Alburnus amirkabiri (Teleostei), a new species of shemaya from the Namak Lake basin, Iran

Abstract

Alburnus amirkabiri, new species from the Namak Lake basin, Iran, is distinguished from the other Iranian species of Alburnus by the combination of characters, including poorly expressed fleshy ventral keel which extends up to 2–4 (usually 2) transverse scales rows counted from the anus forwards; 47–59 lateral line scales, 7 1/2–8 1/2 (usually 8 1/2) branched dorsal-fin rays, 10 1/2–12 1/2 (usually more than 10 1/2) branched analfin rays, 12–17 (usually 15–16) gill rakers, predorsal distance 50.0–54.4% SL, anal-fin base length 9.0–11.7% SL, dorsal-fin depth 16.7–20.9% SL, anal-fin depth 12.0–15.6% SL, body depth at dorsal fin origin 16.9–22.2% SL, caudal peduncle depth 8.7–10.4% SL, head depth 62.2–71.9% head length, eye diameter 27.1–30.8% head length, dark lateral stripe on body.