Pseudophoxinus hittitorum, a new species of spring minnow from Central Anatolia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Pseudophoxinus hittitorum, new species, is described from Lake Beysehir basin, Central Anatolia. It is distinguished from other Anatolian Pseudophoxinus by a complete lateral line with 84-94 + 1-2 scales, the absence of an epidermal lateral stripe, the dorsal-fin origin behind vertical through the pelvic-fin origin and a flexible last simple dorsal-fin ray

Pseudophoxinus fahrettini, a new species of spring minnow from Central Anatolia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Pseudophoxinus fahrettini, new species, from upper Kopru River drainage, Central Anatolia, is distinguished from other Anatolian Pseudophoxinus by a complete lateral line with 74-85+3-4 scales, the upper lip projecting beyond tip of lower lip, a prominent black stripe and a long snout and pointed head

Oxynoemacheilus hazarensis, a new species from Lake Hazar in Turkey, with remarks on O-euphraticus (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae)

Oxynoemacheilus hazarensis, new species, from Lake Hazar in the Turkish Tigris drainage, is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus in the Tigris drainage by having the combination of a slightly emarginate caudal fin, no suborbital groove in males, an incomplete lateral line, no scales on the back and flank in front of the anus, the maxillary barbel reaching beyond the middle of the eye, an incision in the middle of the upper lip, and the colour pattern on the flank mottled, not interrupted by an unpigmented zone along the lateral line. Oxynoemacheilus euphraticus from the Euphrates and Tigris drainages is a valid species: it is discussed and re-diagnosed against O. argyrogramma

Pseudophoxinus evliyae, a new species of spring minnow from Western Anatolia with remarks on the distribution of P. ninae and the systematic position of P. fahirae (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Pseudophoxinus evliyae, new species, from a small stream near Sogut, Western Anatolia, is distinguished from other Anatolian Pseudophoxinus by an incomplete lateral line, 54-64+2-3 scales in lateral series, 131/2-161/2 scales between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin, a prominent black stripe and a rounded snout and short head. This species vas previously identified as P. fahirae. Pseudophoxinus fahirae is tentatively placed in the genus Chondrostoma. Pseudophoxinus from Lake Burdur and Salda basins are re-examined and identified as P. ninae

Life history pattern and feeding habits of Gobio bulgaricus (Drensky, 1926) (Pisces: Gobionidae) in an endorheic stream (Istranca Stream, Turkey)

The Aegean gudgeon Gobio bulgaricus (Drensky, 1926) is a freshwater fish species restricted to the western parts (Thrace) of Turkey. The aim of the present study is investigating key parameters such as age, growth, reproduction and feeding habits of G. bulgaricus in the Istranca Stream to determine biological characteristics of the species. During monthly samplings from March 2012 to June 2013, G. bulgaricus specimens were collected from the endorheic Istranca Stream, which is draining to the Lake Durusu in Istanbul. The results showed that the lifespan of the species was 5 years. The length-weight relationships of G. bulgaricus indicated positive allometric growth and the relationship was lnW=-3.976+3.080lnSL for females, lnW=-4.008+3.088lnSL for males and lnW=-4.049+3.118lnSL for all individuals. The mean size at first sexual maturity (L-m) was 4.03 cm SL for females and 3.94 cm SL for males. Absolute fecundity ranged from 355 to 5556 eggs with mean of 1179 +/- 152 eggs. Prey analyses of digestive tract content indicated that G. bulgaricus was largely omnivorous (more precisely insectivorous) feeding mainly on aquatic insects and a small amount of plant and animal materials. Diptera larvae (IRI%=96.49) were the dominant prey of G. bulgaricus in terms of index of relative importance. It is considered that the present results will increase our knowledge of the life-history traits and feeding of G. bulgaricus

EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF FISH ASSEMBLAGES IN AN ENDORHEIC STREAM (ISTANBUL, TURKEY)

