Fauna - Fish

The fauna of freshwater fish in Bosnia and Herzegovina is rich and distinguished by the diversity of spices among which the endemic spices has special place and are widespread in a narrow area. In 2018 Croatian post Mostar presents four endemic spices on its stamps.

Neretva trout (Salmothymus obtusirostris oxyrhynchus) lives in the Neretva river and its tributaries. The body is elongated and flattened on the sides, dark-green with dark spots and it can grow up to 50 cm and weight 2 kg.

Prikanac (Phoxinellus pseudalepidotus) is a unique endemic fish that lives only in lower half of Mostarsko blato. It’s average size is 7,50 cm and lives maximum four years. It feeds with bugs, other water invertebrates and vegetables.

Spined loach (Cobitis herzegoviensis) also lives only in lower half of Mostarsko blato. It has oblong and flattened body with separate small shells that are visible only under the magnifying glass. It has a very elongated triangular head.

Barbelgudgeon (Aulopyge hugelii) has a body without shells, elongated, narrow and a shrunken head. Its bronze color with black spots and dots. On dorsal fin there is highlighted hard spine with a toothed inner edge on which it is named. (Željka Šaravanja)