Aphanius kavirensis, Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Teimori, Azad, Gholami, Zeinab & Reichenbacher, Bettina, 2014

Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Teimori, Azad, Gholami, Zeinab & Reichenbacher, Bettina, 2014, Two new species of the tooth-carp Aphanius (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) and the evolutionary history of the Iranian inland and inland-related Aphanius species, Zootaxa 3786 (3), pp. 246-268 : 259-261

Aphanius kavirensis , n. sp.

Kavir tooth-carp

( Figs. 4 , 6–7 ; Tables 1, 2)

Holotype. ZM-CBSU 9587a ( Fig. 6 ); male, 26.7 mm SL, Iran, Semnan, Damghan, Cheshmeh Ali Spring, Kavir Basin, 36°16'45.6'' N, 54°05'01.6'' E, altitude 1569 m, 22 August 2011, coll. H.R. Esmaeili, A. Gholamifard, G. Sayyadzadeh, R. Zamaniannejad.

Paratypes. ZM-CBSU 9587b, 9587–9600, 1141–1199, 11200; 42 females (15.3–42.3 mm SL), 32 males (17.6–28.1 mm SL), same locality as holotype.

Diagnosis. Aphanius kavirensis n. sp. is closely related to a group containing A. sophiae , A. mesopotamicus and A. pluristriatus . An unambiguous species separation within this group is only possible by molecular characters. However, combination of three morphological characters can help to separate A. kavirensis n. sp. from the species of the comparison group: females with irregularly arranged large blotches of dark brown color on the flank, short pectoral fin in both sexes (13.4–18.1% SL in males, 11.2–18.3% SL in females), and otoliths of slightly asymmetrical triangular to trapezoid shape with a pronounced predorsal portion, a thick antirostrum and a rostrum that is equal or slightly longer than the antirostrum ( Figs. 4 F–J) (see also comparative morphology and identification key below).

Description. Body thick and oval; greatest body depth just anterior of pelvic fins; rounded dorsal, anal, pectoral and caudal fins; anal fin positioned posterior to the dorsal fin origin; pectoral fin inserted at below midline of body, not reaching the pelvic fins and shorter than head length; pelvic fins relatively short, positioned anterior to the dorsal fin origin, not reaching the anal fin; head profile straight and dorsal profile rounded; snout rounded; lower jaw directed upward; jaws with tricuspid teeth. Otoliths slightly asymmetrical, triangular to trapezoid with a pronounced predorsal portion, thick antirostrum, and comparatively short rostrum ( Figs. 4 F–J).

Morphometric and meristic characters are summarized in Tables 1–2. Eye diameter 0.31–0.40% head length (HL) in males and 0.27–0.38% in females; HL 26.6–32.1% SL in males and 24.8–31.6% in females, longer than head depth; head depth 19.8–23.5% SL in males and 19.2–22.7% in females; predorsal length shorter than preanal length, 58.9–64.2% SL in males and 60.2–66.4% in females; minimum body depth 14.4–17.9% SL in males and 12.4–17.1% in females; pectoral fin length 13.4–18.1% SL in males and 11.2–18.3% in females. 9–13 dorsal fin rays, 9–12 anal fin rays, 14–17 pectoral fin rays, 5–7 pelvic fin rays. Lateral scale series 25–29; caudal peduncle scales 9–12; gill rakers 9–11.

Diagnostic molecular characters. The Kimura 2-parameter model revealed that genetic differences between Aphanius kavirensis n. sp. and A. isfahanensis , A. darabensis n. sp., A. vladykovi , A. shirini , A. arakensis , A. farsicus , A. sophiae , A. pluristriatus and A. mesopotamicus are 0.071, 0.064, 0.062, 0.054, 0.039, 0.037, 0.014, 0.011 and 0.010 %, respectively ( Table 3 ).

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

1 A. darabensis

2 A. kavirensis

3 A. arakensis

4 A. mesopotamicus

5 A. pluristriatus

6 A. sophiae

7 A. farsicus

8 A. isfahanensis 0.080

9 A. shirini 0.058 0.087 10 A. vladykovi 0.068 0.088 0.072 11 A. fasciatus 0.192 0.187 0.187 0.183 12 A. iberus 0.198 0.207 0.208 0.187 0.193 13 F. sjoestedti 0.283 0.298 0.286 0.277 0.301 0.302 Aphanius kavirensis n. sp. is distinguished by 17–18 fixed diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mt-DNA cytochrome b sequences from its closest relatives (19 vs. A. sophiae , 17 vs. A. mesopotamicus , 18 vs. A. pluristriatus , see Table 3 ).

