Aphaniops

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 718-719

Aphaniops

Aphaniops are a group of eight species of killifishes known to inhabit the south-easternmost Mediterranean basin, extending along the coasts of the Red Sea from south to Ethiopia and across the Persian Gulf basin to Gujarat in India. Except for one species, all Aphaniops occur in West Asia. Aphaniops stiassnyae is endemic to Lake Afdera in the Danakil Depression of northern Ethiopia, and several undescribed species might exist in East Africa. Aphaniops cannot survive water temperatures below 10°C for an extended period. Low water temperatures during the winter months in the Mediterranean basin may limit their distribution.

Further reading. Getahun & Lazara 2001 ( A. stiassnyae ); Chiozzi et al. 2017 (diversity in East Africa); Freyhof et al. 2017b (molecular data, distribution); Esmaeili et al. 2020b (generic concept).

Key to species of Aphaniops in West Asia

1a - Body without scales; caudal slightly emarginate, male without bold bars on caudal. ……………… A. furcatus

1b - Body covered by scales; caudal truncate, or slightly rounded, male with 2–3 bold, crescent-shaped black bars on caudal. ………………2

2a - Female with a midlateral row of roundish, black spots, often with additional black spots on flank; male with a wide, black dorsal margin; anal yellow, with or without a narrow black margin and 0–2 short black bars on middle of fin. ……………… A. sirhani

2b - Female with a midlateral row of vertically elongated black, grey or dark-brown blotches or narrow bars; male without black dorsal margin, anal yellow anteriorly, with 3–8 narrow black or brown bars on posterior part of fin. ………………3

3a - Male with silvery vermiculation on grey background on flank. ……………… A. richardsoni

3b - Male with dark-grey bars on silvery background or with roundish or ovoid silvery spots or blotches, sometimes with short vermiculation, on a grey, greenish or bluish background, often with spots in front of anal origin and bars on caudal peduncle. ………………4

4a - Male with 9–19 brown or grey bars on flank between pectoral and caudal bases. ………………5

4b - Male with roundish or ovoid silvery spots or blotches, sometimes with short vermiculation, on a grey, greenish or bluish background, often with spots in front of anal origin and bars on caudal peduncle. ………………7

5a - 5 branched dorsal rays, ½ ray absent. ……………… A. ginaonis

5b - 6–8½ branched dorsal rays, several individuals have 7 rays and no ½ ray; male with 9–17 brown or grey bars on flank. ………………6

6a - Female with a diamond-shaped or slightly vertically elongate black or dark-brown blotch at caudal base; male with 9–14 brown bars on flank. ……………… A. kruppi

6b - Female with a narrow and long bar at caudal base; male with 12–17 brown bars on flank. ……………… A. teimorii

7a - Male with roundish or ovoid silvery spots or blotches on flank, sometimes with short vermiculation, on a grey, greenish or bluish background, usually without bars on caudal peduncle; tip of dorsal reaching to three scales in front of end of hypural complex in nuptial male larger than 40 mm SL; female with a midlateral series of wide bars or irregularly shaped and set, vertically elongated, lateral blotches. ……………… A. dispar

7b - Male usually with wide grey or brown bars at posterior flank and caudal peduncle, with roundish or ovoid silvery spots or blotches on flank anterior to dorsal base or caudal peduncle; tip of dorsal reaching to end of hypural complex in nuptial male larger than 40 mm SL; female with a midlateral series of narrow bars, not much wider in upper part. ……………… A. stoliczkanus