Species Accounts - Cyprinidae - Aspius
Genus Aspius
Agassiz, 1832
The asps comprise 2 species found in Europe and Southwest Asia. Both species are found in Iran.
This genus is characterised by an elongate, rounded and large body, small scales, a large mouth with the lower jaw projecting, lower jaw with a tubercle fitting into a notch in the upper jaw, no barbels, pharyngeal teeth in 2 rows, pointed and hooked, gill rakers short and wide apart, short dorsal fin without a thickened ray, a long anal fin, a scaled keel behind the pelvic fins, and gill slits very wide such that the branchiostegal membranes attach under the posterior end of the eye.
Aspius aspius
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Common names
ماش ماهي (= mash mahi, not apparently meaning pea fish as the Farsi could indicate), khasham.
[hasam or khasham in Azerbaijan; krasnogubyi zherekh or redlip asp in Russian; Caspian asp, South Caspian asp].
Systematics
Cyprinus Aspius was described originally from lakes of Sweden.
Cyprinus Rapax Leske, 1774 described from Leipzig, Germany, Cyprinus taeniatus Eichwald, 1831 described from the Kura River at Mingechaur, Aspius erytrostomus Kessler, 1877 (sic, sometimes spelt erythrostomus or erithrostomus) described in part from the Caspian Sea and Kura River, Azerbaijan and from the Aral Sea and lower part of the Amu Darya, Uzbekistan, and Aspius transcaucasicus Warpakhovskii, 1895 from the Lenkoran River and Lake Bussadagny, Azerbaijan, are synonyms. Aspius aspius taeniatus (Eichwald, 1831) is the subspecies found in the Caspian Sea.
The types of Cyprinus aspius described from Swedish lakes are unknown (Eschmeyer et al., 1996).
Eschmeyer et al. (1996) give Aspius transcaucasicus Varpakhovskii, 1896, although Berg (1948-1949) gives 1895; possibly the volume year is 1895 but the work did not appear until 1896. Varpakhovskii is a variant spelling in transliteration from the Russian. Syntypes of this synonym are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg under ZISP 10488 (2) and ZISP 10497-48 (sic, in Eschmeyer et al. (1996) but should read 10497-98 with 5 and 2 specimens respectively (Kottelat, 1997)).
Key characters
The subspecies of the southern Caspian Sea is distinguished from the type subspecies of Europe and the northern Caspian Sea since the latter has lower lateral line scale counts of 64-76 as opposed to 62-105, lips never bright red, anal fin branched rays usually 13 instead of 12 (but see Iranian fish below), and height of dorsal fin usually longer than distance from snout tip to posterior edge of preopercle. Characters of the genus and distribution serve to separate it from other cyprinids in Iran.
Morphology
Dorsal fin branched rays 7-10, usually 8, after 2-3, usually 3, unbranched rays, and anal fin branched rays 11-16, usually 12 (but see below), after 3-4, usually 3, unbranched rays, pectoral fin branched rays 14-17 and pelvic fin rays 7-9. Lateral line scales 62-105. The scales have a central focus, fine circuli and few posterior and anterior radii. There is a pelvic axillary scale. There is a scaled keel behind the pelvic fins. The lower jaw tip projects and fits into a notch in the upper jaw. Gill membranes are narrowly attached to the isthmus, almost under the posterior eye margin. Gill rakers 8-11, very short and club-shaped, almost reaching or not reaching half way to the raker below when appressed. Pharyngeal teeth usually 3,5-5,3, sometimes 2,5-5,3 or with 6 teeth in the main row, teeth elongate, compressed and obviously hooked. Gut an elongate s-shape. Vertebrae 49-51. The chromosome number is 2n=50-52 (Klinkhardt et al., 1995).
Meristic values for Iranian specimens are:- dorsal fin branched rays 8(6); anal fin branched rays 13(6); pectoral fin branched rays 18(3); pelvic fin branched rays 8(3); lateral line scales 68(1), 72(2), 73(1), 74(1) or 75(2); total gill rakers 8(1) or 9(2); pharyngeal teeth 3,5-5,3(3); and total vertebrae 50(2) or 51(1).
