Aphaniops dispar (Ruppell, 1829)

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 : 42-43

Aphaniops dispar (R̡ppell, 1829) [N] — Arabian toothcarp; Batrikh

Taxonomy. Original description: Lebias dispar Rüppell, 1829: 66 , pl. 18 (figs. 1-2) [Red Sea; lectotype:SMF 821].— Syrian synonyms: Aphanius dispar (Rüppell, 1829) ; Cyprinodon lunatus Valenciennes, 1846 ; Cyprinodon zaccarinii Gianferrari, 1933 ; Cyprinodon darrorensis Gianferrari, 1933 ; Cyprinodon cilensis Gianferrari, 1930 ; Cyprinodon zaccarinii var. airebejensis Gianferrari, 1933 .—Revisions: Teimori et al. (2018); Esmaeili et al. (2020: 5).—Illustration: Rüppell (1829: pl. 18, figs. 1-2) as Lebias dispar, Banister & Clarke (1977: 144 , fig. 30) as Aphanius dispar .

Status in Syria. First record from Syria by Ali (2003); confirmed by Saad et al. (2006).—Syria material: MSL.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Syria:Alkhabur and Orontes rivers.—Distribution in River Basin: 1-Dajleh & Khabour, 2-Euphrates & Aleppo, 3-Desert, 4-Orontes, 5-Barada &Awaj, 6-Coastal, 7-Al-Yarmouk.—General distribution: Middle East: Shores of Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and easternmost Mediterranean Sea basin; Socotra (north-western Indian Ocean).—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 437-Orontes, 438- Jordan River, 440-Arabian Interior, 441-Lower Tigris & Euphrates, 442-Upper Tigris & Euphrates.—Habitat: This species is euryhyaline, inshore habitats with dense structures of vegetation or stones. Also common in coral reefs in the Red Sea and widely distributed in lower parts of rivers, streams and all kind of inland water bodies, especially if these have brackish waters. Very rarely reported in freshwater habitats. Spawns on plants, algae and rock fissures. Freshwater, brackish.

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

Conservation. Conservation Status in Syria: Unknown.—IUCN: LC ( IUCN 2023).—Threats: HAB.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered as a keystone species.—Decline status: Stable.—Low priority for conservation action.