Editing Lake Baikal (section)

===Fish===
[[File:Thymallus baikalensis, Baikal-Museum, Listvyanka, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia - 20080405.jpg|thumb|left|Two species of [[Thymallus|grayling]] (''[[Thymallus baicalensis|Thymallus baikalensis]]'' and ''T. brevipinnis'') are found only in Baikal and rivers that drain into the lake.<ref name=ThymallusBaikalensis>{{fishBase|Thymallus|baikalensis|year=2014}}</ref><ref name=ThymallusBrevipinnis>{{fishBase|Thymallus|brevipinnis|year=2014}}</ref>]]

Fewer than 65 native fish species occur in the lake basin, but more than half of these are endemic.<ref name=FEOW/><ref name=FishbaseList>FishBase: [http://www.fishbase.org/trophiceco/FishEcoList.php?ve_code=156 Species in Lake Baikal.] Retrieved 6 April 2017.</ref> The families [[Abyssocottidae]] (deep-water sculpins), [[Comephoridae]] (golomyankas or Baikal oilfish), and [[Cottocomephoridae]] (Baikal sculpins) are entirely restricted to the lake basin.<ref name=FEOW/><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00376-7 |title=Endemic diversification of the monophyletic cottoid fish species flock in Lake Baikal explored with mtDNA sequencing |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=27 |pages=143–155 |year=2003 |last1=Kontula |first1=Tytti |last2=Kirilchik |first2=Sergei V. |last3=Väinölä |first3=Risto |issue=1 |pmid=12679079 |bibcode=2003MolPE..27..143K }}</ref> All these are part of the [[Cottoidea]] and are typically less than {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on|0}} long.<ref name=Shahgedanova2002/> Of particular note are the two species of [[golomyanka]] (''Comephorus baicalensis'' and ''C. dybowskii''). These long-finned, translucent fish typically live in open water at depths of {{convert|100|-|500|m|ft|abbr=on}}, but occur both shallower and much deeper. Together with certain abyssocottid sculpins, they are the deepest living freshwater fish in the world, occurring near the bottom of Lake Baikal.<ref name=hunt>Hunt, D. M., et al. (1997). Molecular evolution of the cottoid fish endemic to Lake Baikal deduced from nuclear DNA evidence. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 8(3): 415–22.</ref> The golomyankas are the primary prey of the Baikal seal and represent the largest fish [[biomass]] in the lake.<ref>Pastukhov, V.D: ''[http://www.bww.irk.ru/baikalseals/baikalseals_01.html Lake Baikal Seals – NERPA.]'' Retrieved 19 July 2014.</ref> Beyond members of Cottoidea, there are few endemic fish species in the lake basin.<ref name=FEOW/><ref name=FishbaseList/>

[[File:Omul Fish.jpg|The [[omul]] (''Coregonus migratorius'') is [[Endemism|endemic]] to Lake Baikal, and is a source of income to locals.|thumb]]
The most important local species for fisheries is the [[omul]] (''Coregonus migratorius''), an endemic [[Coregonus|whitefish]].<ref name=FEOW/> It is caught, [[Smoking (food)|smoked]], and then sold widely in markets around the lake. Also, a second endemic whitefish inhabits the lake, ''[[Coregonus baicalensis|C. baicalensis]]''.<ref>{{fishBase|Coregonus|baicalensis|year=2014}}</ref> The [[Thymallus baicalensis|Baikal black grayling]] (''Thymallus baicalensis''), [[Thymallus brevipinnis|Baikal white grayling]] (''T. brevipinnis''), and [[Siberian sturgeon|Baikal sturgeon]] (''Acipenser baerii baicalensis'') are other important species with commercial value. They are also endemic to the Lake Baikal basin.<ref name=ThymallusBaikalensis/><ref name=ThymallusBrevipinnis/><ref>Baikal.ru: ''[http://baikal.ru/en/baikal/excursion/pisces/Thymallus_arcticus_baicalensis.html Baikal grayling.]'' Retrieved 19 July 2014.</ref><ref>Baikal.ru: ''[http://baikal.ru/en/baikal/excursion/pisces/acipenser.html Baikal sturgeon.]'' Retrieved 19 July 2014.</ref>