Seasonal variation of the Malascostraca (Crustacea) fauna and their relationship with physicochemical parameters in Seyhan Basin, Türkiye

The objective of this study was to investigate the seasonal distribution of Malacostraca fauna in the Seyhan Basin by examining their relationship with physicochemical parameters. Field studies were conducted at 23 stations during the spring, summer, and autumn of 2019, resulting in the examination of 4302 individuals. The orders Amphipoda and Decapoda were represented by 5 families (Niphargidae, Gammaridae, Palemonidae, and Potamidae) and 10 species. Echinogammarus ischnus, Gammarus mladeni, and G. pseudanatoliensis are the first recorded species in this basin. The Shannon-Wiener diversity (H) index showed that the highest diversity was at station 11th in the spring (0.72), at station 22nd (0.66) in the summer and autumn, and the lowest diversity was recorded at station 3rd in the spring (0.22) and autumn (0.05), and at station 1st in the summer (0.17). Based on Shannon Evenness (E), the most balanced distribution was observed at station 22nd during the spring and summer seasons (0.97), and at station 1st during the autumn season (0.96). The least homogeneous stations were identified as station 3 during the spring (0.22) and autumn (0.53) seasons, and station 1 during the summer season (0.59). Based on the results of the clustering analysis, the 3rd and 5th stations showed the highest similarity (89%), while the 2nd station was the least similar, separating from all other stations. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between DO and temperature and total nitrogen and a significant positive correlation between temperature and EC (P<0.01). When examining the water quality classes of the stations according to the Water Quality Regulation criteria, it is observed that the stations have either 1st class (very clean) or 2nd class (moderately polluted) water quality

Oxynoemacheilus veyseli, a new nemacheilid species from the upper aras river drainage of Turkey (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae)

A new species of nemacheilid fish, Oxynoemacheilus veyseli sp. n., is described from the upper Aras River drainage, Kars Province, Turkey. The species differs from its congeners in the Caspian Sea basin in the combination of the following characters: flank with a set of mid-lateral elongated, irregular-shaped dark brown blotches, sometimes fused, interrupted by lateral line; dorsum with three or four separated dark-brown roundish to elongated blotches predorsally and postdorsally; a deep and marked suborbital groove and many small unculi on rays of pectoral and dorsal-fin in male; small eye diameter (9.6-13.7 %HL); a short dorsal-fin base (10.1-13.3 %SL); 3-4 lateral and 3 central pores in supratemporal canal; deep body and caudal peduncle (17.3-19.4 and 10.2-11.4 %SL, respectively) and slightly emarginated caudal fin

Freshwater fishes of Turkey; a revised and updated annotated checklist

The current status of the inland waters ichthyofauna of Turkey is revised, and an updated checklist of the freshwater fishes is presented. A total of 368 fish species live in the inland waters of Turkey. Among these, 3 species are globally extinct, 5 species are extinct in Turkey, 28 species are non-native and 153 species are considered as endemic to Turkey. We recognise pronounced species richness and a high degree of endemism of the Turkish ichthyofauna (41.58%). Orders with the largest numbers of species in the ichthyofauna of Turkey are the Cypriniformes 247 species), Perciformes (43 species), Salmoniformes (21 species), Cyprinodontiformes (15 species), Siluriformes (10 species), Acipenseriformes (8 species) and Clupeiformes (8 species). At the family level, the Cyprinidae has the greatest number of species (188 species; 51.1% of the total species), followed by the Nemacheilidae (39), Salmonidae (21 species), Cobitidae (20 species), Gobiidae (18 species) and Cyprinodontidea (14 species)

Oxynoemacheilus ciceki, new nemacheilid species (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae) from the Sultan Marsh, Kayseri Province, Turkey

A new species of nemacheilid fish, Oxynoemacheilus ciceki sp. n. is described from the Sultan Marsh, Kayseri Province, Turkey. The species differs from its congeners in the combination of the following characters: flank yellowish brown or pale gray with irregular spot; cheeks with numerous tiny spots; lacking scale; thinner caudal peduncle; complete lateral line; 4 central and 4 lateral pores in the supra-temporal canal; lower lip thick with a deep median interruption and marked furrows and small median incision in upper lip

A taxonomic evalution of Alburnus sellal heckel, 1843 and alburnus adanensis Battalgazi, 1944: Based on morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA sequences

