Turcichondrostoma, a new genus for the Leuciscidae (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from Southwestern Anatolia

Turcichondrostoma, a new genus, from the Southwestern Anatolia is distinguished by having fewer gill rakers on first gill arch and morphologies of premaxilla and dentary bones. In addition, as a result of the phylogenetic analyses based on combine data set (mtDNA COI + Cytb) sequences (1706 bp.), Turcichondrostoma genus was recovered with high posterior probability value (BI PP:1.0) and strong-supported bootstrap value (ML BP: 100%) among the former Chondrostoma groups. Also, high K2P mean genetic distance values (more than 7.84%) differentiated genus Turcichondrostoma from the other genera of former Chondrostoma group. The results of both morphological-osteological and molecular analyses are congruent with each other. The results of this study revealed that the genus Turcichondrostoma is easily distinguished from the genera in Chondrostoma group.

Chondrostoma smyrnae, a new nase from the Tahtalı reservoir drainage in the Aegean Sea basin (Teleostei, Leuciscidae)

Chondrostoma smyrnae, a new species, from the Tahtalı reservoir drainage is distinguished by having a slightly arched lower jaw with a well-developed keratinised edge, a deep and cylindric body, a complete lateral line with 47–52+1 total scales, 8–9 scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin, 4 scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic fin-origin, and 19–23 gill rakers on the first gill arch. Moreover, molecular analyses using full cyt b (1141 bp) and partial coI (652 bp) sequences of the mitochondrial genome from specimens of the new species, C. smyrnae and specimens belonging to other Chondrostoma species from central and western Anatolia demonstrated that the C. smyrnae is easily differentiated by their high pairwise genetic distances of cyt b and coI data set (>2.20 and 1.03%, respectively) and by their position in the phylogenetic trees obtained through Maximum Likelihood (ML) methodology.

Molecular systematics and phylogeography of the genus Alburnus Rafinesque, 1820 (Teleostei, Leuciscidae) in Turkey

In this study, the phylogeny of Alburnus genus distributed in Turkish freshwaters was performed by analyzing mitochondrial cyt b gene (1141 bp) and COI gene (1551 bp) sequences from 1172 samples representing 112 populations of 24 species through their geographical distribution. According to our findings, 20 valid species are distributed in Turkey of which 18 have already been known. While six Alburnus species (A. battalgilae, A. istanbulensis, A. carinatus, A. schischkovi, A. nasreddini ve A. adanensis) have been synonomized, two new species (Alburnus sp.1 and Alburnus sp.2) from Dicle River and Çapraz Stream/Susurluk River have been identified. Extinct species such as A. akili and A. nicaeensis have not been observed in situ. Phylogenetic tree topologies and haplotype network of the 119 cyt b and 80 COI haplotypes detected in Alburnus species have indicated a consensus tree topology containing twenty lineages, each of corresponding to one species, and three Alburnus haplogroups corresponding to the geographical origins: Eastern Anatolia (I), Mediterranean (2) and Western & Northern Anatolia (3). The results indicate that the divergence between those haplogroups may have occurred during the Middle Miocene-Middle Pleistocene periods (from 14.9 to 5.29 million years).

Barbus xanthos, a new barbel from the Southern Aegean basin (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Barbus xanthos, a new species, is described from the Eşen, Dalaman, Tersakan and Büyük Menderes rivers in south-western Anatolia. It differs from other Barbus species in the adjacent basins by having 53-60 lateral line scales, a weakly ossified last unbranched dorsal-fin ray (about 33-50%), numerous small irregular-shaped black or dark-brown spots smaller than scales, often forming large, black or dark-brown blotches on back and flank in juveniles and adults, and a straight or slightly convex posterior dorsal-fin margin. B. xanthos differs from its most closely related congener, B. pergamonensis, by nine nucleotide substitution sites in the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I barcode region.

