Hard-Spined Plateau Loach: An Introduced Species in the Lhasa River

The hard-spined plateau loach (Cobitis taeniata) is a fish species belonging to the genus Cobitis. Although it is a member of the plateau loach group, its natural distribution is not confined to the Lhasa River or the entire Yarlung Tsangpo River basin, but rather the Yellow River basin. It is believed that human activities have led to its introduction into the Lhasa River. According to historical fish resource surveys conducted in the Lhasa River basin, the hard-spined plateau loach was first detected in 2018. Our field sampling results from 2022 indicate that in several wetlands and ponds surrounding the Lhasa River, the hard-spined plateau loach has become the dominant species.