We tested for reproductive isolation between Salmo trutta abanticus, S.t. labrax, S.t. caspius and S.t. fario by conducting crosses to produce F1 and F2 offspring. We also estimated the extent of genetic divergence between all three entities by examining sequence variation across the coI, d-loop and cytb mitochondrial genes. All of the F1 cross-types were successfully produced. After 2 years of culturing, F2 generation were produced as well. Fertilization, hatching and survival rates and hatching performance of F1 and F2 generations were evaluated. F2 generation had similar performance to their parent. Fertilization, hatching, larval survival rate and hatchery performance of F1 and F2 generation were similar except pure bred F2 S.t. abanticus. Purebred F1 individuals shared similar coloration patterns and spots with their parents but direction of the hybridization appeared to be decisive on morphology of hybrids. Some of the hybrids exhibit different morphological characters than their parents. Based on partial alignments of the three genes, phylogenetic analysis showed that these S. trutta are gathering within the same clade and appeared as monophyletic group. We found that there were some morphologic and genetic variation among S. trutta subspecies but the degree of variation does not warrant species level recognition. These findings indicate that the four subspecies constitute a single biological entity, corresponding to different morphs of the Danubian lineage. We therefore recommend that S. trutta belonging to Danubian lineage in Turkey be referred to as Salmo trutta and that strains be named according to location, such as Abant, Caspian, Black Sea and Anatolian.

Oxynoemacheilus cemali sp. nov. is described from the Çoruh River drainage in the eastern Black Sea basin. One molecular marker (coI), 25 morphometric and four meristic characters were analysed. Oxynoemacheilus cemali is distinguished from O. kosswigi, O. banarescui, O. samanticus and O. angorae in the Black Sea basin by having a suborbital groove in males, an axillary lobe at the pelvic‐fin base, no dorsal adipose crest on the caudal peduncle, a slightly‐forked caudal fin and 7–15 dark grey dorsal saddles. Morever, Oxynoemacheilus cemali is distinguished by commonly having 9–15 irregularly‐shaped dark‐grey bars on the flank posterior to the dorsal‐fin origin or, rarely having a mottled pattern or 4–6 irregularly shaped dark‐grey bars on the flank posterior to the dorsal‐fin origin. Oxynoemacheilus cemali is also distinguished from the closely related species O. araxensis and O. cyri, distributed outside the Black Sea basin, by having 15 and 31 diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the coI barcode region, respectively.

The genetic differentiation among Turkish populations of the narrow-clawed crayfish was investigated using a partial sequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (585 bp) of 183 specimens from 17 different crayfish populations. Median joining network and all phylogenetic analyses disclosed a strong haplotype structure with three prominent clades diverged by a range between 20 and 50 mutations and substantial inter-group pairwise sequence divergence (5.19-6.95 %), suggesting the presence of three distinct clades within the Anatolian populations of Astacus leptodactylus. The divergence times among the three clades of Turkish A. leptodactylus are estimated to be 4.96-3.70 Mya using a molecular clock of 1.4 % sequence divergence per million years, pointing to a lower Pliocene separation. The high level of genetic variability (H d = 95.8 %, π = 4.17 %) and numerous private haplotypes suggest the presence of refugial populations in Anatolia unaffected by Pleistocene habitat restrictions. The pattern of genetic variation among Turkish A. leptodactylus populations, therefore, suggests that the unrevealed intraspecific genetic structure is independent of geographic tendency and congruent with the previously reported geographic distribution and number of subspecies (A. l. leptodactylus and A. l. salinus) of A. leptodactylus.

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Oxynoemacheilus cilicicus, new species, is described from the Göksu, Seyhan and Ceyhan rivers in southern Turkey. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea basin by possession of an incomplete lateral line, terminating before the vertical of the dorsal-fin origin or slightly behind the dorsal-fin base, a deeply emarginate caudal fin, no suborbital groove in male individuals, and a series of dark-brown bars on the flank not interrupted along the lateral line. Molecular data suggest that Oxynoemacheilus cilicicus is characterised by 22 variable nucleotide substitutions and a minimum K2P distance of 4.09% with O. panthera in the mtDNA COI barcode region. 

Salmo fahrettini, a new species, is distributed in the northern tributaries of the Euphrates River. It differs from other Salmo species in adjacent waters by a combination of the following characters: a greyish body; one black spot behind the eye and on the cheek; three to six black spots on the opercle; numerous black spots on the back (missing on the predorsal area), flank and middle part of body, surrounded by a roundish white ring; red spots in the median part of the body, surrounded by a roundish white ring; short and narrow maxilla; increase in the number of black and red spots with an increase in size; adipose fin medium size, no or rarely one red spot at its posterior edge; 109-116 lateral line scales; 27-30 scale rows between dorsalfin origin and lateral line; 20-23 scale rows between the lateral line and anal-fin origin; maxilla length 8.8-10.0% standard length in males, 8.8-9.6 in females.

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 ); head width at posterior margin of eye 16-19% L ; 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.