A new species of Petroleuciscus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Büyük Menderes River, southwestern Anatolia, Turkey

Petroleuciscus ninae sp. nov. is described from the Büyük Menderes River drainage. The new species is distinguished by having a black lateral stripe from head to base of caudal fin, stripe distinct anteriorly and posteriorly, wider than eye diameter; numerous black pigments on anal-fin rays; body depth at dorsal-fin origin 27-30% standard length (L_S ); head width at posterior margin of eye 16-19% L_S ; and eye diameter smaller than snout length. Petroleuciscus ninae is also distinguished from other species in adjacent waters by having six fixed diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mitochondrial DNA coI barcode region.

Description of a new species of Hemigrammocapoeta (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Lake Işıklı, Turkey

Hemigrammocapoeta menderesensis is distinguished from all other species of Hemigrammocapoeta in Anatolia by the following combination of characters (none unique to the species): lateral line incomplete; 6-17 perforated scales and 36-41 +1-2 scales in lateral series; 7½-8½ scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin, 3-4 scale rows between lateral series and anal-fin origin; dorsal fin commonly with 7½ branched rays; anal fin with 5½ branched rays; 15-17 gill rakers on the first brachial arch; pharyngeal teeth 2.4.5-5.3.3; mouth small, subterminal, horseshoe shaped and without barbel; lips developed and somewhat fleshy; upper lip not covering nostril gape; lower lip with two lateral lobes and median pad; lateral lobes smaller and shorter than half width of median pad; numerous papillae on lower and upper lips.

A new Pseudophoxinus (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) species from Asi River Drainage (Turkey)

Pseudophoxinus turanisp. n. is described from the İncesu Spring (Hassa-Hatay) drainage of Asi River, Turkey. It is distinguished from other Eastern Mediterranean Region Pseudophoxinus species by a combination of characters: lateral line incomplete, with 12–25 (commonly 16–21) perforated scales and 38–46+2-3 scales in lateral series (commonly 41–44+2-3); 10–11 scale rows between the lateral line and dorsal-fin origin; 3–4 scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic–fin origin; dorsal fin with 7½ branched rays; anal fin commonly with 7½ branched rays; 8-11gill rakers on the first branchial arch; dorsal profile markedly convex with marked hump at the nape, ventral profile less convex than dorsal profile; a small, irregular, black blotch on the base of the caudal fin; mouth terminal, with slightly distinct chin, its corner not reaching vertical through anterior margin of eye; snout somewhat long, with rounded tip; and its length greater than eye diameter.

Invasive Carassius carp in Georgia: Current state of knowledge and future perspectives

In Georgia, crucian carp Carassius carassius (Linnaeus, 1758) was known from only one locality after Kessler’s record (1877–1878) with no new findings until 1985. Since then C. carassius rapidly and simultaneously invaded almost all water bodies of Georgia. In 2004, it was for the first time noted that this invasive Carassius sp. could not be a C. Carassius, but was a form of Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1792). However no further data is available about this invasive species in Georgia. The aim of the present study was to investigate taxonomic status of Carassius sp. in Georgia using mtDNA phylogenetic analyses and mor-phometric study of truss network system. Genetic analysis revealed that invasive Carassius sp. is closely related to the C. gibelio from Turkey and other countries. In contrast, morphometrically Carassius sp. from Georgia can be easily differentiated from those of Turkey indicating high intraspecific variability. This is the first time discussion on the current knowledge of the present distribution of invasive carp in Georgia with identifying current problems and future research directions needed.

