Salmo euphrataeus, Turan, Kottelat & Engin, 2014

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 635-636

Salmo euphrataeus

Common name. Northern Euphrates trout.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Salmo in Euphrates and Tigris drainages by: ○ flank brownish in life / ○ one black spot behind eye / ○ 2–9 black spots on opercle / ○ 0–54 roundish black spots on flank, restricted to back (usually missing in predorsal area) and upper part of flanks / ○ number of black spots not increasing with size / ○ 13–53 small red spots on flank, round in male and irregularly shaped in female / ○ adipose dark-grey / ● mouth gape length 14.3–16.5 % SL in male, 12.3–14.9 in female / ○ adipose large, with 0–4 orange spots on its posterior margin / ○ 10–12 parr marks, distinct up to about 200 mm SL / ○ 112–120 lateral-line scales counted

Biology. Spawns December–January.

Conservation status. EN; appears to be declining within its very small range.

Further reading. Küçük et al. 2024a (description).

Salmo fahrettini ; Euphrates drainage, Türkiye; 232 mm SL.

until end of hypural complex / ● 26–31 scale rows between lateral line and dorsal origin. Size up to 260 mm SL.

Distribution. Türkiye: Şenyurt, Erzincan, Kuzgun, Rizekent, Ağırcık, Sırlı (Karasu drainage) in northern Euphrates.

Habitat. Headwater streams with cold, clear water, moderate current, gravelly and pebbly bottom.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Genomic data suggest that natural hybridisation between Mediterranean and Black Sea trout has played a role in the evolution of S. euphrataeus . However, the diversity, biogeography and relationships of the Persian Gulf trout still need to be better understood.

Further reading. Turan et al. 2020 (Cytochrome b phylogeny); Hashemzadeh Segherloo et al. 2021 (genomic data).