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
The overall colour is silvery with the back a blackish-olive or greenish-grey. The iris is silvery with a narrow golden circle around the pupil and a little grey pigment on the upper half. Lips are silvery with a little grey over the upper one. Both lips and iris are often bright red. The dorsal and caudal fins are grey and the other fins are transparent without pigment. Fins may be tinged reddish. Peritoneum silvery to brown.
Size
Reportedly attains 1.2 m and 14.2 kg. The largest of 12,000 fish from the lower Kura River was 77 cm total length, males averaged 61 cm and females 64 cm. The average weight of 105,500 fish caught in 1927-1929 was 2.72 kg, females 2.93 kg (based on 1500 fish), males 2.34 kg and the heaviest fish was 5.5 kg (Berg, 1948-1949).
Distribution
Found from the Rhine and north of the Alps in Europe to the drainages of the Black, Caspian and Aral seas including their southern shores.
This species has been reported from Astara to Gorgan Bay in rivers and marshes and in the Caspian Sea of Iran (Nedoshivin and Il'in, 1929; Derzhavin, 1934; Berg, 1948-1949; Abbasi et al., 1999; Kiabi et al., 1999; Abdoli, 2000). Formerly reported from the Anzali Mordab but no longer present (Holčík and Oláh, 1992) although reported from the Siah-Keshim Protected Region of the Anzali Mordab by (1996). Found also in the Aras River Dam (Jolodar and Abdoli, 2004).
Also recorded from the Uzboi lakes, Karakum Canal and Kopetdag Reservoir in Turkmenistan (Shakirova and Sukhanova, 1994; Sal'nikov, 1995) and may eventually appear in the Tedzhen (= Hari) River basin in Iran.
Zoogeography
The closest relative of this species lies to the south and indicates a connection between Euro-Mediterranean and/or Black-Caspian-Aral seas basins.
Habitat
In the waters of Dagestan, asp begin to migrate upriver in October, peaking at the end of November and the beginning of December. They overwinter in deep holes, emerging in early spring as rivers flood and move to the spawning grounds. These grounds include river channels, open lake areas with substantial flow and only rarely places weakly overgrown with very coarse submerged vegetation such as reeds and rushes. After spawning the asps return to the Caspian Sea (Shikhshabekov, 1979). Knipovich (1921) reports this species from depths of 14.6-16.5 m, and possibly deeper, in the Iranian Caspian Sea. Riazi (1996) reports that this species is native (resident) to the Siah-Keshim Protected Region of the Anzali Mordab.
Age and growth
Life span in the Volga delta is 7-8 years with the bulk of the population mature at 6 years (Ali, 1974). In the waters of Dagestan life span is 8 years with maturity at 4 years. Mature males and females are 41-58 cm long and weigh 840-2800 g (Shikhshabekov, 1979). Growth is more rapid in the Kura River of Azerbaijan than in other rivers in the former Soviet Union. Fish taken from commercial catches in Iran are mostly 3-6 years old, 38.1-56.7 cm long and weigh 631-2241 g (Razivi et al., 1972) or 3-6 years and 33-63 cm total length (Holčík and Oláh, 1992). Growth is rapid in the latter report, fish reaching 1 kg during the fourth year of life. Maximum life span may be 15 years.
Food
This species is a solitary predator on other fishes such as gobies (Gobiidae) and silversides (Atherinidae), frogs and even ducklings. An Iranian specimen had the remains of a large crustacean in its gut. Young feed on plankton initially but start to take the fry of fishes at 2-3 months. There is little feeding on the spawning migration.
It may catch other fishes by plunging into shoals at the surface and may leap out of the water as a result. Abdoli (2000) reports Scardinius erythrophthalmus, Atherina boyeri and Blicca bjoerkna as food items in Iran. Surface insects are also eaten.
