Alburnus alburnus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Alburnus alburnus View in CoL View Figure

Common name. Bleak.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Alburnus in Central Anatolia, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Sea basins by: ○ anal origin below branched dorsal rays 4–5 / ○ 45–48+3 lateral line scales / ○ 16–19½ branched anal rays / ○ 16–22 gill rakers / ○ ventral keel exposed from anus to pelvic base / ○ dark-brown mid-lateral stripe absent in life, faint or absent in preserved individuals / ○ mouth slightly superior. Size up to 160 mm SL.

Distribution View Figure . Black Sea basin of Russia. Türkiye: Lake Sapanca basin and Susurluk drainage, including Lakes Apolyont and Manyas (southern Marmara basin). Introduced in Cyprus. Europe north of Caucasus, Pyrenees, and Alps, eastward to Ural and Emba.

Habitat. Open waters of lakes and medium to large rivers. Forages near surface. In winter, forms large aggregations in backwaters and other still waters. Spawns in shallow riffles or on rocky lake shores, occasionally over submerged vegetation.

Biology. Gregarious. Spawns first time at 2–3 years. Usually spawns in one or two seasons, in May–August at temperatures above 12°C, 2–4 times at intervals of 1–2 weeks, early in morning. Larvae inhabit littoral zone of rivers and lakes, juveniles leave banks and occupy pelagic habitats feeding on plankton, drifting insects or invertebrates fallen on water surface. In Europe, scales were once used to make Essence d’Orient, a coating for artificial pearls.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Kottelat & Freyhof 2007 (distribution, biology, diagnosis); Zogaris et al. 2012 (records from Cyprus).