Lake Tuz Killifish

biology_ecology

Habitat. Springs and streams with dense underwater vegetation. Biology. Live up to 4 years; biology as described in genus section.

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia

conservation

Conservation status. VU; habitats have been lost continuously for many years.

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia

description

Vanishing Lake Tuz. Lake Tuz in Central Anatolia was once the second-largest lake in Türkiye. It was a popular destination for flamingos, who flocked there to feed and nest. People also visited to witness the lake’s seasonal colour changes and to bathe in the mineral-rich water, mud, and salt. Lake Tuz is fed by groundwater that originates in the Northern Taurus and passes through the Konya Plain and Obruk Plateau, which bubbles up into Lake Tuz via springs. Other water sources include two major streams and rain that primarily falls in springtime. Water in the region has become increasingly scarce, with more frequent and intense droughts. The region is a significant climate change hotspot, warming more than the global average since the pre-industrial period. Before 2000, Lake Tuz generally contained sufficient water in August to be considered permanent. From 1985 through 2000, the lake’s water level exceeded 20 % of the current shoreline in all years except 1992 and 1994. During the most humid years, 1988 and 1996, the lake reached its fullest extent, with 93 % and 58 % of the lake covered by water, respectively. Notwithstanding the drought conditions that prevailed in 1992, water

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Anatolichthys by: ○ male usually with grey or whitish dorsal base and a black mid-dorsal band and a hyaline or grey distal dorsal margin / ○ except base, dorsal completely black in some populations / ○ body shape ovoid / ○ male with 8 – 10 wide, regularly set, yellowish dark-bars / ○ third-last bar anterior to caudal base 2.1 – 4.3 times wider than anterior white interspace / ○ male with yellow anal with narrow black margin / ○ male with 1 – 4 bold black vertical bars on caudal / ○ male with flank bars in front of dorsal origin wider than interspaces / ○ male with dark-brown bars on caudal peduncle being 0.3 – 1.8 times as wide as interspaces / ○ female with numerous black spots or blotches on flank not organised in bars or a midlateral row / ○ body completely covered with overlapping scales. Size up to about 45 mm SL.

Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia