Aegean chub
| Aegean chub | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Leuciscidae |
| Genus: | Squalius |
| Species: | S. fellowesii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Squalius fellowesii (Günther, 1868)
| |
| Synonyms | |
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The Aegean chub (Squalius fellowesii) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, which includes the daces, Eurasian minnows and related fishes. This species is endemic to Turkey.
Taxonomy
[edit]The Aegean chub was first formally described as Leuciscus fellowesi in 1868 by the German-born British ichthyologist Albert Günther with its type locality given as Xanthos in Turkey. This taxon was formerly considered to be a synonym of the common chub (Squalius cephalus)[2] The Aegean chub is now consideerd to be a valid species in the genus Squalius, commonly referred to as chubs, which belongs to the subfamily Leuciscinae of the family Leuciscidae.[3]
Etymology
[edit]The Aegean chub belongs to the genus Squalius, this name was proposed by the French bioogist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1837 for a subgenus of the genus Leuciscus for the Italian chub (Squalius cephalus), inserting and additional "i" to prevent homonymy with the spurdog genus Squalus. In classical Latin the chub and the spurdog were homonyms as squalus. An alternative explanation was that the name is a latinisation of squaglio, a vernacular name for the Italian chub in Rome and its environs. The specific name, fellowesii, is an eponym, honouring Charles Fellowes, a British archaeologist who presented the holotype to the British Museum Natural History.[4]
Distribution
[edit]The Aegean chub is found in numerous waterways and drainages of the Aegean region of Mugla province, Anatolia, Turkey.[5][6] It is a common food source for people living in the region.[6]
Lifecycle
[edit]Aegean chub have a maximum life-span of 6 years.[6] They grow to a length of 200mm, with most growth occurring during first maturity.[6] Sexual maturity typically occurs at 1 year in males, 2 years in females.[6] The species spawns between April and May, laying up to 4400 eggs at a time.[6] Males typically outnumber females significantly at a 1: 0.6 ratio.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Freyhof, J. (2014). "Squalius fellowesii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T19451307A19849380. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T19451307A19849380.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Squalius". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Leuciscinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf (8 April 2024). "Family LEUCISCIDAE: Subfamily LEUCISCINAE Bonaparte 1835 (European Minnows)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Squalius fellowesii". FishBase. November 2014 version.
- ^ a b c d e f g Top, N.; Tarkan, A. S.; Akbaş, F.; Karakuş, U. (June 2016). "Growth and life history traits of Aegean chub, Squalius fellowesii (Günther, 1868) in streams in Muğla Province, Aegean coast, Turkey". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 32 (3): 532–537. doi:10.1111/jai.13040.