Aphanius dispar (Ruppell, 1829)

Freyhof, Jörg, Weissenbacher, Anton & Geiger, Matthias, 2017, Aphanius kruppi, a new killifish from Oman with comments on the A. dispar species group (Cyprinodontiformes: Aphaniidae), Zootaxa 4338 (3), pp. 557-573 : 560-561

Key to species in the Aphanius dispar group

It should be noted that more than one species seems to be involved in A. dispar from the Red Sea basin and only limited material was available from the different molecular groups. The identification key is based on A. dispar from the northern Red and Mediterranean Sea basins. Other populations from the Red Sea may not be identified using this key.

1a Caudal fin emarginated; body without scales......................................................... A. furcatus

1b Caudal fin truncate; body covered by scales................................................................. 2

2a Lower jaw sharply upturned, oriented about 90° to body axis.......................................... A. stiassnyae

2b Lower jaw gently upturned, oriented about 45° to body axis.................................................... 3

3a Female with a midlateral row of roundish, black spots, often with additional black spots on flank; male with a wide, black dorsal-fin margin; anal fin yellow, with or without a narrow black margin and 0–2 short black bars on middle of fin... A. sirhani

3b Female with a midlateral row of vertically elongated black, grey or dark-brown blotches or narrow bars; male without black dorsal-fin margin, anal fin yellow anteriorly, with 3–8 narrow black or brown bars on posterior part of fin............... 4

4a Male with silvery vermiculation on grey background on flank........................................ A. richardsoni

4b Male with dark-grey bars on silvery background or with roundish or ovoid silvery spots or blotches, sometimes with short vermiculation, on a grey, greenish or blueish background, often with spots in front of anal-fin origin and bars on caudal peduncle..................................................................................................... 5

5a Male with 9–19 brown or grey flank bars between pectoral- and caudal-fin bases.................................... 6

5b Male with roundish or ovoid silvery spots or blotches, sometimes with short vermiculation, on a grey, greenish or blueish background, often with spots in front of anal-fin origin and bars on caudal peduncle..................................... 7

6a Five branched dorsal-fin rays, ½ ray absent in all individuals examined; male with 15–19 brown bars on flank, bars as wide or narrower than interspaces; female with a narrow and long bar at caudal-fin base; 4–5 scale rows on caudal-fin base.................................................................................................... A. ginaonis

6b 6½–7½branched dorsal-fin rays, several individuals have 7 rays and no ½ ray; male with 9–14 brown or grey bars on flank, bars as wide or wider than interspaces; female with a diamond-shaped or slightly vertically elongate black or dark brown blotch at caudal-fin base; 2–3 scale rows on caudal-fin base............................................. A. kruppi

7a Male usually without bars on caudal peduncle; tip of dorsal fin reaching to 3 scales in front of end of hypural complex in nuptial male larger than 40 mm SL; female with a midlateral series of wide bars or irregularly shaped and set, vertically elongated, lateral blotches................................................................................. A. dispar

7b Male usually with wide grey or brown bars at caudal peduncle; tip of dorsal fin reaching to end of hypural complex in nuptial males larger than 40 mm SL; female with a midlateral series of narrow bars, not much wider in upper part... A. stoliczkanus