Aphanius villwocki Hrbek and Wildekamp, 2003

Schulz-Mirbach, Tanja, Reichenbacher, Bettina, Yildirim, M. Zeki & Atalay, M. Altuğ, 2006, Otolith characteristics of species, subspecies, and populations of Aphanius Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes) from Anatolia (Turkey), Journal of Natural History 40 (27 - 28), pp. 1687-1705 : 1699-1700

Aphanius villwocki Hrbek and Wildekamp, 2003

( Figure 7a–i )

The otoliths of A. villwocki possess a V-shaped ostium and a straight cauda, which is open at its end or pointed in the posterior part, and may curve in the ventral direction. In some specimens the sulcus is provided with several small colliculi. In general the otoliths are relatively flat, but usually show a knob-like thickening in the middle portion of the outer face; the inner face is always flat.

Locality—catchment area of the upper Sakarya River basin (28 specimens) ( Figure 7a–g )

Description. (1) Outline: elongate-triangular; (2) excisura: V-shaped, narrow to wide; (3) rostrum: longer or distinctly longer than the antirostrum; (4) dorsal rim: convex; (5) posterior rim: sloping; (6) ventral rim: straight, sometimes slightly curved; (7) crista superior and (8) crista inferior: both weakly developed, usually in the form of narrow lines.

Some of the specimens show massive crystalline structures on the inner face of the otoliths. All rims can be either smooth or crenulate.

Remark. One specimen displays otoliths with profoundly crenulate rims.

Locality—Lake Çavuşçu (four specimens) ( Figure 7h )

Description. These otoliths show the same characteristics as those obtained from the upper Sakarya River basin described above.

Locality—Adakasım in the Küçükhasan wetlands (one specimen) ( Figure 7i )

Description. (1) Outline: slightly different in left and right otolith; the left otolith is elongate-ovate, whereas the right is elongate-triangular; (2) rostrum: hardly longer than the antirostrum; (3) antirostrum: elongate, tip rounded and slightly bent in the ventral direction; (4) rims: smooth; (5) crista superior and (6) crista inferior: both weakly expressed.

Figures

Figure 7. Left sagittae of Aphanius villwocki (a–i) and A. asquamatus (j–m), except (m) right sagitta, mirrored. Localities (A. villwocki): upper Sakarya River basin (a–g), Lake Çavuşçu (h), Adakasım (i). (a–c, i–k) Females; (d– h, l, m) males.