Reproduction
The spawning season in Gilan is mid-February to late March at 10-13°C with an incubation period of 9-10 days (Hoseinie, 1995).
Spawning is non-intermittent and the period is short (10-15 days) in Dagestan (Shikhshabekov, 1979). Fecundity reaches 483,500 eggs in the south Caspian Sea and maximum egg diameter in the Volga delta is 1.7 mm (Ali, 1974). In Hoseinie's (1995) study of artificial propagation of this species in Iran, large or swollen eggs number 117-277 per gram, and egg diameters 2.0-2.2 mm. Absolute fecundity reaches 264,248 eggs. Abdurakhmanov (1962) gives a maximum fecundity of 342,000 eggs and a maximum egg diameter of 2.4 mm for Azerbaijan populations. Females with ripe eggs are found between mid-April and mid-May at water temperatures of 4-12.2°C, optimally 9-11°C. Up to 20% of Volga asp females do not spawn annually. Eggs develop while between or adhering to stones on the river bed. Young migrate downriver from June to August at age 3-4 months and 5-10 cm length.
Parasites and predators
Molnár and Jalali (1992) record the monogenean Dactylogyrus tuba from this species in the Safid Rud. Masoumian et al. (2005) report the protozoan parasite Chilodonella, sp. from this species in the Aras Dam in West Azarbayjan. Masoumian et al. (2002) investigated parasites from this fish in the Aras and Mahabad dams in northwest Iran and found the protozoan Myxobolus dispar. Sattari (2004) records the presence of the nematode, Eustrongylides excisus, in the body cavity. This parasite can damage muscles in commercial species and render them unsuitable for sale. Sattari et al. (2002, 2005) and Sattari (2004) records the presence of the nematode, Eustrongylides excisus. This parasite can damage muscles in commercial species and render them unsuitable for sale. Pazooki et al. (2007) recorded various parasites from localities in West Azarbayjan Province, including Argulus foliaceus from this species.
The Caspian seal, Pusa caspica, is a predator (Krylov, 1984).
Economic importance
This fish is taken in Iran as food but comprises only a small portion of the catch. Nevraev (1929) reports catches of 267 to 2429 fish for the period 1914-1915 to 1917-1918 in the Anzali region. Holčík and Oláh (1992) record the catch in the Anzali region for 1969-1970 and 1970-1971 as 45.2 t and 36.1 t respectively, these being 84% and 69% of the total Iranian catch. In 1921-1930 the annual catch in the lower Kura River averaged 249,000 fish and in 1936 for Azerbaijan the catch weighed 8100 centners and numbered 300,000 fish.
Robins et al. (1991) list this species as important to North Americans. Importance is based on its use as food and in sport. The flesh is white and tasty but rather tough.
Conservation
Recruitment in this species is low in Iran because water is taken from the summer spawning streams for irrigation purposes. Spawning success is therefore limited. Larvae of spring spawners are lost when they enter irrigation channels and become stranded in fields (Razivi et al., 1972). Holčík and Oláh (1992) consider the decline in this species to be due to indiscriminate catching of sexually immature fish and, in the Anzali Mordab at least, environmental changes. The Pol-e Astaneh Fish Farm has studied propagation of this species (Keivany and Nasrollahzadeh, 1990) and Hoseinie (1995) demonstrates that artificial propagation is possible. It has also been raised to marketable size in ponds through artificial feeding with ground kilka and a rice product (Annual Bulletin 1993-94, Iranian Fisheries Research and Training Organization, Tehran, p. 81-82, 1995). The Shahid Beheshti hatchery on the Safid River breeds this species (Raymakers, 2002).The asp is bred in the Varvarinsk Hatchery and releases up to 1.5 million yearlings are made into the Kura River, with plans for 8-10 million releases (Kosarev and Yablonskaya, 1994).
Lelek (1987) classifies this species as vulnerable to endangered in Europe. Vulnerable in Turkey (Fricke et al., 2007). Kiabi et al. (1999) consider this species to be data deficient in the south Caspian Sea basin according to IUCN criteria. Criteria include commercial fishing, habitat destruction, limited range (less than 25% of water bodies), absent in other water bodies in Iran, and absent outside the Caspian Sea basin.
