Alburnoides recepi, 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 : 108-109

Alburnoides recepi , new species

( Fig. 4 )

Holotype. FFR 0 1101, 65 mm SL; Turkey: Gaziantep Prov.: Merzimen Stream, Euphrates River drainage; 37°24’57’’N, 37°43’06’’E; 10 Aug. 2005, R. Buyurucu, Z. Bostancı, Ş. G. Kırankaya and D. Turan.

Paratypes. FFR 0 1050, 47, 43–76 mm SL; CMK 20317, 6, 49.4–60.4 mm SL; same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Alburnoides recepi is distinguished from all the 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, completely scaleless; body depth at dorsal-fin origin 29–34% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 10–12% SL and 1.5–1.9 times in its length; predorsal length 54–57% SL; mouth slightly superior, the tip of the mouth cleft between level of middle of pupil and upper margin of pupil; dark grey stripe slightly distinct on anterior and posterior parts of body; Pigmentation of lateral-line is distinct anteriorly and posteriorly ( Fig. 4 ); 47– 56 + 2–3 lateral-line scales, 10–12 scale rows between lateral-line and dorsal-fin origin, 4–5 scale rows between lateral-line and anal-fin origin, 13½–16½ branched anal-fin rays; pharyngeal teeth 5.2–2.4, markedly hooked; number of total vertebrae 38–40, comprising 19–21 abdominal and 18–20 caudal vertebrae.

Description. General appearance is shown in Figure 4 ; morphometric and meristic data are given in Tables 1 and 2. Body deep and markedly compressed laterally. Caudal-peduncle slender and approximately 1.5–1.9 times in its length. Dorsal profile slightly convex, ventral profile more arched than dorsal profile. Predorsal length 1.8–2.1 times in SL. Prepelvic length 2.0–2.2 times in SL. Head deep and somewhat long, dorsal profile slightly convex at snout. Snout short, with pointed tip, smaller than eye diameter and about equal to interorbital width. Mouth slightly superior, without chin. The tip of the mouth cleft approximately at level of middle of pupil or above. Ventral keel between pelvic and anal fins well developed, completely scaleless.

Lateral-line with 49 (2), 50 (3), 51 (1), 52 (10), 53 (3), 54 (6), 55 (4), 56 (3), 57 (1) or 58 (1) scales; 10 (3), 11 (24) or 12 (7) scales rows between lateral-line and dorsal-fin origin; 4 (10) or 5 (24) scales between lateral-line and anal-fin origin. Gill rakers 2–3 + 7–8= 9–10 on first gill arch. Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 7½ (2) and 8½ (32) branched rays, outer margin straight or slightly convex, its origin at vertical in front of mid-point of pelvic-anal distance. Pectoral fin short, reaching pelvic-fin origin or slightly behind, outer margin slightly convex, with 1 simple and 13 (28)–14 (6) branched rays, reaching behind pelvic-fin origin in male but only reaching to pelvic-fin origin in female. Pelvic fin reaching behind anal-fin origin in male, to anus in female, with 1 simple and 7–8 branched rays, outer margin slightly convex. Anal fin with 3 simple and 13½ (7), 14½ (16), 15½ (9) or 16½ (2) branched rays, outer margin concave. Caudal-fin short, deeply forked and lobes pointed.

Pharyngeal teeth 5.2–2.4, markedly hooked. Number of total vertebrae 38 (3), 39 (16) or 40 (5); predorsal vertebrae 14 (10) or 15 (14); number of abdominal vertebrae 19 (3), 20 (19) or 21 (1), and that of caudal vertebrae 18 (2), 19 (18) or 20 (4); the abdominal region usually longer than the caudal region, and the difference between the abdominal and caudal numbers varies from +2 to –1; vertebral formulae commonly 20+18 (1), 20+19 (14), 19+19 (2) or 20+19 (1). Its maximum known size is 65 mm SL.

Sexual dimorphism. There are small tubercles on membrane of anal fins in males. The paired fins of the male are longer than those of the female.

Coloration. Formalin-preserved adults and juveniles from light brown to dark brown on back and flank, yellowish on belly. Caudal, dorsal and anal fins dark grey; pectoral and pelvic fins yellowish. There are small black specks on rays of dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Pigmentation of lateral-line is distinctanteriorly and posteriorly. Narrow, slightly distinct dark stripe anteriorly and posteriorly on body, its width usually smaller than the eye diameter.

Distribution and notes on biology. Alburnoides recepi is known only from the Merzimen 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) , Cyprinion macrostomum Heckel, 1843 , Squalius sp., Oxynoemacheilus sp,. Garra rufa ( Heckel, 1843) , Garra variabilis ( Heckel, 1843) have been collected with Alburnoides recepi .

Etymology. The species is named for Recep Buyurucu, who has contributed greatly to our sampling for many years.

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 4. Alburnoides recepi. Turkey: Gaziantep Province: Merzimen Stream, Euphrates River drainage, holotype, FFR 0 1101, male, 65 mm SL.