Paraphanius orontis ( Akşiray, 1948 )

Saad, Adib, Çiçek, Erdoğan, Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Fricke, Ronald, Sungur, Sevil & Eagderi, Soheil, 2023, Freshwater fishes of Syria: a revised and updated annotated checklist- 2023, Zootaxa 5350 (1), pp. 1-62 : 43

Paraphanius orontis ( Akşiray, 1948) [N]—Orontes killifish; Batrikh

Taxonomy. Original description: Aphanius cypris orontis Akşiray, 1948: 116 , pl. 2, figs. 5-6; figs. 11-12 [Small ditches near Lake Amik near Antakya, Turkey ( 36°17’N, 36°20’E); no types known].—Syrian synonyms: Cyprinodon cypris (non Heckel, 1843); Lebias mento (non Heckel, 1843); Aphanius mento (non Heckel, 1843).—Revisions: Esmaeili et al. (2020: 12).—Illustration: Akşiray (1948: pl. 2, figs. 5-6; figs. 11-12) as Aphanius cypris orontis .

Status in Syria. Recorded from Syria by Gaillard (1895: 6) as Cyprinodon cypris (non Heckel, 1843).—Syrian material: BMNH, MNHN.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Syria: Orontes River basin.—Distribution in River Basin: 4-Orontes.— General distribution: Asia Minor: Orontes River basin.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 437-Orontes.—Habitat: This species inhabits a wide range of springs, streams, and wetlands. Freshwater.

Economic importance. No commercial importance. Has potential to be used as aquarium fish.

Conservation. Conservation status in Syria: Unknown.—IUCN: NE (2023).—Threats:Unknown.—High sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.—High priority for conservation action.