Alburnoides cf. devolli (a member of the Alburnoides prespensis complex of Stierandova et al. (2016)

Bogutskaya, Nina G. & Ahnelt, Harald, 2019, New data on the western Balkan leuciscids Alburnoides and Alburnus (Teleostei, Leuciscidae) from the Vjosa River, Albania, ZooKeys 870, pp. 101-115 : 102

Alburnoides cf. devolli (a member of the Alburnoides prespensis complex of Stierandova et al. (2016) Fig. 1

New record.

NMW 55706, 40 specimens, SL 36.5-52.8 mm (mean 45.0 mm); Albania: Vjosa River drainage, Bença River at Bença village, ca. 6 km upstream of confluence with tVjosa (ca. 40°18'22"N, 20°1'29"E), collector(s) unknown, collected in July 1914, donated to NMW by F. Steindachner.

Identification.

Based on 40 specimens except for numbers of pharyngeal teeth and measurements as specified below. Dorsal-fin branched rays 8½; anal-fin branched rays 10½-12½ (mode 11½, mean 11.3½); scales in lateral series 45-51 (mean 48.1); total lateral-line scales 43-50 (mean 46.8); later-line scales to posterior margin of hypurals 43-49 (mean 45.8); ventral keel (n = 20) from completely to 1/3 scaled, commonly ¾ scaled; mouth with a fleshy snout protruding lower jaw; gill-rakers 7-9 (mode 8, mean 8); total vertebrae 39-41 (mode 40, mean 40.4) with abdominal vertebrae 20-21 (mode 20, mean 20.5), predorsal abdominal 13-15 (mode 14, mean 13.70) and caudal vertebrae 19-21 (mode 20, mean 19.9); most frequent vertebral formulae 20+20 and 21+20; pharyngeal teeth 2.5-4.2 (n = 5). Measurements for four specimens with SL over 50 mm see Table 1.

For a morphological comparison with close species (and presumptive species) see Table 2 and Fig. 2 .

Identification of the sample as Alburnoides cf. devolli is based on statistical analyses ( Fig. 2 ). See Discussion for the taxonomy of A. devolli Bogutskaya, Zupančič et Naseka, 2012.

Colouration (preserved).

The body is pale fawn, the back darker than the ventral side. A distinct, black to dark grey stripe extends from the posterior margin of the orbit to the base of the caudal fin. The ventral side of the belly and of the tail is unpigmented. The lateral line is lined dorsally and ventrally by pigment along its entire length, most distinct in its anterior half to about below the origin of the dorsal fin. The fins are hyaline with tiny melanophores lining the dorsal and caudal fin rays, the anterior rays of the anal and the dorsal rays of the pectoral fins.

Figures

Figure 1. Alburnoides cf. devolli (member of A. prespensis complex of Stierandova et al. (2016), NMW 55706. External appearance of a male SL 50.5 mm and b female 47.9 mm, and c radiograph of same specimen as a.

Figure 2. a Cluster analysis b multidimensional scaling results for Alburnoides samples of North, Black, and Adriatic basins from Rhine southwards to Vjosa in Albania based on data for counts and coded qualitative characters as in Table 3. Adriatic samples of Alburnoides prespensis complex named as presumed species.