The aim of present study is to investigate the impacts of environmental variables to distribution and habitat preference of the species in an endorheic stream. For this purpose, the study was conducted in the Istranca Stream, which is draining into the Lake Durusu in Istanbul city, from March 2012 to June 2013, monthly. The sampling surveys were carried out at six stations on the stream, and fish samples were collected from the stations by electro-fishing. Water samples for water quality (NO2-N, NO3-N, SiO2, PO4-P, TP, Fe, SO4 ) and chlorophyll a analyses were taken simultaneously with fish sampling from the stations. At each sampling station, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity (EC) and water temperature were measured in situ with a portable digital multiparametric analyzer. Water depth, stream width, flow rate and weather temperature were also recorded in situ. To assess the relationships between the biotic variables (fish assemblages and chl-a) and the environmental variables, redundancy analysis (RDA) was employed to explore possible patterns. During the study, a total of 20 taxa belonging to 4 families were captured from the Istranca Stream. Rhodeus amarus (Bloch, 1782) (24%), Squalius cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) (16%) and Gobio bulgaricus Drensky, 1926 (13%) were determined as the most abundant fish species in the stream. RDA analysis explained 68% of the variation between biotic and environmental variables. Statistical analyses indicated that fish assemblages of the stream highly associated with the environmental variables; flow rate, conductivity and water temperature were the most influential

Revision of the genus Squalius in Western and Central Anatolia, with description of four new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Chubs of the genus Swains in western and Central Anatolia are reviewed. Ten species are recognized. squalius anatolicus (Lake Beysehir basin, western Lake Tuz basin and Manavgat River), S. cephaloides (northern Armutlu Peninsula), S. cii (southern Marmara Sea basin), S. fellowesii (Madra River south to Esen River), S. kosswigi (Tahtali River), and S. pursakensis (Sakarya River) are valid species and are redescribed. Four new species are described: S. aristotelis from the Tuzla drainage, S. carinus from Lake Isikh basin, S. cappadocicus from Melendiz River in Lake Tuz basin and S. recurvirostris from Lakes Eber, Aksehir and Ilgin basins. An identification key is provided for the species recognized in Western and Central Anatolia

Oxynoemacheilus hazarensis, a new species from Lake Hazar in Turkey, with remarks on O-euphraticus (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae)

Oxynoemacheilus hazarensis, new species, from Lake Hazar in the Turkish Tigris drainage, is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus in the Tigris drainage by having the combination of a slightly emarginate caudal fin, no suborbital groove in males, an incomplete lateral line, no scales on the back and flank in front of the anus, the maxillary barbel reaching beyond the middle of the eye, an incision in the middle of the upper lip, and the colour pattern on the flank mottled, not interrupted by an unpigmented zone along the lateral line. Oxynoemacheilus euphraticus from the Euphrates and Tigris drainages is a valid species: it is discussed and re-diagnosed against O. argyrogramma

Length-weight relationship of 16 fish species belonging to genus Pseudophoxinus (Teleostei: Leuciscidae) from Turkish inland waters

The length-weight relationships (LWRs) of a total of 16 species belonging to the genus Pseudophoxinus were analysed. Fish samples were collected by electroshocker (DEKA 3000 portable electroshocker; frequency 50-55 Hz; 50-60 cm fishing depth) and gill nets (for the purchased from fishermen) in some water bodies in Anatolia from June 2006 to January 2014. The values of parameter b in the LWR equations varied from 2.756 (Pseudophoxinus firati) to 3.407 (P. elizavetae). This study also provides a new maximum length data for three species (P. anatolicus, P. mehmeti, P. zeregi)

Alburnus selcuklui, A New Species of Cyprinid Fish from East Anatolia, Turkey (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Alburnus selcuklui, a new species from a branch of Botan stream of the River Tigris in East Anatolia Turkey, is distinguished from other Anatolian Alburnus species by the anal-fin origin 0-4 scales behind the base of the dorsal fin-base, 70-80 + 3-4 lateral line scales, 10-15 gill rakers, 81/2-9 branched dorsal-fin rays, 11-121/2 branched anal-fin rays, snout rounded, prominent epidermal lateral stripe and lateral body without black pigmentation along and below lateral line