Salmo ardahanensis, Turan, Kottelat & Kaya, 2022

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 629

Salmo ardahanensis

Common name. Ardahan trout.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Salmo in Caspian basin by: ○ background colour of flank yellowish to dark-brown in life / ○ black spots few to numerous, roundish, medium size (approximately equal to pupil), ocellated, scattered on back, middle and upper part of flank in some individuals, restricted to back and upper part of flank in others / ○ number of black spots not or slightly increasing with increasing size in most males / ○ 19–21 gill rakers / ○ 112–119 lateral-line scales / ○ adipose large, almost reaching to caudal base in male larger than about 170 mm SL / ○ no dark bands on flank. Size up to 280 mm SL.

Distribution. Türkiye: Upper Kura drainage.

Habitat. Headwaters with clear and fast-flowing water, with stone and gravel bottoms.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Salmo baliki ; Murat, Euphrates drainage, Türkiye; male, 216 mm SL.

Remarks. This species is likely conspecific with S. caspius ; see the discussion there. More research is needed to resolve the case of Kura and Aras trout, all of which (except Lake Sevan trout) are likely to be conspecific.

Further reading. Turan et al. 2022b (description).