Alburnus timarensis

Common name. Karasu tarek.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Alburnus in Persian Gulf, Qweiq, Lake Van, and Iranian endorheic basins by: ○ 13–17 gill rakers / ○ ventral keel present, scaleless for 5–10 scales in front of anus / ○ 9–11½ branched anal rays / ○ 51–65 (72)+3 lateral-line scales / ○ a prominent dark-brown mid-lateral stripe / ○ body slender, elongate / ○ snout pointed / ○ head width at nape 12–14 % SL / ○ postorbital distance 12–15 % SL / ○ head depth at nape 16–18 % SL / ○ flank scales without grey margins or irregular set grey pigmentation / ○ a distinct, often bold mid-lateral stripe. Size up to 113 mm SL.

Distribution . Türkiye: Karasu drainage in Lake Van basin.

Habitat. Slow to moderately fast-flowing streams.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. EN; seems to decline within its very small range.

Remarks. A resident freshwater species found together with A. tarichi during the spawning season.

Further reading. Kuru 1980 (description); Elp et al. 2013 (description); Freyhof et al. 2018b (phylogeny).