Oxynoemacheilus melenicus, Turan & Aksu & Kalayci, 2023

Turan, Davut, Aksu, Sadi & Kalayci, Goekhan, 2023, Two new Oxynoemacheilus species in western Anatolia (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae), Zoosystematics and Evolution 99 (2), pp. 439-455 : 439

Oxynoemacheilus melenicus sp. nov.

Figs 11 , 12

Type material.

Holotype. FFR15627, 1, 65 mm SL; Turkey: Eskişehir prov.: stream Yarılgan at Gemiç Village, 39.343°N, 30.463°E.

Examined materials.

Paratypes. FFR15626 , 39, 50-69 mm SL; same data holotype . FFR01378 , 2, 45- 57 mm SL; Turkey: Kütahya prov.: stream Porsuk at Kütahya 39.380°N, 30.067°E . - FFR01525 , 1, 55 mm SL; Turkey: Kütahya prov.: stream Porsuk about 9 km south of Kütahya, 39.349°N, 30.038°E . - FFR15625 , 4, 32-49 mm SL; Turkey: Kütahya prov: stream Porsuk at Porsuk Village , 39.348°N, 30.036°E . - FFR15630 , 5, 61-63 mm SL; Turkey: Eskişehir prov.: stream Allıkova about 3km south of Kümbet, 39.681°N, 30.157°E . - FFR 01564 , 10, 45- 61 mm SL; Turkey: Düzce prov: stream Asar about 2 km west of Kaynaşlı a tributary of Büyükmelen drainage, 40.781°N, 31.277°E .

Material used in the molecular genetic analysis.

FFR DNA 15630 , 2, Turkey: Eskişehir prov.: stream Allıkova about 3km south of Kümbet, 39.681°N, 30.157°E (GenBank accession numbers OQ332806, OQ332808 ). - FFR DNA 15625 , 3, Turkey: Kütahya prov.: stream Porsuk at Porsuk Village , 39.348°N, 30.036°E. (GenBank accession numbers OQ332809 - OQ332811 ). - FFR DNA 15627 , 4, Turkey: Eskişehir prov.: stream Yarılgan at Gemic Village 39.343°N, 30.463°E. (GenBank accession numbers OQ332812 - OQ332815 ). -FFR DNA 15631 , 4, Turkey: Eskişehir prov.: a tributary of Sakarya River about 9 km northeast of Nasreddi Hoca Village , 39.553°N, 31.757°E. (GenBank accession numbers OQ332816 - OQ332819 ). - FFR DNA 01524 , 1, Turkey: Kütahya prov.: stream Porsuk at Porsuk Village 39.350°N, 30.038°E. (GenBank accession number OQ332807 ) .

Diagnosis.

Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. angorae by having a more slender caudal pedincle (caudal pedinuncle depth 1.9-2.8 times in its length, vs.1.4-1.8), the flank with 6-13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches (a dark-brown midlateral stripe or a series of fused, dark-brown blotches interrupted by a whitish or pale-brown lateral line (Fig. 3 ), a suborbital groove in males (vs. absent), an axillary lobe at pelvic fin base (vs. absent), a forked caudal fin (vs. slightly emarginate), a more slender caudal peduncle (depth.5 times in its length, vs. 2.4-1.8).). Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. banarescui by having the flank with 10-13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches (vs. the flank with 7-10 large, irregularly shaped dark-brown, vertically elongated blotches or bars along lateral midline behind dorsal-fin origin (Fig. 4 ) and maxillary barbells always shorter than outer rostral barbells (vs. equal or longer). Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. simavicus by having the flank with 10-13 irregularly shaped brown bars or blotches (vs. 2-8 blotches (Fig. 5 ) and 6-8 irregularly shaped dark brown saddle on back (vs. 4-6) and a longer head (head length 22-26% SL, vs. 19-22). Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. samanticus by having the with 10-13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches (vs. the flank with 5-10 irregular shaped brownish blotches along lateral line (Fig. 6 ) and the snout length smaller than postorbital length (vs. the snout length longer than postorbital length) and the pelvic-fin origin below first or second unbranched dorsal-fin ray (vs. equal with dorsal fin origin). Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. fatsaensis by having the flank plain brownish or with 10-13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches (vs. flank marmalade pattern or with numerous irregularly shaped dark brown blotches as one or two horizontal rows (Fig. 7 ) and the pelvic-fin origin below the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray (vs. first or second branched dorsal-fin ray).

Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. bergianus the flank with 10-13 dark brownish bars on flank (vs. 4-9 bars or blotches (Fig. 8 ) and the presence prominent bars or blotches in front of dorsal fin (vs. mostly absent or slightly prominent) and a greater distance between anus and anal-fin origin (4-6% SL, vs. 2-3). Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. seyhanensis by having the with 10-13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches (vs. the body with marmorate pattern or numerous small irregularly shaped and spaced dark-brown bars on flank (Fig. 9 ), a suborbital groove in males (vs. absent), an axillary lobe at pelvic fin base (vs. absent), a forked caudal fin (vs. slightly truncate) and a more slender caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle length 1.9-2.7 times its depth, vs. 1.1-1.4). Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished from O. cemali by having a forked caudal-fin (vs. slightly forked) and a more slender caudal peduncle (depth 1.9-2.6 times in its length, vs. 1.4-2.0).

Description.

See Figs 11 , 12 for general appearance and Table 3 for morphometric data. Adult size large (maximum 69 mm Ls). Body slender, compressed at caudal peduncle, greatest depth about midline between nape and dorsal-fin origin, slightly decreasing towards caudal-fin base. No hump at nape. Greatest body width at pectoral-fin base. Head pointed, upper head profile slightly convex on snout, flattened on ventral surface. Snout slightly pointed at tip. Mouth narrow and arched, lips well developed. A narrower median interruption in lower lip. A suborbital groove in males. No median incision in upper lip. Barbels short, inner rostral barbel not reaching to base of maxillary barbel; outer almost not reaching to vertical through anterior eye margin. Maxillary barbel, not reaching to posterior eye-margin in most individuals. Caudal peduncle slender, compressed laterally, length 1.9-2.7 times longer than deep. Axillary lobe present at pelvic-fin base, fully attached to body. Pelvic-fin origin below first or second branched dorsal-fin ray. Anal-fin origin at vertically equal to dorsal-fin tip. Pectoral fin not reaching vertical through tip of dorsal-fin origin in males. No dorsal or ventral adipose crest on caudal peduncle. Pelvic fin not reaching vertical of dorsal-fin tip, almost reaching to anus. Anal fin not reaching caudal-fin base. Caudal fin moderately forked.

Lateral line complete, reaching caudal-fin base. Body covered by embedded scales on flank, back, and belly. Dorsal fin with 7- 8½ branched rays, its outer margin straight or slightly concave. Anal fin with 5½ branched rays, its outer margin straight. Pectoral fin with 10-11 rays, outer margin straight. Pelvic fin with 7-8 rays, outer margin slightly convex. Caudal fin with 8+8, 8+9, and 9+9 branched rays, outer margin forked, and lopes slightly pointed.

Coloration.

Body yellowish in life and light brown in preserved individuals. Head and cheek plain or with small, plain brown mottling on top and cheeks, without color pattern ventrally. Numerous pigmentations below a line from pectoral-fin base to anus. A dark brown blotch at dorsal fin-origin. Flank plain brownish or with 10-13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches. Back in front of dorsal-fin with zero or four dark brownish blotch. Upper part of caudal peduncle with 3-4 irregularly shaped dark brownish blotches, not fused with midlateral bars or blotches in most individuals. One irregular shaped small black spots on caudal-fin base. Dorsal fin with 1-2 and caudal fin with 2-3 fine, irregularly shapes black bands on rays. Anal, pectoral and pelvic fins plain yellowish, and pectoral fin with few small black spots on rays.

Distribution.

Oxynoemacheilus melenicus was found in the Büyükmelen Stream and Sakarya River drainage in western Anatolia (Fig. 10 ).

Etymology.

The name of the species is derived from the Stream Büyükmelen.

Figures

Figure 3. Oxynoemacheilus angorae, FFR 01513, 55 mm SL, Turkey: stream Bercin, FFR 01526, 64 mm SL; Turkey: stream Kirmir.

Figure 4. Oxynoemacheilus banarescui, IUSHM 2018 - 1403, 62 mm SL, 46 mm SL; Turkey: stream Davulga.

Figure 5. Oxynoemacheilus simavicus, FFR 01544, mm SL, 52 mm SL; Turkey: stream Niluefer.

Figure 6. Oxynoemacheilus samanticus, FFR 015518, 64 mm SL, 62 mm SL; Turkey: stream Soruk.

Figure 7. Oxynoemacheilus fatsaensis, FFR 01566 paratypes, 74 mm SL, 67 mm SL; Turkey: stream Tersakan.

Figure 8. Oxynoemacheilus bergianus, FFR 015506, 59 mm SL, 57 mm SL; Turkey, Murat River at Ballibostan.

Figure 9. Oxynoemacheilus seyhanensis, FFR 01577, 53 mm SL, 54 mm SL; Turkey: stream Soruk.

Figure 10. Distribution of Oxynoemacheilus species in the western Anatolia.

Figure 11. Oxynoemacheilus melenicus, FFR 15627 holotype, 65 mm SL; Turkey: stream Yarilgan.

Figure 12. Oxynoemacheilus melenicus, FFR 15626 paratypes, top to bottom 60 mm SL, 63 mm SL; Turkey: stream Yarilgan.