Luciobarbus lydianus Boulenger, 1896

(Fig. 1)

Barbus lydianus Boulenger, 1896 (type locality: Gediz River in İzmir province).

Material examined. FFR 452, 7, 128– 230 mm SL; CMK 18680, 3, 170– 221 mm SL; CGE, 3, 134– 145 mm. SL; Turkey: Manisa Prov.: Lake Avşar, River Gediz basin: Sarıgöl, 70 km East of Manisa, D. Turan, N. Öztürk, 0 1 june 2005. - FFR 453, 4, 130– 212 mm. SL; Turkey: Ïzmir Prov.: Gediz River, D. Turan, N. Öztürk, 0 2 june 2005. - FFR 752, 4, 130– 212 mm. SL; Turkey: Ïzmir Prov.: Gediz River, D.Turan, N. Öztürk, 0 2 june 2005. - FFR 2527, 1, 87 mm SL; Turkey: Çanakkale Prov.: Aşaġıçavuşlu Stream at Aşaġıçavuşlu Village, D. Turan, S. Engin, 27 November, 2006.

Diagnosis. General appearance of body is shown in Figure 1 and head viewed from below given in Figure 3 -a; morphometric and meristic data are in Tables 1 and 2. Luciobarbus lydianus is distinguished from all other species of Luciobarbus in Greece and Anatolia in having 45–48 total lateral line scales (vs. 50–90 in all others, except L. kottelati and L. graecus as seen in Table 2). It is distinguished from L. kottelati (from western Anatolia) in having the dorsal-fin origin directly above pelvic-fin origin or very slightly behind it (vs. conspicuously behind), the caudal-fin lobes of equal length (vs. lower lobe longer than upper) and morphometric characters mentioned in Discussion. It is distinguished from L. graecus (from central Greece) by the lips fleshy (vs. thin), with the lower lip conspicuously thicker than the upper lip (vs. only slightly thicker), the middle of the lower lip with a median fleshy pad with a shallow groove posteriorly (Fig. 3 -a; vs. without median fleshy pad), and a well-developed black spot on each scale pocket back and the level below of the pectorals and pelvics, but not present on the scales on belly (vs. absent or inconspicuous).

Other characters useful for identification are: 15–17 gill rakers on first gill arch; last unbranched dorsalfin ray weakly ossified, with small serrae along posterior edge (Fig. 2 -a). As seen many cyprinid fish, there is sexual dimorphism; male with tubercles on snout in spawning period, this period was between May and July in the Avşar Lake (Topkara & Balık, 2004), and between April and July in the Gediz River Balık (1980).

Coloration. Both live and after fixation: dark brownish grey on back and flanks, yellowish white on belly. Dorsal and caudal fins greyish, pectoral, anal and pelvic fins yellowish. Flank scales with faintly marked and narrow black margin along posterior edge, not much contrasted against rest of scale; dark spot on scale pocket very contrasted. This feature is very marked on back and flanks, but less distinct on the scales close to belly and disappears totally after the line above pectoral and pelvic fins.

Distribution. Luciobarbus lydianus is presently known only from the Gediz River, which drains to the Aegean Sea, and the Aşaġıçavuşlu Stream, which drains to the Sea of Marmara (Fig. 4)