Rank Species | ||
Similar Parachondrostoma turiense, Pelasgus stymphalicus, Pelasgus, Phoxinus bigerri | ||
Phoxinus likai (Bianco and De Bonis, 2015), is a small, cold-water adapted cyprinid fish endemic of the Karstic area of Lika Valley of Croatia,
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Description
Phoxinus likai is distinguished from Phoxinus phoxinus and the species from western Balkans by having patches of breast scales united and continuous across breast, except P. karsticus, where they are united only on anterior part. It may be distinguished from P. karsticus for the number of scales in longitudinal series which are 82-87 in P. karsticus and 72-79 in P. likai and for circumpeduncular scales, 40-42 in P. karsticus and 30-32 in P. likai. Others characters useful for determination, but not unique to this species are the pharyngeal teeth formula, 5.2 or 4.2, shared with P. poxinus but not P. apollonicus; pored lateral line nearly complete, reaching almost the end of the caudal peduncle, in P. ketmaieri and P. phoxinus do not reach more than half of the length of caudal peduncle; eye large, its diameter more than the preorbital distance, but less in the other species; snout short and blunt; longitudinal band from tip of snout to caudal peduncle where it forms a roundish spot; the band is more evident in the second half of the body; the flanks have 12-14 mid-lateral row of vertical elliptic blocks, more evident on the second half of body; anterior origin of anal fin placed at same level of vertical through posterior insertion of dorsal fin. Body moderately elongate, dorsal profile more convex than the ventral, dorsal profile of the head straight, snout short and blunt; mouth moderately downturned; chin rounded. Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 7 branched rays, free margin convex; anal fin with three simple and 7 branched rays, its free margin from straight to slightly convex; when depressed it reaches about one half of caudal peduncle length; pectoral fins oval, with one simple and 13-15 branched rays, when depressed on the flanks it may reach or overpass the insertion of the pelvic fins, in males, in females may reach 2/3 of the pectoral-pelvic fins distance; pharyngeal teeth hooked at the tip and serrated; about 5.2 or 4.2 teeth on pharyngeal bones. Tubercles are present in males on the head and on the dorsal side of the pectoral fins, which are thickened also by the presence of minute nuptial tubercles aligned along the first six seven branched rays.
Colour pattern
In preserved specimens the lateral band extending from the tip of snout to the caudal peduncle is more evident on the second half of the body; vertical blotches are more enlarged on sides of caudal peduncle; a large blackish spot on the opercular bone; ventral region of body and caudal peduncle, which extend about 1/3 of body depth, yellowish; all fins yellowish with few scattered melanophores; peritoneal membrane silvery with few scattered melanophores.
Distribution
Probably endemic of the extensive endorheic river system of the Lika region and underwater connected rivers of the Croatian Adriatic slope.
Derivatio nominis
From the Lika-Dinaric karstic region of Croatia.