The poorly-known shemayas (cyprinid fishes of the genus Alburnus) of Turkey have been reviewed and redescribed in a recent study, which also includes the descriptions of two new species.
The study, by Mfit -zulu and Jrg Freyhof, is published in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Alburnus carinatus (from Lakes Manyas and Ulubat), A, istanbulensis (from small rivers in Turkish Thrace and Lake Sapanca), A. nicaeensis (from Lake Iznik) and A. derjugini (from the *oruh River in northeastern Anatolia) are considered valid species and rediagnosed.
These species were previously considered junior synonyms of Alburnus chalcoides.
Two additional new species are also described in this study: A. attalus, from the Bakiray River drainage and A. battalgilae, from the Gediz River drainage in western Anatolia.
According to the authors, A. attalus (named for Attalus I, a king of a city-state in modern-day Turkey) differs from all other members of the genus in having:
...anal-fin origin scales behind dorsal-fin base, below dorsal-fin ray 7"8 in individuals larger than 90 mm SL; 12"14 branched anal-fin rays; 23"31 gill rakers; 52"59 + 3 lateral line scales; ventral keel exposed for 10"12 scales in front of anus; head length 24"25 % SL, 0.9-1.0 times in body depth at dorsal-fin origin; predorsal length 54"57 % SL; caudal peduncle depth 9"10 % SL, 2.0"2.4 times in its length; caudal peduncle length 20"22 % SL; eye diameter 6.3"7.9 % SL, 1.0"1.3 times in interorbital distance; body depth at dosal-fin origin 21"25 % SL; faint, dark lateral stripe on body; size up to 99.6 mm SL...
While A. battalgilae (named after Fahire Battalgil, A Turkish ichthyologist) differs in having ...anal-fin origin scales behind dorsal-fin base; 12"14 branched anal-fin rays; 27"32 gill rakers; 53"61 + 4 lateral line scales; 16"18 circumpeduncular scales; ventral keel exposed for 8"12 scales in front of anus; head length 23"25 % SL, 0.8-1.0 times in body depth at dorsal-fin origin; predorsal length 54"57 % SL; caudal peduncle depth 9"10 % SL, 1.9"2.5 times in its length; caudal peduncle length 18"22 % SL; eye diameter 5.3"6.6 % SL, 1.2"1.4 times in interorbital distance; body depth at dosal-fin origin 19"23 % SL; faint, dark lateral stripe on body; numerous, small tubercles in nuptial males; size up to 107.5 mm SL...
For more information, see the paper: -zulu, M and J Freyhof (2007) Rediagnosis of four species of Alburnus from Turkey and description of two new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 18, pp. 233"246.