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).

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

Aphaniops dispar ; salt marshes at Atlit, Israel; female, 43 mm SL.

Aphaniops dispar ; salt marshes at Atlit, Israel; male, 37 mm SL.