Barbus oligolepis Battalgil, 1941

Figure 1

Barbus tauricus oligolepis Battalgil, 1941: 178 (type locality: vicinity of Bursa)

Barbus plebejus escherichii (not Steindachner, 1897): Balık, 1979: 45 (Balıkesir)

Barbus tauricus escherichii (not Steindachner, 1897): Özulug et al., 2005: 372 (Lake Iznik at Bursa) Barbus tauricus escherichii (not Steindachner, 1897): Sari et al., 2006: 40 (Kocachay at Balikesir)

Material examined. FFR 380, 21, 93–350 mm SL; CMK 18521, 5, 106– 189 mm SL; Turkey: Balıkesir Prov.: Kocachay, 10 km south of Lake Manyas, Koca River drainage; D. Turan & Ş. G. Kırankaya, 14 September 2004. – CMK 18817, 2, 132– 190 mm SL; Turkey: Bursa Prov.: Orhangazi County: Karaköprü Stream entering Doġancı Reservoir, 40 km South of Bursa, Nilüfer drainage; D. Turan & Ş. G. Kırankaya, 15 October 2004. – FFR 1439, 3, 88–107 mm SL; Turkey: Bursa Prov.: İznik County: Narlıca Stream at Narlıca Village, Lake Iznik drainage; D. Turan & S. Engin, 17 September 2006. – FFR 2520, 4, 100– 150 mm SL; Turkey: Bursa Prov.: Harmancık County: Kepekdere Stream at Kepekdere Village, Koca River drainage; D. Turan & R. Buyurucu, 8 July 2007. – FFR 2521, 10, 85–148 mm SL; Turkey: Çanakkale Prov.: Yenice County: Hanchay, Gönen drainage, Marmara Sea basin; D. Turan & R. Buyurucu, 9 July 2007. – FFR 2522, 9, 80–170 mm SL; Turkey: Balıkesir Prov.: Balya County: Kocachay, Koca River drainage; D. Turan & R. Buyurucu, 9 July 2007.

Diagnosis. Barbus oligolepis is distinguished from all other species of the genus in Turkey and the Aegean basin by having the lower lip without median lobe (vs. with median lobe) and a longer and pointed snout. It is further distinguished by the following characters (none unique to the species): a medium body size (up to 350 mm SL); specimens over 100 mm SL have large and numerous irregular dark brown spots on the back, as well as on the flanks, but none on the head; some smaller specimens lack dark brown spots; fleshy lips; lower lip without median lobe but with two small notches and a squarish fleshy median pad; 53–62 lateral line scales; 11–13 scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin; 7–9 scale rows between the lateral line and the anal-fin origin; 11–14 (modally 12) gill rakers on the first gill arch; the last simple ray of the dorsal fin moderately ossified, and with 30–34 serrae on the proximal ¾ of the posterior margin (Fig. 2 a); body depth at dorsal-fin origin 18.8–24.1 % SL; and head length 27.0–29.8 % SL.

Description. General appearance of body is shown in Figure 1 and head from below in Figure 3 a; morphometric and meristic data are given in Tables 1 and 2. Body slender and compressed laterally. Dorsal profile arched; ventral profile more or less as arched as dorsal profile in juveniles (less than 120 mm in SL), almost straight in adults. Predorsal profile convex. Head profile convex, head relatively deep and narrow. Lips with papillae, lower lip more developed than upper and without median lobe but with two small notches forming a squarish fleshy median pad, delineated posteriorly by a shallow groove (Fig. 3 a). Maxillary barbel not reaching nostril.

Dorsal fin with 4 simple and 8½ branched rays; posterior margin distinctly concave; origin at vertical through pelvic-fin origin; last simple ray moderately ossified and serrated along about proximal ¾ of its posterior margin (Fig. 2 a). Pectoral fin rounded, with 1 simple and 17–19 branched rays. Pelvic fin rounded, with 1 simple and 8 branched rays. Anal fin with 3 simple and 5½ branched rays; anterior margin convex; not or just reaching base of caudal fin. Caudal fin deeply forked, lobes slightly pointed. Lateral line with 53 (2), 54 (2), 55 (1), 56 (4), 57 (5), 58 (2), 59 (8), 60 (1), 61 (1) and 62 (2) scales; 11 (2), 12 (12) and 13 (6) scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin; 7 (2), 8 (17) and 9 (1) scale rows between lateral line and anal-fin origin. Gill rakers 4 + 7–10 = 11–14 on outer side of first gill arch. Vertebrae 29+17 = 46 (11), 29+18 = 47 (7), 30+17 = 47 (2). Pharyngeal teeth 5.3.2–2.3.5.

Sexual dimorphism. Anal fin of female slightly longer than that of male.

Coloration. Formalin preserved specimens greenish on back, flank dark brown, belly yellowish white. Dorsal, pectoral, anal and pelvic fins brownish, caudal fin greyish; numerous irregular dark brown spots on back and flanks, and sometimes a few on anal, pelvic and pectoral fins. In life, silvery, black spots becoming distinct after fixation.

Distribution and notes on biology. Barbus oligolepis is known from the drainages of rivers Nilüfer, Koca (= Kocasu; entering Lake Ulubat), Kocachay (entering Lake Manyas, a tributary of Koca or Susurluk River), Hanchay (a tributary of Gönen) and Narlıca Stream in İznik county (flowing to Lake Iznik). All drain to the southern shore of the Marmara Sea (Fig. 4). It inhabits swift flowing water, with stone and pebble bottom. Alburnoides bipunctatus, Alburnus cf. carinatus, Barbus niluferensis, Rhodeus amarus, Squalius cii, Vimba vimba, Cobitis puncticulata, Cobitis fahirae and Proterorhinus semilunaris have been collected together with B. oligolepis. Its maximum known size is 350 mm SL.

Remarks. Barbus oligolepis is a secondary junior homonym of Capoeta oligolepis Bleeker, 1853 when it is placed in Barbus. But as the name Capoeta oligolepis has not been replaced and is now placed in Puntius it does not need to be replaced (see International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, article 59.2).