Umbra krameri

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	ESOCIFORMES	UMBRIDAE

Scientific Name:

Umbra krameri

Species Authority:

Walbaum, 1792

Common Name/s:

English

–

European Mudminnow, European Mud-minnow

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2c ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2011

Assessor/s:

Freyhof, J.

Reviewer/s:

Kottelat, M. & Smith, K.

Contributor/s:

Kottelat, M.

Justification:
The species has a scattered distribution in the Danube drainage from Vienna to the delta, and in the lower reaches of Dniestr drainage. River regulation for water transport, and drainage of wetlands for agriculture, has reduced the number of backwaters (oxbow lakes etc.) where, in the last phases of succession, the species is found. It moves between the backwaters during times of flooding, which has also been regulated by the channelization and damming of the rivers. The succession of the backwaters takes many years to develop and the number of available and suitable sites for this species is slowly reducing as they dry out and no new ones are created. The species is known to have been extirpated from many locations. It is estimated that the population has declined by more than 30% in the past 10 years.

For the European Union 27 region, this species is also assessed as Vulnerable (VU A2c), with the same rationale as above.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable (IUCN 2008)
1996	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species has a scattered distribution in the Danube drainage from Vienna to the delta; and the lower reaches of Dniestr drainage.
Countries:	Native: Austria; Bulgaria; Croatia; Hungary; Moldova; Romania; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Ukraine
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	The population has been declining for many years.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Habitat This fish occurs in very densely vegetated water bodies, usually in small ditches, oxbows, backwaters and shallow lakes. Biology The species lives at least five years, spawning for the first time at one year. It spawns in March–April, when temperatures reach 12–16°C. Eggs are laid in a nest of plant material or in a shallow depression in the bottom. Females protect the nest until the larvae leave it. It is able to breathe air and may therefore colonise habitats with very low oxygen concentrations. The species feeds on a variety of small animals.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Habitat
This fish occurs in very densely vegetated water bodies, usually in small ditches, oxbows, backwaters and shallow lakes.

Biology
The species lives at least five years, spawning for the first time at one year. It spawns in March–April, when temperatures reach 12–16°C. Eggs are laid in a nest of plant material or in a shallow depression in the bottom. Females protect the nest until the larvae leave it. It is able to breathe air and may therefore colonise habitats with very low oxygen concentrations. The species feeds on a variety of small animals.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	River regulation for water transport has reduced the number of backwaters (oxbow lakes etc.) where, in the last phases of succession, the species is found. Drainage of wetlands to reclaim arable land has (and still does) pose a threat. The species moves between the backwaters during times of flooding, which has also been regulated by the channelization and damming of the rivers. The succession of the backwaters takes many years and the number of available and suitable sites for the species is slowly reducing as they dry out and no new ones are created. The species is known to have been extirpated from many locations.

Major Threat(s):

River regulation for water transport has reduced the number of backwaters (oxbow lakes etc.) where, in the last phases of succession, the species is found. Drainage of wetlands to reclaim arable land has (and still does) pose a threat. The species moves between the backwaters during times of flooding, which has also been regulated by the channelization and damming of the rivers. The succession of the backwaters takes many years and the number of available and suitable sites for the species is slowly reducing as they dry out and no new ones are created. The species is known to have been extirpated from many locations.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species has been included in the national Red Lists of Slovenia, Croatia, Moldova and Austria. In Hungary, this fish is protected and local action plans have been developed.

Conservation Actions:

The species has been included in the national Red Lists of Slovenia, Croatia, Moldova and Austria. In Hungary, this fish is protected and local action plans have been developed.

Bibliography [top]

	IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008). IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011). Kottelat, M. and Freyhof, J. 2007. Handbook of European Freshwater Fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol, Switzerland. Mikschi, E. and Wanzenböck, J. 1995. Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Umbra krameri Walbaum, 1792. Wanzenböck, J. 2004. European Mudminnow (Umbra krameri) in the Austrian floodplain of the River Danube: conservation of an indicator species for endangered wetland eco systems in Europe. Oxford University Press, New York.

IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008).

IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011).

Kottelat, M. and Freyhof, J. 2007. Handbook of European Freshwater Fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol, Switzerland.

Mikschi, E. and Wanzenböck, J. 1995. Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Umbra krameri Walbaum, 1792.

Wanzenböck, J. 2004. European Mudminnow (Umbra krameri) in the Austrian floodplain of the River Danube: conservation of an indicator species for endangered wetland eco systems in Europe. Oxford University Press, New York.

Citation:	Freyhof, J. 2011. Umbra krameri. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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