author(s)
Hadi Asadi, Masoud Sattari and Ali Reza Radkhah

abstract
A fish species prefer a particular habitat which provides its biological requirements, hence, understanding their habitat use and preferences are crucial for their effective management and protection. This study was conducted to assess the habitat use and selection patterns of Alburnoides eicwaldii, an endemic fish in Tootkabon River, Caspian Sea basin, Iran. The river was sampled at 13 equally spaced sites. A number of environmental variables, including elevation, water depth, river width, river slope, velocity, substrate type, average diameter of bed stone, riparian vegetation type and the relative abundance of A. eicwaldii were recorded at each site. The results showed that A. eicwaldii mostly selects upper parts of the river with higher velocity, higher depth, lower width and slope, bed rock substrate i.e. bed with bedrock cover and grasslands and residential area riparian type compared with the available ranges. This study provides the habitat use and environmental factors affecting on the distribution of A. eicwaldii in the Tootkabon River.