Planiliza abu (Heckel, 1843)

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 : 46

Planiliza abu (Heckel, 1843) [N]—Abu mullet; Bouri nahri

Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil abu Heckel, 1843a: 1097 (107) [Tigris River, near Mosul, Iraq; syntypes: NMW 9224-30 (7), 67868 (2)].—Syrian synonyms: Chelon abu (Heckel, 1843) ; Liza abu (Heckel, 1843) .— Revisions: Thomson (1997: 513) as Liza abu ; Durand & Borsa (2015: 268).—Illustration: Carpenter et al. (1997: 202, fig.).

Status in Syria. First record from Syria by Beckman (1962: 160) as Liza abu ; confirmed by Krupp & Schneider (1991b: 73) as Liza abu .—Syrian material: MNHN, MSL.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Syria: Euphrates and Tigris River drainages.—Distribution in River Basin: 1-Dajleh & Khabour, 2-Euphrates & Aleppo.—General distribution: Northwestern Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf and adjacent Euphrates and Tigris River drainages ( Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran).—Distribution in Ecoregion: 441-Lower Tigris & Euphrates, 442-Upper Tigris & Euphrates.—Habitat: This species is a freshwater mullet, found in streams, rivers, drains, channels, canals, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds, including fish farms. It is found in schools. It is found in surface waters and the submerged vegetation of lakes and marshes, preferring a gentle flow of water, and it enters deeper waters in December and January, especially in cold winters. Freshwater, brackish, marine.

Economic importance. Locally consumed, but of no commercial importance.

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