Squalius kottelati Turan, Yilmaz & Kaya, 2009, new species
Creators: name: Turan, Davut
name: Yilmaz, Togay
name: Kaya, Cüneyt
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Cypriniformes
Cyprinidae
Squalius
Squalius kottelati

description: Squalius kottelati, new species
(Fig. 1)
Leuciscus lepidus Heckel, 1843: Gruvel, 1931: 294 (Orontes River)
Leuciscus lepidus Heckel, 1843: Kosswig & Battalgil, 1943:22 (Orontes River) Leuciscus lepidus Heckel, 1843: Ladiges, 1960: 122 (Orontes River)
Leuciscus lepidus Heckel, 1843: Yalçın, 1997: 4 (Orontes River)
Leuciscus lepidus Heckel, 1843: Bogutskaya, 1997: 173 (Orontes River)
Holotype: FFR 1991, 126 mm SL, Turkey: Gaziantep Prov.: Orontes River drainage, Tahtaköprü Reservoir; D. Turan & S. Engin, 15 July 2007.
Paratypes: FFR 1567, 13, 130– 203 mm SL; same data as holotype. FRR 768, 5, 93–153 mm SL; Turkey: Kahramanmaraş Prov.: Ceyhan River; Menzelet Reservoir; Geçit Stream on road from Kahramanmaraş to Andırın; D. Turan, Z. Bostancı & Ş. G. Kırankaya, June 2005. - FRR 769, 5, 197– 218 mm SL; Turkey, Adana Prov.: Seyhan Reservoir; D. Turan & Z. Bostancı, 20 June 2005.
Diagnosis. Squalius kottelati is a member of the S. lepidus group, diagnosed by an elongate and pointed head with projecting lower jaw and the posteriorly expanded lateral portions of the parietals (Bogutskaya 1994). Squalius kottelati is distinguished from the other species of the genus Squalius in Turkey and adjacent basins by having a conspicuous broad, dark stripe on the upper part of the flank from the head to the end of the caudal peduncle (vs. absent or very faintly marked, except in S. lepidus). It differs from S. lepidus by having a longer head (28.3–30.9, vs. 25.3–27.3 % SL), fewer scales in lateral line (total 45–47, vs. 48–49) and fewer gill rakers on the outer side of first gill arch (9–10, vs. 11–13). It also differs from S. anatolicus by having more scales in lateral line (45–47, mode 46, vs. 43–45, mode 44); a longer caudal fin (length of upper lobe: 20.3–22.5, vs. 15.8–19.0 % SL).
Other characters useful for identification are: snout pointed in males, slightly rounded in females; anal fin with 8–9½ branched rays, its outer margin straight or slightly convex, with light-brown pigments on rays.
Description. General appearance is shown in Figure 1; morphometric and meristic data are given in Tables 1 and 2. Body slender, slightly compressed laterally, depth at dorsal-fin origin 20.7–25.1 % SL. Dorsal profile slightly convex, with a hump at nape; dorsal profile more convex than ventral profile. Head long, slender, its length 1.2–1.4 times body depth; dorsal profile straight on interorbital area, concave on snout. Snout short, its length 26.8–29.8 % HL, slender, narrower, tip slightly pointed. Mouth slightly superior, long, narrow, angle of gape reaching vertical through anterior margin of eye. Lower jaw markedly longer than upper jaw, especially in specimens larger than 180 mm SL. Eyes large, diameter 15.8–19.5 % HL. Interorbital area narrow, its width 27.9–31.9 % HL. Maximum known size 203 mm SL.
Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 8½ branched rays, approximately equal to pectoral-fin length, distal margin straight, origin markedly behind vertical through pelvic-fin origin. Pectoral-fin distal margin straight, with 16–17 branched rays. Pelvic-fin distal margin straight, with 1 simple and 8 branched rays. Anal fin with 3 simple and 8–9½ branched rays; distal margin straight or slightly convex. Caudal fin long, length of upper lobe 20.3–22.5 % SL, markedly forked, lobe tips pointed. Lateral line with 45 (3), 46 (8) or 47 (3) scales; 7 (9) or 8 (5) scales rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin; 3 (4) or 4 (10) scales between lateral line and anal-fin origin. Gill rakers 3 + 6–7 = 9–10 on outer side of first gill arch. Vertebrae 23 + 19 = 42 (6) or 24 + 19 = 43 (8). Pharyngeal teeth 5.2–2.5, markedly hooked, serrated.
The snout of males is more pointed than that of females.
Coloration. Formalin-preserved adults and juveniles dorsally dark grey, grayish on flank, whitish on belly; a conspicuous broad, dark stripe on upper part of flank from head to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal fin dark grey. Dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins yellowish. Light-brown pigments on dorsal and anal-fin rays. Scales with a dark spot on scale pocket, especially in specimens larger than 180 mm SL; faintly marked to distinct dark edge along posterior margin; usually with one or two rows of large black pigments on posterior margin of scales of flank and dorsum.
Etymology. The species is named for Maurice Kottelat, fish taxonomist, in appreciation for his contributions to knowledge of the fish faunas of Europe and Asia.
Distribution. Squalius kottelati is presently known only from Tahtalıköprü reservoir in the drainage of Orontes River, drainages of Ceyhan and Seyhan rivers (Fig. 2). Capoeta barroisi has been collected together with S. kottelati.
Lateral-line scales
Species N 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 mean
S. lepidus 10 - - - - - 6 4 48.4
S. anatolicus 14 4 6 4 - - - - 44.0
S. kottelati 14 - - 3 8 3 - - 46.0
Transverse-line scales
Above lateral line Below lateral line N 7 8 9 10 11 Mean 3 4 5 6 mean S. lepidus 10 - 10 - - - 10.0 2 8 - - 3.8 S. anatolicus 14 5 9 - - - 7.6 8 6 - - 3.5 S. kottelati 14 9 5 - - - 7.4 4 10 - - 3.7 Branched dorsal-fin rays Pectoral-fin rays Branched anal-fin rays N 7 8 9 mean 16 17 mean 8 9 10 mean S. lepidus 10 - 1 - 8 2 8 16.8 - 6 4 9.4 S. anatolicus 14 2 9 3 8.1 9 5 16.4 2 10 2 9.0 S. kottelati 14 - 14 - 14 8 6 16.4 6 8 - 8.6 Gill rakers
N 8 9 10 11 12 13 mean
S. lepidus 10 - - - 6 2 2 11.6
S. anatolicus 14 3 7 4 - - - 9.1
S. kottelati 14 - 4 10 - - - 9.7
description: Published as part of Turan, Davut, Yilmaz, Togay & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2009, Squalius kottelati, a new cyprinid species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Orontes River, Turkey, pp. 53-62 in Zootaxa 2270 on pages 54-58, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.190947