A review of vertebral and fin-ray counts in the genus Alburnoides (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) with a description of six new species

Abstract

Variations in the different vertebral patterns and unpaired fin counts in the genus Alburnoides are discussed based on an examination of over 1100 specimens from a wide area of distribution of the genus. Though it was commonly considered that the morphological differences between subspecies and local forms of A. bipunctatus auctorum appear slight, our study shows that there are pronounced differences between many of them in vertebral and dorsal and anal fin counts. To estimate reliability of differences, statistical tests were used and a cluster analysis (UPGMA - Average Linkage clustering method) was performed based on calculated values, and tree diagrams are presented and analyzed in their taxonomic context. The differences in fin ray and vertebral counts in combination with some other morphological characters, distinguished some of the former subspecies or local forms as distinct species. Along with five nominal taxa re-established to a species level (A. rossicus, A. kubanicus, A. maculatus, A. eichwaldii, A. fasciatus), we describe six new species: A. gmelini (type locality Sunzha River, Terek River drainage, Eastern Ciscaucasia, Russia), A. varentsovi (type locality Ashkhabadka River, northern slope of the Kopetdag, Turkmenistan), A. petrubanarescui (type locality Qasemlou Chay, Orumiyeh Lake basin, Iran), A. namaki (type locality qanat at Taveh, Namak Lake basin, Iran), A. nicolausi (type locality Simareh River in Karkheh River system, Tigris River drainage, Iran), and A. idignensis (type locality Bid Sorkh River, Gav Masiab River system, Tigris River drainage, Iran).