A new Pseudophoxinus (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) species from Southwestern Anatolia, with remarks on the distribution of the genus in western Anatolia

Pseudophoxinus burduricussp. n. is described from drainages of Salda and Burdur lakes, southwestern Turkey. It is distinguished from other Anatolian Pseudophoxinus by a combination of characters: lateral line incomplete, with 21–39 (commonly 26–37) perforated scales and 47–57+1-2 scales in lateral series; 10½–12½ scale rows between lateral line and dorsal fin origin, 3–4(5) scale rows between lateral line and the pelvic fin origin; dorsal fin commonly with 7½ branched rays; anal fin commonly with 6½ branched rays; 7–8(9) gill rakers on the first branchial arch; a faint and diffuse epidermal black stripe from eye to caudal fin base in alive and preserved individuals; mouth slightly subterminal, tip of mouth cleft on about level of lower margin of eye; snout rounded, its length greater than eye diameter. Comparison is given with all Pseudophoxinus species from western Anatolia.

A description of two new species of the genus Gobio from Central Anatolia (Turkey) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

The gudgeons of the genus Gobio from Anatolia are reviewed based upon the historical collection of the Hamburg Zoological Institute and Museum, Hamburg University, and recently collected materials. Fishes previously referred to subspecies of Gobio gobio be¬long to at least 8 species. Among them, two new species are described: G. battalgilae from northern Beyşehir Lake system (a Central Anatolian endorheic basin) and G. maeandricus from the headwaters of Great Menderes River (Aegean Sea basin). These spe¬cies are distinguished by a combination of the number of lateral line scales, predorsal and circumpeduncular scale counts, scale pattern on belly, vertebral counts, length of barbel shape of lower lip, and details of colour pattern.

Plate tectonics and biogeographical patterns of the Pseudophoxinus (Pisces: Cypriniformes) species complex of central Anatolia, Turkey

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships of Pseudophoxinus (Cyprinidae: Leuciscinae) species from central Anatolia, Turkey to test the hypothesis of geographic speciation driven by early Pliocene orogenic events. We analyzed 1141 aligned base pairs of the complete cytochrome b mitochondrial gene. Phylogenetic relationships reconstructed by maximum likelihood, Bayesian likelihood, and maximum parsimony methods are identical, and generally well supported. Species and clades are restricted to geologically well-defined units, and are deeply divergent from each other. The basal diversification of central Anatolian Pseudophoxinus is estimated to have occurred approximately 15 million years ago. Our results are in agreement with a previous study of the Anatolian fish genus Aphanius that also shows a diversification pattern driven by the Pliocene orogenic events. The distribution of clades of Aphanius and Pseudophoxinus overlap, and areas of distribution comprise the same geological units. The geological history of Anatolia is likely to have had a major impact on the diversification history of many taxa occupying central Anatolia; many of these taxa are likely to be still unrecognized as distinct.

Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of the Aphanius (Pisces, Cyprinodontiformes) species complex of central Anatolia, Turkey

Phylogenetic relationships of a subset of Aphanius fish comprising central Anatolia, Turkey, are investigated to test the hypothesis of geographic speciation driven by early Pliocene orogenic events in spite of morphological similarity. We use 3434 aligned base pairs of mitochondrial DNA from 42 samples representing 36 populations of three species and six outgroup species to test this hypothesis. Genes analyzed include those encoding the 12S and 16S ribosomal RNAs; transfer RNAs coding for valine, leucine, isoleucine, glutamine, methionine, tryptophan, alanine, asparagine, cysteine, and tyrosine; and complete NADH dehydrogenase subunits I and II. Distance based minimum evolution and maximum-likelihood analyses identify six well-supported clades consisting of Aphanius danfordii, Aphanius sp. aff danfordii, and four clades of Aphanius anatoliae. Parsimony analysis results in 462 equally parsimonious trees, all of which contain the six well supported clades identified in the other analyses. Our phylogenetic results are supported by hybridization studies (Villwock, 1964), and by the geological history of Anatolia. Phylogenetic relationships among the six clades are only weakly supported, however, and differ among analytical methods. We therefore test and subsequently reject the hypothesis of simultaneous diversification among the six central Anatolian clades. However, our analyses do not identify any internodes that are significantly better supported than expected by chance alone. Therefore, although bifurcating branching order is hypothesized to underlie this radiation, the exact branching order is difficult to estimate with confidence.