Threatened fishes of the world: Pseudophoxinus crassus (Ladiges, 1960) Cyprinidae, from Central Anatolia, Turkey

Abstract

Common name: Yag baligi (TR). Conservation status: Present status EN (Crivelli 2006), DD since 1996 (Baillie et al. 2004). Identification: Gill rakers 8–9, lateral line scales 72–83, incomplete, with narrow interruptions; D III (IV) 8; last unbranched dorsal ray, not thickened, flexible, A III (7) 8; pharyngeal teeth 5-5 or 5-4; total number of vertebrae 39–40 (Bogutskaya 1992). Living specimens greyish brown on back and flanks and dark yellow on belly. Distribution: Restricted to Central Anatolia, with populations in Tuz Lake tributaries and region of Aksaray and Nigde (Hrbek et al. 2004; Bogutskaya et al. 2006). Found in Kozanli Lake (Konya) and in small creeks near Yenice-Ankara in 2003 (Ekmekci et al. 2009). Habitat and ecology: The maximum age 7; total length 22 cm. Lacustrine, but also observed in deeper parts of slowly flowing creeks with densely vegetated banks. Reproduction: Age of sexual maturity 1 for males and 2 for females. Single spawner, breeding between April and May. Total fecundity to 36,000 at age 6 (Kirankaya et al. 2005). Threats: Water pollution, drought and overfishing (Crivelli 2006). Conservation action: No legal restrictions on the capture of this species. Conservation recommendations: Habitat loss by human activities should be prevented immediately. Fishing should be strictly prohibited. Remarks: The IUCN list (Crivelli 2006) erroneously states that P. anatolicus and P.crassus are found in Saz Lake. Our studies show that the Pseudophoxinus in this lake is P. crassus. Kozanli Lake is also known as Gok Lake or Saz Lake.