Further work
The distribution and abundance of this species in Iranian waters needs investigation as it is sensitive to environmental changes.
Sources
Iranian material: CMNFI 1970-0526, 2, 236.8-246.1 mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River below Astaneh (37ş19'N, 49ş57'30"E); CMNFI 1980-0494, 1, 319.6 mm standard length, ? Gilan, Caspian Sea basin (no other locality data); ZISP 3917, 1, 402.0 mm standard length, Gilan, Anzali (no other locality data).
Aspius vorax
Heckel, 1843
Common names
shelej, shalaj, sholge, sholgeh.
[shillik, shillig, shiliq, shelej, shalaj; bu aliawi, abu elawi; called "snake" by American soldiers in Iraq because of the name asp being familiar as the snake that killed Cleopatra; kaschschasch (= voracious) from Heckel (1843b); all in Arabic; Tigris asp].
Systematics
The type locality for this species is the "Tigris bei Mossul" according to Heckel (1843b). Krupp (1985c) reports, and I have examined, a syntype held in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien under NMW 76776, 261.4 mm standard length. The catalogue in Vienna in 1997 also lists NMW 76785 as a type and this specimen is also 261.4 mm standard length. Eschmeyer et al. (1996) lists a dried skin as a syntype under NMW 16527. The catalogue in Vienna lists 4 fish in spirits and 2 fish stuffed.
Banister (1980) suggests that this species may be close to Aspius aspius, perhaps a clinal variant, since the Caspian Sea basin subspecies, A. a. taeniatus (67-90) has scale counts intermediate between European populations of A. aspius (65-74) and A. vorax (93-105) (Banister's figures). However this may be more apparent than real as there is considerable overlap and frequency distributions are not given. There was insufficient material on hand from Iran to investigate this character in more detail.
Key characters
Characters of the genus coupled with distribution serve to identify this species.
Morphology
The head is long and tapers anteriorly. The mouth is oblique and elongate reaching to the anterior half of the eye. The lower jaw projects and has a symphysis knob fitting into an upper jaw notch. There is a hump as the back rises abruptly after the head. The gill opening is large and extends forward to the posterior eye margin level. Fins are more falcate than in the line illustration when partially collapsed.
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 7-9, usually 8, branched rays. Al-Nasiri et al. (1975) give a range of 8-11 (probably 7-10 using my system of counting) dorsal fin rays with a strong mode at 9 (i.e. 8) for 271 fish taken from the Basrah fish market from January to June. Anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 9-13 branched rays. Al-Nasiri et al. (1975) give a range of 10-13 (9-12, 10 modally but high frequencies at 11 too. Pectoral fin branched rays 16-18 (14-18, modally 16, in Al-Nasiri et al. (1975)), pelvic fin branched rays 8-9, usually 8. Lateral line scales 82-110, lateral line low on the flank anteriorly, rising to the midline of the caudal peduncle. There is a pelvic axillary scale. Scales have a few radii on the posterior field only, a central focus and numerous, fine, concentric circuli. Pharyngeal teeth 3,5-5,3 with variants 2,5-5,3 and 2,5-5,2, long, compressed and hooked at the tip. Gill rakers 9-14, reaching base of adjacent raker when appressed but widely spaced and not developed anteriorly. Some rakers do reach the adjacent one when appressed in some fish. Al-Nasiri et al. (1975) give a range of 11-13 gill rakers with a strong mode at 12. Total vertebrae 51-53 (Al-Nasiri et al. (1975) give 37 as a count which cannot be reconciled with my counts). The gut is an elongate s-shape.
Meristic values for Iranian specimens are:- dorsal fin branched rays 8(4); anal fin branched rays 10(1) or 11(3); pectoral fin branched rays 16(1) or 17(3); pelvic fin branched rays 8(4); lateral line scales 96(1), 98(1) or 100(1); total gill rakers 11(1), 12(2) or 13(1); pharyngeal teeth 3,5-5,3(3); and total vertebrae 51(3) or 53(1).