Alburnus sellal inhabits Ceyhan, Euphrates, Orontes and Tigris river basins whereas Alburnus adanensis is geographically restricted to Ceyhan and Seyhan river basins. Due to the very similar morphometric and meristic characteristics, discrimination of these two species is difficult. The most important diagnostic character is the scale numbers in lateral line (73-80 in A. sellal vs 60-66 in A. adanensis) and pronounced lack of the dark grey band on side of the body. In order to clarify the taxonomic status of the A. sellal and A. adanensis, a total of 27 morphological characters and the nucleotide sequence variation of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) genes were analyzed on the specimens which were from Seyhan, Ceyhan, lower Euphrates and Orontes river basins. The results show high similarity between A. sellal and A. adanensis based on the morphometric and the morphological characters using Principal Component Analyses (PCA). In addition genetic distance of the specimens belonging to two species between 0.000 to 0.011 using COI and cyt b genes sequences. Therefore, our results based on morphology, molecules and nomenclatural priority pointed out that A. adanensis should be evaluated as a synonym of A. sellal.Nevsehir Hacı Bektas Veli University, Scientific Research Project

First record and distribution of Alburnus qalilus Krupp, 1992 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Turkey

The Syrian spotted bleak, Alburnus qalilus Krupp, 1992 was described from the Nahr al-Hawaiz, the Mediterranean coastal drainage, Syria. The species differs from all other members of the genus Alburnus in the following combination of characters: 8 branched dorsal-fin rays, 9-11 branched anal-fin rays, 43-47 scales in the lateral line and 9-11 gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch. In the present study, the occurrence of this species is reported for the first time from the Turkish parts of the Orontes river basin in Kilis, Gaziantep and Hatay provinces. Our new data indicate that the home range of this species has been increased towards the Turkish parts of the Orontes river basin

Capoeta baliki Turan, Kottelat, Ekmekçi & Imamoglu, 2006 a junior synonym of Capoeta tinca (Heckel, 1843) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Capoeta baliki was described from Sakarya basin, Turkey. It was distinguished from its nearest congener i.e. C. tinca based on a combination of characters, including fewer serrae along posterior margin of last simple dorsal-fin ray, modally fewer scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin, fewer vertebrae, deeper and shorter head and slenderer caudal peduncle. We examined the synonymy hypothesis of C.­ baliki and C. tinca by comparing their morphometric, meristic and molecular characters. Based on the results, their morphometric and meristic characters largely overlapped and no character was found to distinguish them. In addition, a low K2P mean genetic divergence of 0.37% C. baliki and C. tinca based on cytb gene and clustering in same clad showed that they are identical in molecular characters. As no character could be found to clearly distinguish these species, we treat C. baliki as a junior synonym of C. tinca

New localities of scardinius elmaliensis bogutskaya, 1997 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) and its phylogenetic relationship based on mt DNA cytb region sequences

This study was conducted to report five new localities out of its type locality for Scardinius elmaliensis in the Western Mediterranean Basin of Turkey by providing their morphological characteristics, and their phylogenetic relationship based on mtDNA Cytb region. The results revealed significant differences of all studied populations in terms of the morphometric characters despite their low genetic differences, but their meristic characters were not different. All six studied populations of S. elmaliensis including that of type locality formed a monophyletic group with S. erythrophthalmus as sister group. The molecular result confirmed distinction of S. elmaliensis from S. erythrophthalmus based on Cytb genetic distance of 1.6-1.8%. The occurrence of S. elmaliensis out of type locality was firstly reported in this study. Such knowledge is important for future conservation strategies and habitat management of this species

Morphological flexibility of oxynoemacheilus seyhanensis in different habitats of Turkish inland waters: A case of error in describing a populations as distinct species

This study was conducted to investigate the morphological variation between seven populations of Oxynoemacheilus seyhanensis inhabiting three basins of Turkish inland waters. For this purpose, a total of 71 specimens were collected from Yildizeli, Taşköprü, Suşehri rivers (Kizilirmak basin), Büyükpotuklu, Pinarbaşi and Örenşehir rivers (Seyhan basin) and Akdağmadeni River (Yesilirmak basin). A total of 31 morphometric characteristics were measured. After standardization, data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan, Kruskal-Wallis tests, principal component analysis (PCA), canonical variate analysis (CVA), non-parametric MANOVA and cluster analysis. The results showed significant differences in 26 traits between the studied populations of O. seyhanensis (P<0.05) revealing a high morphological flexibility of this deep-bodied species