Description

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Diagnosed from its congeners in Europe by having the following characters: 30-38 gill rakers; anal fin origin about 1-2½ scales behind base of last dorsal ray; 48-58 + 3 lateral line scales; anal fin with 12-15½ branched rays; ventral keel exposed for 2-5 scales in front of anus; caudal peduncle depth 2.0-2.1 times in its length (Ref. 59043).

Common Names

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Ciroja , Albanian , Albania

Cironka , Albanian , Albania

Gjuca e Prespës , Albanian , Albania

Miskra , Albanian , Albania

Pllashica , Albanian , Albania

Ouklejice makedonská , Czech , Czechia

Prespa viidikas , Estonian , Estonia

Mpelovitsa , Greek , Greece

Μπελοβίτσα , Greek , Greece

Τσιρώνι , Greek , Greece

Taxonomic Hierarchy

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Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Leuciscidae

Genus: Alburnus

Species: Alburnus belvica Karaman, 1924

Climate Zone

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Subtropical

Location

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Europe: Lakes Prespa in Albania, Greece and Macedonia.

Biology

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A short-lived species which occurs in lakes and water courses on low plains, with little current. Adults feed on invertebrates and plants (Ref. 26100). Also feed on plankton. Form large schools during foraging. Represent the main prey of the breeding Dalmatian pelicans Pelecanus crispus. Spawn in tributaries and along shores on pebbles and gravel in surf zone. Undertake migration to spawning sites in tributaries at night (Ref. 59043). Threatened by water abstraction and the introduction of other species (Ref. 26100).

Habitat

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benthopelagic