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
The back is greenish to blackish but overall colour is silvery-grey or silvery-white. Fins are said to be all pale yellow in live fish but are dark in some preserved specimens. A photograph of one freshly caught specimen showed reddish pectoral, pelvic and anal fins, with the dorsal fin greenish, similar to the back and flanks. Another freshly caught specimen was overall silvery, with a brownish-green back, fins overall grey with some yellowish tinges The peritoneum is black to brown.
Size
Reaches over 55 cm total length and 6 kg in Iraq (van den Eelaart, 1954; Herzog, 1967; Shafi and Jasim, 1982; Bartel et al., 1986) and 1.5 m and 60 kg in the Euphrates (Gruvel, 1931; if identification is correct). The Suq al-Shouykh Marsh in April 2005 contained specimens larger than 65.0 cm (www.iraqmarshes.org, downloaded 29 August 2005) and fish in Baghdad palace ponds were estimated to reach 36-40 inches (91-1.02 m) and 15-20 pounds (6.8-9.1 kg) (http://members.cox.net/flybox/FishingUpdate.htm, downloaded 9 January 2006).
Distribution
This species is found in the Tigris-Euphrates and the Orontes River basins in the Middle East. In Iran it is recorded from the lower reaches of rivers in the Tigris River basin including the Bahmanshir River and also such marshes as the Hawr al Azim (Marammazi, 1995).
Zoogeography
This is one of several species that has a sister taxon in the Euro-Mediterranean and/or Black-Caspian-Aral seas basin, indicating north-south connections in the past.
Habitat
van den Eelaart (1954) studied this species in Iraq and found that it lives in rivers, lakes and marshes in both open and vegetated areas and remains in shallow water even in summer. It also occurs in smaller water bodies such as ponds. From spring to fall it is found mainly in marshes and lakes. The barrages at Hindiyah and Kut blocked the upstream migration of this species (Mahdi, 1962). Lakes at Camp Slayer in Baghdad contain this species and, in the shallows, the larger fish chase smaller fish and smaller species leaving v-shaped wakes with the tail fin exposed. Smaller fish leap out of the water to escape the shillik (http://members.cox.net/flybox/FishingUpdate.htm, downloaded 9 January 2006).
Age and growth
Shafi and Jasim (1982) made observations on the biology of this cyprinid in Habbaniyah Reservoir, Iraq. They report 8 age groups with most rapid growth in summer months when water temperatures are above 25°C. Growth in weight is about 160.1 g per year to the fourth year of life and about 331 g per year afterwards. Condition factor was 0.74-1.18 with a mean of 1.0, stable values probably related to piscivory. The length-weight relationship was W = 0.0123 x TL3.0601. The von Bertalanffy equation for growth was lt = 91.0[1-e-0.122 (t-0.25)]. Ali et al. (1986) found the condition factor to range from 0.05 to 1.09 (mean 0.73) and also gave the chemical composition and calorific value. This species had a higher fat content than Barbus luteus with which it was studied. Al-Dabical and Al-Daham (1995) studied growth in the first year of life in fish from the Shatt al Basrah Canal, Iraq and gave the length-weight relationship as loge W = -12.458 + 3.077 loge L and the growth equation as Lt = 104.118 (1-e -0.0121 (t - 87.871)). Epler et al. (2001) found the oldest age groups to be 5+, 6+ and 7+ in Iraqi lakes Razzazah, Habbaniyah and Tharthar respectively. The mean condition factor was 0.88, 0.76 and 0.87 in lakes Habbaniyah, Tharthar and Razzazah respectively. The von Bertalanffy parameters were for Lake Tharthar L∞ (cm) = 145.5, K = 0.0803, t0 = -0.3269, W∞ (g) = 32099 and n = 3.2249. These indicate rather uniform growth rates, as L∞ is relatively high and K very low. Results were considered more reliable than an earlier study by Jasim (1980) which used inappropriate methods. Annual survival in Lake Tharthar for fish 2.6-5.5 years was 62.0% (Szczerbowski et al., 2001). Productivity was low based on chemical and limnological studies, limiting fish production.
