Caspian shemaya

biology_ecology

Habitat. Lower parts of larger streams, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and brackish sea areas. Lives near surface, tolerating salinities up to 14 ‰. Migrates long distances upstream from sea or lakes to headwaters of streams in foothills and montane regions. Spawns in small rivers or streams with strong currents on submerged vegetation or gravel bottoms. Lacustrine and reservoir populations spawn in tributaries. Biology. Semi-anadromous, riverine, and lacustrine populations. First spawn at 2 – 4 years, females 1 year later than males. Anadromous populations enter rivers in autumn (September in Kura) and migrate upstream in winter and / or spring. Spawns May – September in water 0.2 – 0.7 m deep, current about 1 m / s and 18 – 26 ° C, often with much splashing. Males appear to be territorial. They congregate at spawning sites and wait for mature females, which arrive later. Eggs stick to pebbles or stones. Embryonic development lasts 2 – 3 days; larvae initially remain between pebbles for 8 – 11 days, then actively migrate to shallower areas and backwaters. Many populations are riverine. In migratory populations, adults return to sea, lakes or estuaries soon after spawning to feed. Young

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Alburnus in Caspian basins by: ○ 52 – 70 + 2 – 5 lateral line scales / ○ usually 8 ½ branched dorsal rays / ○ 12 – 17 ½ branched anal rays / ○ ventral keel between posterior pelvic base and anus present and well developed / ○ 18 – 22 gill rakers / ○ anal origin ½ – 2 ½ scales behind dorsal base, below dorsal ray 7 – 8 in some individuals / ○ ventral keel exposed for 3 – 12 scales in front of anus / ○ a faint, dark-brown mid-lateral stripe. Size up to 400 mm SL, resident fish in rivers or streams usually much smaller.

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia

distribution

Distribution. Aral and Caspian basins, mostly western to southern coast, rarely in Ural and Volga.

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia

description

Common name. Caspian shemaya Taxonomy. Original description: Cyprinus chalcoides Güldenstädt, 1772: 540, pl. 16 [Rivers of southern Russia; No types known]. Revisions. None. Illustrations. Heckel (1843 b: pl. 11, fig. 3).

Freshwater lamprey and fishes of Iran: Reappraisal and updated checklist with a note on Eagderi et al. (2022)