Abramis brama (Linnaeus, 1758)

Freyhof, Jörg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 272-274

Abramis brama

Common name. Bream.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from species of Ballerus , Blicca , and Vimba by: ● sub-inferior mouth, which can be extended as a tube / ● 51–60 total lateral-line scales / ○ 23–30½ branched anal rays / ○ eye small, diameter about 2 ⁄ 3 of snout length in individuals larger than 100 mm SL / ○ pharyngeal teeth 5–5 / ○ base of paired fins hyaline or grey. Size up to 700 mm SL.

Distribution . West Asia: Marmara, Black, and Caspian Sea basins. Locally introduced in Tigris and Lake Urmia basins (both Iran). Native to most European drainages from Adour ( France) to Pechora (White Sea basin); Aegean basin, in Lake Volvi and Struma and Maritza drainages east to Aral basin. Introduced in Lake Baikal and upper Ob and Yenisei drainages. Naturally absent from Iberian Peninsula, Adriatic basin, Italy, Scotland, Scandinavia north of Bergen ( Norway), and 67°N ( Finland). Locally introduced in Ireland, Spain, Neretva ( Croatia), Italy, and likely elsewhere.

Habitat. Lakes, reservoirs, and large- to medium-sized rivers. Most common in backwaters, lower reaches of slow-flowing rivers, brackish estuaries, and warm, shallow lakes. Semi-anadromous individuals enter fresher parts of seas to feed. Usually spawns in densely vegetated backwaters, floodplains, or lake shores. Sometimes far from shore. Almost any surface can be used for spawning.

Biology. Gregarious. Forms large schools in winter, often with other fish. Lives about 10–20 years. Spawns first time at 3–4 years. Some females do not spawn every year. Spawns in May–June at temperatures above 15°C. In many populations, spawning migration begins in autumn (especially in semi-anadromous individuals), slows during winter, and continues in spring. Migrate far upstream ( 100 km in Dniepr) to spawn. Males with nuptial tubercles on head and body. Males often defend spawning grounds along banks. Females spawn once a year for a few days (Rhine) to 1–3 times a year, 7–14 days apart (Ilmensee). Eggs are sticky and increase in size with age. Larvae and juveniles inhabit still waters and feed on plankton. Juvenile survival is high in backwaters and low in main channel of large rivers. Growth is faster in main rivers than in backwaters. Juveniles of 1–2 years move from backwaters to river for feeding. If juveniles do not have opportunity to leave backwaters, they adapt by having slower growth and reaching maturity at a smaller size (stunted populations). In lower reaches of large rivers, juveniles drift to brackish estuaries to forage when water level in flooded areas drops. Juveniles foraging in brackish water enter lower reaches of rivers to overwinter in freshwater. Feeds on benthic invertebrates excavated from fine bottom sediments, often on molluscs. May switch to particulate or even filter feeding when zooplankton abundance is high. Juveniles feed mainly on zooplankton. Often forms fertile hybrids with Rutilus species.

Acanthobrama

Acanthobrama comprises medium-sized fish endemic to West Asia. They are distinguished by a long anal fin, an often-thickened last unbranched dorsal ray, and a usually scaleless ventral keel between the anus and the pelvic base. All species prefer lacustrine habitats as well as larger rivers and streams. Several species are of major conservation concern. Acanthobrama centisquama and A. tricolor have not been found for decades. Acanthobrama telavivensis was saved at the last moment and was even extinct in the wild for some years. Acanthobrama breams form one monophyletic lineage together with breams of the genera Abramis , Ballerus , Blicca , Mirogrex , and Vimba , and there had been several discussions to place these all into one genus, Abramis . The Aegean Acanthobrama mirabilis is a synonym of Vimba vimba , the Caucasian genus Acanthalburnus is a synonym of Acanthobrama , the southern Levantine genus Mirogrex has been revalidated, and the Iranian Leuciscus persidis has been placed in Acanthobrama . The phylogenetic position of A. tricolor has yet to be studied. Capoetobrama kuschakewitschi , a bream-like fish from the Aral basin, represents a distinct genus of breams.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Freyhof & Özuluğ 2014 (species); Perea et al. 2010 (phylogeny); Sheraliev & Peng 2021 ( Capoetobrama ).

Further reading. Berg 1949b (biology); Molls 1999 (biology); Brylinska & Boron 2004 (biology).

Key to species of Acanthobrama

1a - Pharyngeal teeth in two rows. ………………2

1b - Pharyngeal teeth in one row. ………………4

2a - 7−9½ branched anal rays; 35−43 total lateral-line scales. ……………… A. persidis

2b - 10−19½ branched anal rays; 50−87 total lateral-line scales. ………………3

3a - 12−19½, usually 15−17½, branched anal rays; 60−87 total lateral-line scales; 43−46, usually 44−45 total vertebrae. ……………… A. punctulata

3b - 10−13½ branched anal rays; 50−68 total lateral-line scales; 42−43, usually 42, total vertebrae. ……………… A. urmiana

4a - Last unbranched dorsal ray stiff and very strong, as long as or longer than body depth at dorsal origin. ………………5

4b - Last unbranched dorsal ray stiff or flexible, always shorter than body depth at dorsal origin. ………………6

5a - 82−100 total lateral-line scales. ……………… A. centisquama

5b - 54−58 total lateral-line scales. ……………… A. hadiyahensis

6a - Usually 8½ branched dorsal rays. ………………7

6b - Usually 7½ branched dorsal rays. ………………9 7a - 76−89 total lateral-line scales. ……………… A. thisbeae

7b - 51−64, usually 54−62, total lateral-line scales. ………………8

8a - Snout length 27–31 % HL; tip of upper lip usually below middle of eye; usually 59−73 total lateral-line scales. ……………… A. marmid

8b - Snout length 25–27 % HL; tip of upper lip at middle of eye or above; 51−64, usually 54−62 total lateral-line scales. ……………… A. orontis

9a - Last unbranched dorsal ray soft and entirely segmented; 7−11½ branched anal rays; ventral keel poorly developed, covered with scales in its anterior part or fully covered with scales. ……………… A. tricolor

9b - Last unbranched dorsal ray partly stiffened and unsegmented; 10−14½ branched anal rays; ventral keel not covered by scales along entire length. ………………10

10a - 59−69 total lateral-line scales; rigid part of last unbranched dorsal ray about 70 % of ray. ……………… A. lissneri

10b - 51−60 total lateral-line scales; rigid part of last unbranched dorsal ray about 50−65 % of ray. ……………… A. telavivensis

Figures

Abramis brama

Distribution