Food
This minnow is piscivorous, feeding almost entirely on fish when adult according to Iraqi studies (Shafi and Jasim, 1982), although aufwuchs may also be found in gut contents. It is mainly a mid-water and benthic feeder with limited predation on surface water organisms (Hussein and Al-Kanaani, 1991). Hussein et al. (1991) examined diet in the Garma Marshes, Iraq and found aquatic insects and crustaceans to be important in young shillig in both summer and winter, with molluscs and fish less important. Even in large shillig, fish were outranked by aquatic insects and in winter by crustaceans as well. Molluscs were a minor food. Shillig rejected certain molluscs while taking others, attributed to variations in shell thickness and a attachment strength to substrates. Liza abu is an important food fish (Al-Shamma'a and Jasim, 1993). Hussein and Al-Kanaani (1989; 1991; 1993) examined the diet of this species in the Al-Hammar Marsh and found a gradually reduced feeding intensity towards the winter months, a highest fullness index in May and lowest in January, and a diet governed by food accessibility and availability. Crustaceans, fish and aquatic insects are the main food items in descending order of importance, with fish most important when using a percentage ranking index in large shillig and even in small shillik by volume. Benthic molluscs were the third most important food for young shillik after crustaceans and fish. In a study of the recovering Hammar Marsh, Iraq, diet was 80.0% fish and 20.0% insects, in the Hawr al Hawizah 47.4% fish and 29.4% insects with shrimps, other crustaceans, algae, diatoms, plants and snails at less than 10% each, and in the Al Kaba'ish (= Chabaish) Marsh 73.0% fish and 16.8% insects with shrimps, other crustaceans, algae and plants at less than 10% each (Hussain et al., 2006). Fish are the main diet item of large shillik and there is a gradual shift from small- to large-sized prey as the shillik grows (Salman et al., 1994). Frogs, molluscs and aquatic plants and algae were also found in stomach contents, with frogs being important to large shillik in terms of prey volume. Plants may be accidental inclusions taken when seizing prey in weed beds. The fish eaten in descending order of importance were Liza abu, Gambusia affinis (sic, probably G. holbrooki), Garra rufa and Cyprinus carpio. The main crustacean eaten was Metapenaeus affinis along with decapods and amphipods. The gill rakers are widely spaced, indicative of a piscivorous diet (Salman et al., 1993) and the gut is a short s-shape, about equal to fish standard length, also indicative of a piscivorous diet (Salman et al., 1994). Hussain and Ali (2006) examined feeding relationships among fishes in the Al-Hammar Marsh and found this species to be a carnivore, 41.9% of the diet being crustaceans, 10.0% insects and 34.1% fishes. Epler et al. (2001) studied the diet of this species in Lake Tharthar, Iraq and found year old shillik to be eating oligochaetes, tendipedids and plants material with only fish in 2-7 year old shillik. Dietary coincidence with bizz was high in Lake Tharthar, 96.1%.
Reproduction
Shafi and Jasim (1982) record possible spawning in January at 10°C in Iraq with a fecundity up to 74,509 eggs, a mean of 1157 eggs/g body weight and egg diameter of about 1.1 mm. van den Eelaart (1954) found this species in deep parts of Iraqi rivers in December-January, entering marshes and lakes in February to spawn at the end of February and the beginning of March. Spawning takes place on gravel beds, the same as those used by Barbus xanthopterus, but also on plants. Epler et al. (2001) studied reproduction in Iraqi lakes Tharthar and Habbaniyah and found males to achieve maturity in the third year of life at 44.2 cm and females in the fourth at47.2 cm. Spawning occurred in February at 13-14şC. Fecundity was 92,000 eggs/kg body mass.
