Aphaniops sirhani (Villwock, Scholl & Krupp, 1983)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 727

Aphaniops sirhani

Common name. Azraq killifish.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Aphaniops in West Asia by: ● female with a midlateral row of roundish, black spots, often with additional black spots on flank / ● male with a wide, black dorsal margin / ● dorsal and anal yellow, with or without a narrow black margin and 0–2 short black bands on middle of fin / ○ male with 8–11 distinct bold black or dark-brown lateral bars on flank between head and caudal peduncle / ○ female with a series of dark-grey blotches along midlateral body / ○ male with 1–3 bold, crescent-shaped black bars on caudal / ○ body covered by overlapping scales / ○ caudal truncate or slightly rounded. Size up to 45 mm SL.

Distribution. Jordan: Azraq marsh.

Habitat . Shallow oases, lakes and springs.

Biology. Live up to 3 years, mature in a few months, usually late in the year of birth. Biology similar to other Aphaniidae .

Conservation status. CR; Azraq marshes almost completely dried up in 1992. Species survived in wetland and had been maintained in Azraq Reserve and outside by captive breeding. Since 1994, 8 % of the marshes (based on their 1960s extent) have been restored. However, the species remains dependent on conservation, as water has to be pumped into the wetland due to a very low water table resulting from increasing water abstraction. Non-native species threaten the restored reserve.

Further reading. Villwock et al. 1983 (description); Freyhof et al. 2017b (molecular data, distribution).

Figures

Aphaniops sirhani

Habitat