Paraphanius, Esmaeili, Teimori, Zarei & Sayyadzadeh, 2020

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 747-749

Paraphanius

Paraphanius comprises seven species, plus one undescribed, that are all superficially similar but well distinguished by molecular characters. Paraphanius species are particularly diverse in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially in the Levant.One species, P.mento , is distributed across the Levant,

the upper Euphrates and Tigris, where it appears to have a localised distribution pattern. Further studies are required to determine whether this species represents a complex of closely related species. Further reading. Esmaeili et al. 2020b (description of Paraphanius ); Freyhof & Yoğurtçuoğlu 2020 (generic structure of Aphaniidae ).

Key to species of Paraphanius The key is only suitable for adult fishes, ideally nuptial females and males, larger than 30 mm SL.

1a - Adult male with silvery, very narrow, vertical lines on flank. ………………2

1b - Adult male with silvery spots on flank, often organised in fuzzy, vertical series but not in lines (juvenile males of all species often with lines). ………………3

2a - Adults very large, often more than 60 mm SL; lower jaw strongly upturned; in male, silvery lines irregularly shaped, often interrupted; background colour greenish, greyish or dark-blue in male, upper part of head and back, not orange. ……………… P. mentoides

Paraphanius alexandri ; Elbistan, Ceyhan drainage, Türkiye; female, 33 mm SL.

Paraphanius alexandri ; Ceyhan drainage, Türkiye; male, 45 mm SL.