Parasites and predators
Jalali and Molnár (1990a) record the monogeneans Dactylogyrus pulcher and D. mokhayeri from this species in the Dez River. Moghainemi and Abbasi (1992) record a wide range of parasites from this species in the Hawr al-Azim in Khuzestan. Mortazaei et al. (2000) record an infection rate of 6.6% with the worm Neoechinorhynchus tylosuri in Khuzestan marshes. Farahnak (2000) and Farahnak et al. (2002) record Contracaecum sp. and Anisakis sp. from this fish in Khuzestan Province. It is eaten by Silurus triostegus.
Economic importance
Sharma (1980) reports that shillik were an important fish species at the Basrah, Iraq fish market, accounting for 68,948 kg from October 1975 to June 1977, although this is an order of magnitude less than for the three most important species. Its potential for fish farming may be limited by its small gill area which makes it unfit to maintain gas exchange in oxygen-poor water (Salman et al., 1991). Kassim et al. (1998) found locally-raised Scenedesmus acutus algal cultures at 0.5*106 cell/ml with baker's yeast at 0.05 g/L to be the best formula for raising the rotifer Brachionus calcyflorus as live food for shillik larvae. Growth rate was, however, higher on an artificial diet of boiled eggs and soybean meal (52%) compared to 48%, in contrast to common carp (q.v.).
van den Eelaart (1954) gave the fishing season in Iraq for this species as December-February (peaking in January) and February and June-November (peaking in February and July-August).
Foreign soldiers in Iraq during 2005 regularly caught this species on angling gear using spoons and streamer flies, e.g. www.carpecapio.com, downloaded 26 August 2005.
Conservation
Few specimens have been caught in Iran and deposited in museums. This may reflect rarity or inadequate collection methods. It was commonly caught by American soldiers in Iraq in 2004 as evidenced by emailed photographs sent to me for identification and is an important food fish in Iraq. Detailed surveys using appropriate equipment are needed to assess its distribution and status in Iran. Vulnerable in Turkey (Fricke et al., 2007).
Further work
Its distribution and status in Iran need so be studied as does its distinction from Aspius aspius.
Sources
Scale counts were taken also from Banister (1980).
Type material: See above (NMW 76776 and NMW 76785).
Iranian material: ZMH 2516, 259.9 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Karasu-Gamasiab-Seymarreh (no further locality data); uncatalogued, 3, 105.6-282.5 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Hawr al Azim and Dez River, (no further locality data).
Comparative material: NMW 91020, 1, 170.6 mm standard length, Iraq, Shatt-al-Arab, Basrah (30°30'N, 47°47'E); BM(NH) 1920.3.3:127-146, 28, 69.8-284.7 mm standard length, Iraq, Basrah (30°30'N, 47°47'E); BM(NH) 1920.10.8:1, 1, 182.3 mm standard length, Iraq, Tigris River (no other locality data); BM(NH) 1931.12.21:11, 1, 250.2 mm standard length, Iraq, Mosul (36°20'N, 43°08'E); BM(NH) 1972.3.16:1, 1, 112.1 mm standard length, Iraq, Dokan Lake (no other locality data); BM(NH) 1973.5.21:189-190, 2, 166.2-192.0 mm standard length, Iraq, Shatt-al-Arab (no other locality data); FMNH 51242, 1, 322.6 mm standard. length, Iraq, Halfaya east of Amara (31°49'N, 47°26'E); uncatalogued, 1, 200.8 mm standard length, Iraq, Hawr al Hammar (no other locality data). BM(NH) 1968.12.13:182, 1, 251.7 mm standard length, Syria, Cheria River, tributary to the Orontes River (no other locality data); NMW 90366, 1, 309.0 mm standard length, Turkey, Cermik on the Euphrates River (39°09'N, 39°27'E); NMW 90807, 1, 214.8 mm standard length, Turkey, Devegeçidi Çayi, Tigris River basin (no other locality data);
© Brian W. Coad (www.briancoad.com)