Description

Differs from its congeners in the Black Sea basin by the following characters: origin of anal fin about ½ -1½ scales behind last branched dorsal ray; scales on the lateral line 58-69 + 4; anal fin with 13-14½ branched rays; gill rakes 18-25; ventral keel exposed for 8-10 scales in front of anus; caudal peduncle depth 1.7-1.9 times in its length; nuptial males with few, large tubercles; and body with faint, dark midlateral stripe.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Leuciscidae

Genus: Alburnus

Species: Alburnus mentoides Kessler, 1859

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Inhabits lower and middle portions of streams and estuaries. Occurs close to the surface in estuaries. Forages in small stream estuaries, with some juveniles in lower part of streams. Feeds on drifting and terrestrial insects and zooplankton. Migrates upstream in piedmont and montane zones for spawning and spawns in riffles with heavy current on gravel bottom. Threatened due to pollution, water abstraction and river regulation. Attains a maximum size of up to about 13 cm SL (Ref. 59043).

Habitat

brackish