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.

A few studies have looked at this genus with a larger geographic perspective, such as that of Levin et al. (2012), who provided a phylogenetic framework of the genus. Alwan (2010) intensively studied the C. damascina species group, and Geiger et al. ( 2014) provided additional molecular data on Mediterranean species of Capoeta. Alwan (2010) conclusively demonstrated that C. angorae from the Mediterranean basin is a synonym of C. damascina, a view also supported by Levin et al. (2012) and Geiger et al. (2014).However, despite all these studies, the species diversity of Capoeta in Anatolia has not been fully resolved, and both Levin et al. (2012) andGeiger et al. (2014) found one group of populations in the Büyük Menderes and Dalaman rivers that was well distinguished from its sister species, C. bergamae, by the molecular methods applied. Here we study Capoeta from the Büyük Menderes River as well as from the streams Dalaman, Tersakan, and Namnam, with the aim of testing whether this molecular lineage might be a species different from C. bergamae and other Capoeta species of the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent Central Anatolia. Materials and methodsFish were caught using pulsed DC electrofishing equipment. The material is deposited in the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Zoology Museum of the Faculty of Fisheries, Rize (FRR) and İstanbul University, Science Faculty, Hydrobiology Museum, İstanbul (IUSHM). Measurements were made using digital calipers (0.1 mm accuracy). Hubbs and Lagler (1947) were followed in counts and measurements except as follows: head width at anterior eye margin: distance between anterior margins of eyes; head width at posterior eye margin: distance between posterior margins of eyes; head depth: through eye; snout width: at level of nostrils; head depth at snout: at level of nostrils; mouth width: measured between corners of mouth. Lateral line scale count includes scales on the caudal-fin base. The last 2 branched dorsal-and anal-fin rays, which articulate on a single pterygiophore, were counted as 1½. In the descriptions, numbers in parentheses after a count indicate the number of specimens in which this count was observed. To determine the sex of fishes, gonads were checked under a stereomicroscope.Morphometric and meristic data of C. damascina, C.

Genetic variation among three species of Trachurus (T. trachurus, T. mediterraneus and T. picturatus) from Turkey was investigated by phylogenetic analysis of the entire mtDNA control region (CR) (862 bp, n ¼ 182) and partial cytochrome (cyt) b (239 bp, n ¼ 174) sequences. Individuals were collected at nine stations in four geographic locations: North-eastern Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Sea of Marmara and Black Sea. Polymerase chain reactiondirect sequencing of the CR and the partial cyt b genes produced 28 and 131 distinct haplotypes, respectively. Maximum likelihood, neighbour-joining and maximum parsimony methods produced similar tree topologies. The results of both CR and cyt b sequence analyses revealed the existence of several species-specific nucleotide sites that can be used to discriminate between the three species. Genetic distances indicated that T. mediterraneus and T. picturatus are more closely related to each other than either is to T. trachurus. Inter-nucleotide and intra-nucleotide diversities of T. picturatus were larger than those of T. mediterraneus and T. trachurus. There was no evidence of a geographical difference in haplotype frequencies of these two mtDNA regions to be clustered.

No abstract

No abstract

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.

Gobio baliki, new species, is described from the stream Büyük Melen in the northwestern Anatolian Black Sea basin. The new species is distinguished from other gudgeons in Anatolia by the breast being completely covered by scales, scales extending slightly behind the isthmus; 5-6 scales between the posterior extremity of the pelvic-fin base and the anus; the distance between the anus and the anal-fin origin 7-10% SL; the postorbital distance equal to or greater than the snout length; the depth of the anal-fin approximately equal to the length of the pelvic-fin; 8-9 midlateral black blotches, usually separated from each-other.

Three new Alburnoides species are described from the southern Black Sea basin. Alburnoides kurui, new species, from the Yeşilırmak drainage, is distinguished from other species of Alburnoides in the southern Black Sea basin, the Marmara basin and the Anatolian Aegean basin by having a scaleless keel between the posterior pelvic fin base and the anus or with rarely 1 scale covering the anterior part of the keel; 50-59 total lateral-line scales; 13½-15½ branched anal-fin rays and 7-9 gill rakers. Alburnoides freyhofi, new species, from the Kızılırmak drainage, is distinguished by having a scaleless keel between the posterior pelvic fin base and the anus, 44-53 total lateral-line scales; 14½-16½ branched anal-fin rays and 5-7 gill rakers. Alburnoides kosswigi, new species, from the Sakarya drainage, is distinguished by having a scaleless keel between the posterior pelvic fin base and the anus or rarely with 1-3 scales covering the anterior part of the keel; 43-57 total lateral-line scales; 11½-13 (14)½ branched anal-fin rays and 5-7 gill rakers.