Lake Baikal Endemic Species
Background the ancient lake baikal is characterized by an outstanding diversity of endemic faunas with more than 350 amphipod species and subspecies.
Lake baikal endemic species. Thanks to the ringed seals they receive valuable skin fat and meat. About 60 fish species and subspecies live in lake baikal of which 55 are native while six were introduced by man and are new to the environment. Other land based species around lake baikal include. The most important local species for fisheries is the omul coregonus migratorius an endemic whitefish.
Other endemic species include the oily scaleless golomyanka fish and the omul a white fish that is one of lake baikal s most famous dishes. This animal is endemic to lake baikal one of three types of freshwater seals in the world in addition to the ladoga seal and saimaa seal. It is caught smoked and then sold widely in markets around the lake. More than 2 000 kinds of living organisms inhabit lake baikal region and of these only one is a mammal the baikal seal.
The omul one of dozens of fish species that are endemic to lake baikal. The omul coregonus migratorius is endemic to lake baikal and is a source of income to locals. Lake baikal is also a heaven for aquatic freshwater oligochaetes. The coastal strip and shallow bays are where fish which are known to everybody and are common in other siberian lakes and rivers live.
Ringed seal is the main endemic of lake baikal baikal s relict and symbol. The comephorus or golomyanka in russian is the most numerous fish in lake baikal with an overall genus weight of about 150 000 tons 67 percent of the biomass of all the lake s fish. Baikal ringed seals have been hunted since antiquity until present time because it is an integral part of local culture for the indigenous population. With 104 endemic species family candonidae is one of the most diverse crustacean groups in lake baikal yet their phylogenetic relationships and position in the family have not been addressed so far.
Also a second endemic whitefish inhabits the lake c.