PFK Fishnews: New shemya bleak described

[AquaticQuotient.com]

New shemya bleak described

German and Swiss scientists have described a new species of shemaya (a kind of bleak) from eastern Greece. The new species, named Alburnus vistonicus in a paper by Jörg Freyhof and Maurice Kottelat published in the most recent issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, is described from Lake Vistonis in Greece (after which the species is named), where it is apparently endemic.

According to the authors, A. vistonicus is distinguished from other species of shemayas (the name is used for species of bleak often synonymised with A. chalcoides) in having “...anal-fin origin about ½–1½ scales behind dorsal-fin base; 13–15½ branched anal-fin rays; 21–25 gill rakers; 57–67 + 4 lateral line scales; ventral keel exposed for 5–12 scales in front of anus; head length 21–24 % SL; predorsal length 52–56 % SL; depth of caudal peduncle 1.9–2.4 times in its length; length of caudal peduncle 19–22 % SL, eye diameter 5.1–6.7 % SL, 1.1–1.6 times in interorbital distance, 22–29 % head length; few, large tubercles in nuptial males...”

The authors also provide a new name (Alburnus volviticus) for the species previously known as Chalcaburnus chalcoides macedonius in this study.

For more information, see the paper: Freyhof, J and M Kottelat (2007) Alburnus vistonicus, a new species of shemya from eastern Greece, with remarks on Chalcalburnus chalcoides macedonius from Lake Volvi (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 18, pp. 205–212.

Full article by Ng Heok Hee here...

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