Alburnoides emineae, Turan, Davut, Kaya, Cüneyt, Ekmekçi, F. Güler & Doğan, Esra, 2014

Turan, Davut, Kaya, Cüneyt, Ekmekçi, F. Güler & Doğan, Esra, 2014, Three new species of Alburnoides (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Euphrates River, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, Zootaxa 3754 (2), pp. 101-116 : 103-106

Alburnoides emineae , new species

( Fig. 2 )

Holotype. FFR 0 1026, male, 69 mm SL; Turkey: Mardin Prov.: Beyazsu Stream, Euphrates River drainage; 37°10’21’’N, 41°16’13’’E; coll. C. Kaya and F. Kaya, 10 Aug. 2012.

Paratypes. FFR 0 1073, 20, 40–76 mm SL; same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Alburnoides emineae is distinguished from all species of Alburnoides in Turkey and adjacent waters by the following combination of characters (none unique to the species): a well developed ventral keel between pelvic and anal fins, generally scaleless; body depth at dorsal-fin origin 31–36% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 12–13% SL and 1.5–1.7 times in SL; predorsal length 56–60% SL; dorsal-fin origin approximately vertical to mid-point pelvic-anal distance. Mouth terminal, the tip of mouth cleft between level of middle of pupil and lower margin of pupil; snout with slightly pointed tip; dark grey stripe slightly distinct in anterior part of body but clearly distinct in posterior part of body, its width greater than eye diameter; pigmentation of lateral-line distinct along lateral-line in anterior part of body but slightly distinct in posterior part of body ( Fig. 2 ); 37–43 + 1–2 lateralline scales, 9–10 scale rows between lateral-line and dorsal-fin origin, 4–5 scale rows between lateral-line and analfin origin, 13½–15½ branched anal-fin rays; pharyngeal teeth 4.2–2.5, markedly hooked; number of total vertebrae 41–42 with mode of 41, comprising 20–21 with mode of 21 abdominal and 20–21 with mode of 20 caudal vertebrae.

Description. Maximum known size 76 mm SL. General appearance is shown in Figure 2 ; morphometric and meristic data are given in Tables 1 and 2. Body deep and markedly compressed laterally. Caudal-peduncle deep, its depth about 1.5–1.7 times in its length. Dorsal profile markedly convex with a slight hump behind head in specimens larger than approximately 50 mm SL; ventral profile equal or slightly more convex than dorsal profile. Predorsal length 1.7–1.8 times in SL. Prepelvic length 1.9–2.1 times in SL. Head long and deep, its dorsal profile straight or slightly concave at interorbital area, markedly convex at snout. Snout long, with slightly pointed tip, its length slightly smaller than eye diameter and interorbital width. Mouth terminal, with very slightly marked chin. The tip of mouth cleft approximately level with the middle of pupil or slightly below. The ventral keel well developed, commonly scaleless (in 18 specimens) or with 1–2 scales on anterior part (in 4 specimens).

Lateral-line with 39 (1), 40 (1), 41 (1), 42 (2), 43 (4), 44 (4) and 45 (7) scales; 9 (9) and 10 (11) scales rows between lateral-line and dorsal-fin origin; 4 (3) and 5 (17) scales between lateral-line and anal-fin origin. Gill rakers 2 + 4–5= 6 (11) –7 (9) on first gill arch. Dorsal fin with 3 simple, 8½ (16) or 9½ (4) branched rays, outer margin straight or slightly convex, its origin approximately at mid-point of pelvic-anal distance. Pectoral fin long, reaching pelvic-fin origin or slightly behind, outer margin straight, with 1 simple and 13(1), 14 (17) and 15 (2) branched rays. Pelvic fin long, reaching the origin of anal fin, with 1 simple and 7 branched rays, outer margin slightly convex. Anal fin deep, with 3 simple and 13½ (10), 14½ (9) and 15½ (1) branched rays, outer margin concave. Caudal-fin long, deeply forked, lobes pointed.

Pharyngeal teeth 4.2–2.5, markedly hooked. Number of total vertebrae 41(16) or 42 (4); predorsal vertebrae 14 (6), 15 (13) or 16 (1); number of abdominal vertebrae 20 (2) or 21 (18), and caudal vertebrae 20 (14) and 21 (6); the abdominal region longer than the caudal region, and the difference between the abdominal and caudal numbers varies from +1 to –1, vertebral formulae 20+21 (2), 21+20 (12) or 21+21 (4).

Sexual dimorphism. There are small tubercles on rays of the anal, pelvic and pectoral fins in males. The pelvic fin of the male is longer than that of the female.

Coloration. Formalin-preserved adults and juveniles are grayish on back and upper part of flank, yellowish on lower part of flank and belly. Caudal, dorsal and anal fins light grey; pectoral, and pelvic fins yellowish. There are small black specks on rays of dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Spots along lateral-line above and below pores distinct in anterior part of body but indistinct on caudal peduncle in most specimens. Dark grey stripe (its width approximately equal to eye diameter) on upper part of flank from posterior margin of operculum to caudal peduncle, slightly distinct in anterior body but clearly distinct in posterior body, its width smaller than eye diameter.

Distribution and notes on biology. Alburnoides emineae is presently known only from the Beyazsu Stream, drainage of Euphrates River, Persian Gulf basin ( Fig. 1 ). It inhabits swift and clear flowing water over cobble and pebbles. Capoeta umbla ( Heckel, 1843) ; Barbus lacerta Heckel, 1843 ; Oxynoemacheilus sp., Alburnus mossulensis Heckel, 1843 , Garra rufa ( Heckel, 1843) and Alburnus caeruleus Heckel, 1843 have been collected with A. emineae . Its maximum known size is 78 mm SL.

Etymology. The species is named for Emine Turan, the beloved mother of the first author.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Alburnoides species in Anatolia: A. emineae (+), A. velioglui (□), A. recepi (), A. fasciatus (■), A. eichwaldii (x), A. manyasensis (∆), A. cf. smyrnae (▲) and A. tzanevi (O).

FIGURE 2. Alburnoides emineae. Turkey: Mardin Province: Beyazsu Stream, Euphrates River drainage, holotype, FFR 0 1026, male, 69 mm SL.