Mesopotamian pike chub
Squalius lepidus Heckel, 1843
Also calledAkbalik (tur) · jelec anatolský (ces) · شطوف الكراكي بلاد ما بين النهرين (ara) · لچە ماسی میسۆپۆتامیا (kur)
First described in: Heckel, J. J. (1843). Ichthyologie [von Syrien]. <em>In: J. von Russegger. Reisen in Europa, Asien und Africa, mit besonderer Rücksicht auf die naturwissenschaftlichen Verhältnisse der betreffenden Länder unternommen in den Jahren 1835 bis 1841, etc. Stuttgart.</em> v. 1 (pt 2), pp 990-1099.
Squalius lepidus, also known as the Mesopotamian pike chub, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, the daces, Eurasian minnows and related fishes. It is found in the Tigris-Euphrates basin.
== References ==
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
biology_ecology
Habitat. Large- to medium-sized rivers, lakes, and reservoirs from where they migrate to tributaries to spawn. Rarely in small streams. Biology. Spawns May – June.
Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia
diagnosis
Diagnosis. Distinguished from S. berak and S. verepi in Persian Gulf basin by: ● lower lip projecting beyond upper lip or tip of both lips equal / ● posterior anal margin straight / ● 9 – 10 ½, rarely 8 ½ branched anal rays / ● 45 – 60 + 1 – 3 lateral-line scales / ● head pointed / ● snout long / ● dorsal head profile straight or concave / ● scale pockets on flank not or moderately covered by pigments forming a grey crescent-shaped blotch, resulting in a poorly contrasted reticulate pattern or reticulate pattern absent. Size up to 350 mm SL, likely to grow larger.
Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia
discussion
Remarks. In medium-sized rivers, it often occurs in sympatry with S. berak (Euphrates) or S. verepi (Tigris), which inhabits mostly small- to medium-sized streams. Sympatric species occasionally hybridise, as mitochondrial DNA from S. berak and S. verepi is often found in S. lepidus, and there are many populations similar to hybrids between these species (relatively long head). Many individuals “ difficult to identify ” by the characters may be such hybrids. Chubs identified as S. lepidus from Lake Beyşehir, Lake Akşehir, Ceyhan, and the Orontes belong to other species.
Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia
distribution
Distribution in the area. Endemic. Euphrates and Tigris drainages from Anatolia south to Shatt Al-Arab where it now absents.
A Critical Checklist of the Inland Fishes Native to the Euphrates and Tigris Drainages
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Squalius lepidus in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 2365760.