Checklist of the freshwater decapod crustaceans from the Orontes River

The present paper provided an annoted list of decapod crustacean fauna of Orontes River, mainly based on previous study works. It included 6 species (3 Natantia, 3 Brachyura) belonging 3 families

AGE AND GROWTH OF BASSAN BARBEL, BARBUS PECTORALIS (ACTINOPTERYGII: CYPRINIFORMES: CYPRINIDAE), UNDER CONDITIONS OF A DAM RESERVOIR

WOS: 000267810500005Background. Bassan barbel, Barbus pectoralis Heckel, 1843, is widely distributed in the lakes and river systems of Turkey and its neighbouring countries. Bassan barbel is a fish species of commercial value. The aim of this study was to provide necessary biological features of bassan population from Kemer Reservoir. Materials and Methods. Biological aspects of Bassan barbel were studied based on a total of 206 specimens collected from Kemer Reservoir, during the period December 2004-November 2005. The fish age was determined from scales. Length-weight relation and Fulton's condition factor were used to evaluate fish condition. Results. The fish were from I to 6 year-old. Fork length (FL)-weight (R) relations were estimated as W=0.011 . FL2.980 for all specimens studied. The estimated growth parameters of the von Bertalanffy equation were: L-infinity=34.8 cm, W-infinity=549.58 g, K=0.168 . year(-1) and t(0)=-1.590 year for all specimens examined. Conclusion. The fish from Kemer Reservoir were characterized by an average growth rate and it was observed that the specimen grew fast during the first two years of life. The reason why bassan barbel had low condition values is probably because the environmental conditions in the reservoir were poor.Mustafa Kemal UniversityMustafa Kemal University [04 M 1704]The present study was financially supported by Mustafa Kemal University (Project No: 04 M 1704). The authors thanks to the staff of the Hydrobiology of Department, Ege University for their help in collecting the material

A contribution to a knowledge of the freshwater decapods of Hatay region, Turkey

This study provides occurrence data of freshwater decapod species collected from 2011 to 2012. The species were collected 143 samples from 11 sampling locations in the Hatay region, Turkey (Orontes river and catchment; main channel, side branches, streams, and adjacent wetlands). The collected species belong to 3 families and 4 species were identified

The revenant: rediscovery of <i>Margaritifera homsensis</i> from Orontes drainage with remarks on its taxonomic status and conservation (Bivalvia: Margaritiferidae)

<p>Since <i>Margaritifera marocana</i> (Pallary, 1918) and <i>M. laosensis</i> (Lea, 1863) were rediscovered, <i>M. homsensis</i> (Lea, 1865) remains the only pearl mussel species known solely based on old shell samples from natural history museums. This is also the last pearl mussel species, which is absent in a phylogeny of the family. Here, we aimed to provide an integrative revision of the taxonomic status of <i>M. homsensis</i> from the Orontes Basin. Using a newly collected specimen from the River Karasu, Hatay Province, southern Turkey, five gene partitions were sequenced, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), large ribosomal subunit rRNA (16S), large ribosomal subunit rDNA (28S) and its D3 expansion segment (D3), and small ribosomal subunit rDNA (18S). The multi-gene phylogeny indicates that <i>M. homsensis</i> is a sister taxon of <i>M. auricularia</i>, but both these species are closely related to <i>M. marocana</i> by nuclear genes. The main conchological features, i.e<i>.</i>, the shell shape, teeth morphology, and mantle attachment scars, as well as Fourier shell shape analysis have not shown principal differences between <i>M. homsensis</i> and <i>M. auricularia</i>. Based on these data, we concluded that <i>M. homsensis</i> is a valid species that is most closely related to <i>M. auricularia</i>. Special conservation efforts for a population of <i>M. homsensis</i> discovered in Turkey, including the formation of a nature reserve, might contribute to the conservation of the species. Finally, an extensive search for surviving populations in Orontes drainage (southern Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria) and the Nahr-el-Kabir River (Lebanon and Syria) remains necessary to develop a transboundary conservation strategy for this unique taxon.</p