Laboratory of Ichthyology

ACTIVITIES

The laboratory’s activities deal with ecology of inland waters, ecology of crustaceans decapod inhabiting the inland waters, morphology, reproductive biology, nutrition and growth of fish. We carry out quantitative sampling of fish through the use of nets and electrofishing on both lakes and rivers. We are able to carry out surveys of different environmental components (flow velocity, flow rate, physical-chemical, etc. ...) and also samples of aquatic organisms other than fish (benthos, plankton).

Laboratory Activities
  1. physico-chemical analysis of water;
  2. recognition and determination of fish and freshwater decapod crustaceans;
  3. image analysis by computer;
  4. morphometrics and geometric measurements analysis of fish and crayfish;
  5. meristic analysis of the parameters;
  6. livery analysis;
  7. age determination by analysis of bone structures (scales, opercula, vertebrae, otoliths and fin spines);
  8. age determination by Petersen and Bhattacharya methods;
  9. back-calculations analysis of bone structures;
  10. analysis of stomach contents;
  11. egg counts and measurements of diameters;
  12. completion of preparations of fish, their parts and tissues for analysis and preservation;
  13. video and photographs of aquatic organisms;
  14. educational tutorials.

USE OF ARCHIVES' DATA

Through the use of archived data and the collaborations with other research centers and universities in both Italy and other countries we are working on:

  1. analysis of the evolution of the distribution and abundance of freshwater fish species in the Tiber River basin;
  2. evaluation of the interaction between native and exotic fish species in the Tiber River basin;
  3. calculation of the growth standards of the principal Italian freshwater fish species;
  4. determination of the relevant values delimiting the length-classes used to calculate the Proportional Stock Index (PSD) of the main Italian freshwater fish species;
  5. compution of the equations to calculate the relative weight (Wr) of the main European freshwater fish species.