Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828

Çiçek, Erdoğan, Sungur, Sevil, Fricke, Ronald & Seçer, Burak, 2023, Freshwater lampreys and fishes of Türkiye; an annotated checklist, 2023, Turkish Journal of Zoology 47 (6), pp. 324-468 : 329-330

Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828 [N] ― Fringebarbel sturgeon/Sip balığı

Taxonomy. Original description: Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828: 78 , pl. 6, fig. 2 [Aral Sea; no types known; original description reproduced in Berg (1905: 2, footnote)]. ― Turkish synonyms: None. ― Revisions: Berg (1948: 66). ― Illustration: Berg (1948: 68, figs. 55- 56).

Status in Türkiye. Listed in previous checklists from Türkiye by Bilecenoğlu et al. (2002, 2014); Kuru (2004); Fricke et al. (2007); Kuru et al. (2014); Çiçek et al. (2015, 2020). ― Turkish materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Türkiye: Black Sea watersheds. ― Distribution in river basins: 2-Marmara, 3-Susurluk, 12- Sakarya, 13-Batı Karadeniz, 14-Yeşilırmak, 15-Kızılırmak, 22-Doğu Karadeniz, 23-Çoruh. ― General distribution: Eastern Atlantic, Europe and Middle East: Basins of Black, Azov, Caspian and Aral seas and Sea of Marmara. ― Distribution in ecoregions: 418-Dniester - Lower Danube, 430-Northern Anatolia, 433-Western Transcaucasia. ― Habitat: This species is anadromous: juveniles move to the ocean or inland seas; mature specimens migrate back into rivers for spawning, which takes place in strong-current habitats in the main courses of large and deep rivers on stone or gravel bottoms. Freshwater, transitional water, marine.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Türkiye: Unknown. ― IUCN: CR (IUCN, 2023). ― Threats: FIT, HAB, CON. ― High sensitivity to human activities. ― Keystone species. ― Decline status: Regionally exterminated. ― High priority for conservation action.

Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897 => not occurring in Türkiye (see Table 1 )

Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758 => not occurring in Türkiye (see Table 1 )

Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771 [N] ― Stellate sturgeon/ Mersin balığı

Taxonomy. Original description: Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771: 460 [Ascending (northern) rivers from Caspian Sea; no types known]. ― Synonyms: None. ― Revisions: None. ― Illustration: None.

Status in Türkiye. Listed in previous checklists from Türkiye by Bilecenoğlu et al. (2002, 2014); Kuru (2004); Geldiay and Balık (2007); Fricke et al. (2007); Kuru et al. (2014); Çiçek et al. (2015, 2020). ― Turkish materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Türkiye: Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Sea watersheds. ― Distribution in river basins: 1-Meriç-Ergene, 2-Marmara, 3-Susurluk, 4-Kuzey Ege, 5-Gediz, 6-Küçük Menderes, 7-Büyük Menderes, 12- Sakarya, 13- Batı Karadeniz, 14-Yeşilırmak, 15-Kızılırmak, 22-Doğu Karadeniz, 23-Çoruh. ― General distribution: Eastern Atlantic; Mediterranean Sea; Black Sea; Caspian Sea. ― Distribution in ecoregions: 418-Dniester - Lower Danube, 423-Thrace, 429-Western Anatolia, 430-Northern Anatolia, 433-Western Transcaucasia. ― Habitat: This species is anadromous, spending at least part of its life in salt water and returning to rivers to breed. At sea, in coastal and estuarine areas, it mainly forages on clay-sand bottoms, as well as in middle and upper water layers. Juveniles inhabit shallow riverine habitats during their first summer. Freshwater, brackish, marine.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Türkiye: Unknown. ― IUCN: CR (IUCN, 2023). ― Threats: CON, COM, EUT, FIT, HAB. ― High sensitivity to human activities. ― Keystone species. ― Decline status: Decreasing. ― High priority for conservation action.

Acipenser sturio Linnaeus, 1758 [N] ― Atlantic sturgeon/Kolan balığı

Taxonomy. Original description: Acipenser sturio Linnaeus, 1758: 237 [Charente River at Saintes, France; neotype: MNHN 1962-1295 ]. ― Synonyms: None. ― Revisions: None. ― Illustration: None .

Status in Türkiye. Listed in previous checklists from Türkiye by Bilecenoğlu et al. (2002, 2014); Kuru (2004); Geldiay and Balık (2007); Fricke et al. (2007); Kuru et al. (2014); Çiçek et al. (2015, 2020).― Turkish materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Türkiye: Aegean, Sea of Marmara Black Sea watersheds. ― Distribution in river basins: 1-Meriç-Ergene, 2-Marmara, 3-Susurluk, 4-Kuzey Ege, 12- Sakarya, 13-Batı Karadeniz, 14-Yeşilırmak, 15-Kızılırmak, 22-Doğu Karadeniz, 23-Çoruh. ― General distribution: Eastern Atlantic (currently only the Gironde Estuary, France, and adjacent waters); Mediterranean Sea; Black Sea; Sea of Marmara. Reintroduced in Germany. ― Distribution in ecoregions: 418-Dniester - Lower Danube, 423-Thrace, 430-Northern Anatolia, 433-Western Transcaucasia. ― Habitat: This is an anadromous species (i.e. it spends at least part of its life in salt water and returns to rivers to breed). Freshwater, brackish, marine.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Türkiye: Unknown. ― IUCN: CR (IUCN, 2023). ― Threats: CON, COM, EUT, FIT, HAB. ― High sensitivity to human activities. ― Keystone species. ― Decline status: Decreasing. ― High priority for conservation action.

Huso huso ( Linnaeus, 1758) [N] ― Beluga/ Mersin morinası

Taxonomy. Original description: Acipenser huso Linnaeus, 1758: 238 [Danube and the rivers of Russia; no types known]. ― Synonyms: None. ― Revisions: Berg (1948: 61). ― Illustration: Berg (1948: 61, fig. 54).

Status in Türkiye. Listed in previous checklists from Türkiye by Bilecenoğlu et al. (2002, 2014); Kuru (2004); Geldiay and Balık (2007); Fricke et al. (2007); Kuru et al. (2014); Çiçek et al. (2015, 2020).― Turkish materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Türkiye: Aegean, Marmara, and Black Sea watersheds. ― Distribution in river basins: 1-Meriç-Ergene, 2-Marmara, 3-Susurluk, 4-Kuzey Ege, 5-Gediz, 6-Küçük Menderes, 7-Büyük Menderes, 12- Sakarya, 13-Batı Karadeniz, 14-Yeşilırmak, 15-Kızılırmak, 22-Doğu Karadeniz, 23-Çoruh. ― General distribution: Eastern Atlantic; Mediterranean Sea; Sea of Marmara; Black Sea; Sea of Azov; Caspian Sea. Introduced elsewhere. ― Distribution in ecoregions: 418-Dniester - Lower Danube, 423-Thrace, 429-Western Anatolia, 430-Northern Anatolia, 433-Western Transcaucasia. ― Habitat: This species is anadromous, spending the majority of its life in salt water and returning to its natal rivers to reproduce. At sea, this species is found in the pelagic zone, following food organisms. It spawns in the main course of large and deep rivers on a stone or gravel bottom. Freshwater, brackish, marine.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Türkiye: Unknown. ― IUCN: CR (IUCN, 2023). ― Threats: ABS, CON, COM, EUT, FIT, HAB. ― High sensitivity to human activities. ― Keystone species. ― Decline status: Decreasing. ― High priority for conservation action.

Anguilliformes

Anguillidae Rafinesque, 1810 (freshwater eels)