Alburnoides velioglui

Common name. Mesopotamian spirlin.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Alburnoides in Euphrates and Tigris drainages by: ○ horizontal eye diameter smaller than interorbital distance / ○ 5−6 gill rakers / ○ ventral keel completely covered by scales / ○ no pronounced chin / ○ mouth terminal or subterminal / ○ tip of mouth situated at a horizontal line with lower margin of pupil or below up to lower margin of eye in larger individuals /○ anal with slightly or clearly pointed tips and slightly or markedly concave outer margins / ○ 44−52+2−3, usually 46–48+2–3 lateral-line scales / ○ caudal lobes rounded / ○ 8½, rarely 9½, branched dorsal rays / ○ 11−13½ branched anal rays / ○ 41−42, usually 42, total vertebrae. Size up to 88 mm SL.

Distribution. Middle and upper Euphrates drainage in Türkiye, also found in Sirvan drainage in Iraq.

Habitat. Streams and rivers with fast-flowing water, usually with cobble and gravel substrate.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Turan et al. 2014a (description); Bektaş et al. 2019 (phylogeny); Canoğlu et al. 2023 (barcoding).