A proposal for a new generic structure of the killifish family Aphaniidae, with the description of Aphaniops teimorii (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes)

Abstract

Following an exhaustive review of published molecular data and morphological characters, we propose a new generic classification for the Cyprinodontiform family Aphaniidae. The generic concept applied is based on monophyly, reasonable compactness, and morphological diagnoses. The proposed genera are monophyletic and compact groups that can be diagnosed by a combination of morphological characters. All species in Aphaniidae are morphologically homogeneous and have similar scale patterns, fin positions, and meristic characters. However, only a handful of morphological characters, including colour patterns, permit identification. We propose separation of Aphaniidae into eight monophyletic genera: Anatolichthys, Aphaniops, Aphanius, Kosswigichthys, Paraphanius, and Tellia, in addition to the new genera Esmaeilius and Apricaphanius, which are described for the species of the A. sophiae and A. iberus species groups, respectively. The original description of Aphanius hormuzensis does not fulfil the criteria of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, therefore this taxon is re-described as A. teimorii. Esmaeilius arakensis, E. kavirensis, E. mesopotamicus, and E. pluristriatus are treated as synonyms of E. sophiae. Esmaeilius farsicus is a junior synonym of E. persicus (Jenkins, 1910). The fossil genus Brachylebias is considered as incertae sedis since it lacks diagnostic characters which would permit it to be assigned to any of the extant genera recognised in this study.

Phylogeography of Aphanius fasciatus (Osteichthyes: Aphaniidae) in the Mediterranean Sea, with a focus on its conservation in Cyprus

“…The Mediterranean killifish, Aphanius fasciatus (Valenciennes, 1821), is a small fish typically associated to coastal brackish-water environments of the whole Mediterranean region, with the exception of the westernmost part, where it is replaced by Apricaphanius iberus (Valenciennes, 1846) and Apricaphanius baeticus (Doadrio, Carmona & Fernández-Delgado, 2002), and possibly the Aegean Sea, where the closely related Aphanius almiriensis Barbieri, Kottelat & Stomboudi, 2007 may partially or totally replace it (Valdesalici et al, 2019;Freyhof & Yogurtcuoglu, 2020). In the South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea the distribution of A. fasciatus partially overlaps that of Aphaniops dispar (Rüppell, 1829), with which it is able to produce hybrid offspring (Villwock, 1987;Fouda, 1995;Lotan & Ben-Tuvia, 1996).…”

“…In the South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea the distribution of A. fasciatus partially overlaps that of Aphaniops dispar (Rüppell, 1829), with which it is able to produce hybrid offspring (Villwock, 1987;Fouda, 1995;Lotan & Ben-Tuvia, 1996). In addition, A. fasciatus successfully colonised the Northern part of the Suez Canal (Fouda, 1995), with a few records in the Red Sea (Freyhof & Yogurtcuoglu, 2020), making it one of the few anti-Lessepsian migrants known to date.…”

Mamasın ve Seyhan Barajlarında Dağılım Gösteren Paraphanius similis’in Boy-Ağırlık İlişkisi (Türkiye)

“…In sex determination external coloration of the individuals were checked. Identification of the specimens was achieved according to literature (Wildekamp et al, 1999;Hrbek and Wildekamp 2003;Pfleiderer et al, 2014;Freyhof and Yoğurtçuoğlu, 2020).…”

“…There is a study about on their population and growth features of A. anatoliae (Güçlü et al, 2007). Morover there is a study for a new genetic structure of the killifish family Aphaniidae, with the description of A. teimorii (Freyhof and Yoğurtçuoğlu, 2020).…”

A preliminary analysis of the population genetic parameters indicates critically low genetic variation in a threatened killifish ( Anatolichthys transgrediens )

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Killifishes of the Western Palearctic are a group of secondary freshwater fishes including eight genera and 42 valid species (Freyhof & Yoğurtçuoğlu, 2020). All were widespread along the coastline of the ancient Tethys Sea during the Oligocene-Miocene boundary (Hrbek & Meyer, 2003), and currently inhabit several brackish habitats in the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf, as well as freshwater springs, streams and lakes in Turkey, North Africa and Iran (Freyhof & Yoğurtçuoğlu, 2020;Hrbek & Meyer, 2003). The most diverse and rich fauna of killifishes occurs in Anatolia (Turkey) with several species suffering a high risk of extinction, where one species has even already gone extinct (Freyhof & Yoğurtçuoğlu, 2020).

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