. The well-developed fluvial-lacustrine network of this territory is inhabited by dozens of animal groups. While the fauna diversity of northern Siberia and Europe was formed about 1014 thousand years ago after the end of the ice age, the river and lake valleys of continental Chukotka and Koryakiya were not covered with ice during the whole Pleistocene epoch (the period that began approximately 2.5 MYA and ended 11.7 MYA).
The fresh water fauna developed in these circumstances for hundreds of thousands of years. Multifold migration of species from the arctic zone to the Pacific Ocean basin, from America to Asia and back again occurred. A lot of relic groups were preserved which are connected with the ancient Beringia.
During the expedition interesting zoogeographical discoveries were made.
They are mentioned in the booklets.
