Luciobarbus pectoralis (Heckel, 1843)

Luciobarbus pectoralis View in CoL View Figure

Common name. Levantine barbel.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Luciobarbus in Mediterranean basin by: ○ 48–58 total lateral-line scales / ○ 8–13 gill rakers on lower arch / ○ 10–11 scale rows between dorsal origin and lateral line / ○ 7–8 scale row between anal origin and lateral line. Size up to 470 mm SL.

Distribution View Figure . Türkiye and Syria: Göksu east to Orontes drainage. Absent in between Göksu and Seyhan drainages.

Habitat. Medium to large streams and rivers. Also, in reservoirs from which it migrates to rivers or streams to spawn. Absent from cold mountain streams and springs. Often abundant at edge of rapids or riffles.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Often reported to occur in Euphrates and Tigris drainages, but none of these reports have been confirmed. Most likely, all records are based on misidentified specimens of L. schejch . Luciobarbus lorteti , described from Lake Amik in Orontes drainage, is treated as a synonym of L. pectoralis . Luciobarbus lorteti was distinguished from L. pectoralis by the presence of a molariform (vs. normally developed) 4 th pharyngeal

tooth. Such individuals are still found in the wild. Fish with a molariform 4 th pharyngeal tooth have no other distinguishing characters, and molecular data do not allow them to be distinguished from L. pectoralis . The shape of the 4 th pharyngeal tooth may be related to the size of individual and likely to the availability and use of hard-shelled prey such as molluscs.

Further reading. Krupp 1985c ( B. lorteti ); Krupp 1985d (distribution, description); Bayçelebi 2020 (distribution).