Alosa caspia (Eichwald, 1838)

Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash, Ghanavi, Hamid Reza & Doadrio, Ignacio, 2020, Fig. 4 in Fig. 4 in Fig. 3 in Fig. 21. Sesarmops mora n in Paralbunea dayriti, Zoological Studies 59 (21), pp. 1-303 : 22-23

Alosa caspia (Eichwald, 1838) – Native ( Fig. 32)

Caspialosa knipowitschi Iljin [B. S.] 1927: 69; Type locality: Southwestern Caspian Sea, Iran. Lectotype: ZIN 31892 (212 mm). Paralectotypes: (94) ZIN 31892 (3 of 4, with lectotype), 25602 (2).

Caspialosa caspia var. persica Iljin [B. S.] 1927: 72; Type locality: Astrabad Bay, southeastern Caspian Sea, Iran. Lectotype: ZIN 16413 (147.5 mm). Paralectotypes: ZIN 16413 (3, with lectotype).

Caspialosa caspia aestuarina Berg [L. S.] 1932: 88; Type locality: Northern Caspian Sea, Russia. No types known.

Alosa bulgarica Drensky [P.] 1934: 79 (German p. 85); Type locality: Lower Resovska River , south of Burgas, Bulgaria coasts of the Black Sea. Lectotype: NMNHS 300 /2.

Caspialosa caspia salina Svetovidov [A. N.] 1936: 51; Type locality: Mertvyi Kultuk and Kaydak bays, northeastern Caspian Sea. Syntypes: whereabouts unknown.

Common name: Pr: Shagmahi-ye shekambozorg, Shagmahi-ye chekameh dar, Shagmahi-ye darya-ye Khazar, En: Caspian shad.

Diagnosis: A relatively deep and “shad-like” shape, not as elongate and rounded as in some related species, which are likened to a “herring” shape. Total gill rakers 68–150 much longer than the gill filaments, and forming a convex outline on the lower arch. Teeth present in both jaws but poorly developed in both jaws. A black spot posterior to gill opening and occasionally further black spots on flank in some cases.

Meristic characters: D: III–IV 12–15 (14), A: III– IV (III) 15–20 (18), GR: 68–150 (100–140), LL: 94–54, TV: 45–52 (49–51).

Distribution: Caspian Sea basin ( Fig. 33). This species is commonly found in the western Caspian Sea but many authors also reported it from southern Caspian Sea ( Coad 2017).

Taxonomy: Clupea caspia described from Caspian Sea. No types known. Svetovidov ( Hureau and Monod 1973) placed in Alosa .

Conservation: IUCN: Least Concern ( Freyhof and Kottelat 2008d).