Color pattern. Description is based on formalin fixed specimens. Male: Dorsal surface of head and upper flank dark brown; belly and lower head whitish-cream; chin and snout with small dense black pigments; row of very dense black pigments below eye and especially in anterio-ventral region of eyes. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins with clear white margin, relatively wider in caudal fin; dark brown irregularly arranged pigments on membranes and rays, rays more pigmented than membranes. Anteriormost dorsal fin rays darker than the rest in some individuals; anal fin darkest just proximal to clear margin; caudal fin darkest at base with white crescent-like bars in some individuals. Few small dark brown pigments at base of pectoral fin, pectoral fin rays of light brown color; pelvic fin lemon-yellowish having few dark pigments. 9–14 narrow white vertical flank bars on dark brown background from behind head to tail, particularly clear on posterior part of flank.

Female: Dorsal surface of head and upper flank dark brown; belly and lower head light brown to whitishcream; small dark brown pigments on snout and around eyes, denser than on operculum. Flank with irregularly arranged large blotches of dark brown color; some specimens with pale yellowish stripe in the middle of the flank, extending from posterior part of operculum to near the base of caudal peduncle. Unpaired and paired fins of generally whitish-cream color and without white margin. Anal fin uniformly whitish-cream; dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins with a few dark brown pigments being more numerous in dorsal and caudal than in pectoral fins; dorsal fin base and proximal dorsal fin with dense dark brown pigments in some specimens. Proximal caudal fin in some individuals with irregularly arranged dark brown or black pigments or crescent-like bars, small oval to lozenge-shaped spot at central base of caudal fin.

Sexual dimorphism. Males with vertical flank bars, females without bars, but with one small oval to lozengeshaped spot at the central base of the caudal fin and dark brown blotches on the flank (absent in males).

Etymology. The species name links to the Kavir Basin, where the species is found.

Proposed common name. Kavir tooth-carp, Kapour-e-dandandare-e-Kavir (Farsi), Kavir Zahnkärpfling ( German).

Distribution and conservation. Aphanius kavirensis n. sp. has only been collected from its type locality, Cheshmeh Ali Spring in the Kavir Basin (N-Iran) ( Fig. 8 ). Introduction of exotic carnivorous fish such as Oncorhyncus mykiss (personal observation) may threat this endemic species.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Otolith morphology (left medial view) of Aphanius darabensis n. sp. (A – E) and A. kavirensis n. sp. (F – J).

FIGURE 6. Aphanius kavirensis n. sp., holotype. ZM-CBSU 9587 a, male, 32.6 mm TL, 26.7 mm SL, Cheshmeh Ali Spring, Damghan, Semnan, Kavir Basin, Iran.

FIGURE 7. Aphanius kavirensis n. sp., paratype. ZM-CBSU 9587 b, male, 36.9 mm TL, 31.2 mm SL, Cheshmeh Ali Spring, Damghan, Semnan, Kavir Basin, Iran.

FIGURE 8. Cheshmeh Ali, Damghan, type locality of A. kavirensis n. sp., Kavir basin, Iran.

Tables

TABLE 3. Estimates of evolutionary divergence over sequence pairs between Aphanius darabensis n. sp., A. kavirensis n. sp. and the other Iranian inland and inland-related Aphanius species using the Kimura 2 - parameter model (Kimura 1980). Outgroup is Fundulus sjoestedti.

	1	2	3	4	5	6
1 A. darabensis
2 A. kavirensis	0.064
3 A. arakensis	0.080	0.039
4 A. mesopotamicus	0.067	0.010	0.046
5 A. pluristriatus	0.068	0.011	0.047	0.014
6 A. sophiae	0.068	0.014	0.045	0.016	0.019
7 A. farsicus	0.067	0.037	0.063	0.042	0.041	0.048
8 A. isfahanensis	0.087	0.071	0.093	0.074	0.069	0.073
9 A. shirini	0.072	0.054	0.074	0.057	0.055	0.058
10 A. vladykovi	0.075	0.062	0.087	0.062	0.067	0.069
11 A. fasciatus	0.172	0.185	0.206	0.177	0.181	0.189
12 A. iberus	0.197	0.196	0.219	0.194	0.199	0.204
13 F. sjoestedti	0.291	0.282	0.321	0.273	0.277	0.295
TABLE 3. (Continued)