| Acheilognathidae (Bitterlings) |
| 11.2 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 5 years |
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benthopelagic; freshwater; depth range - 0 m |
| Europe: central and eastern Europe and northern Asia Minor (Ref. 57778). Basins of North, southern Baltic, Black, western and southern Caspian and Aegean Seas (from Maritza to Struma drainages); Mediterranean basin, only in northern Rhône (France) and Drin drainages (Alabania, Montenegro, Macedonia). Abundant and expanding in most of its range, but locally threatened by water pollution, weed clearing, and stocking of predatory fish (Ref. 59043). |
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Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-10; Vertebrae: 34-36. Caudal fin with 19 to 20 soft rays. Differs from Rhodeus meridionalis by having sub-inferior mouth (vs. terminal), rostral cap covering all or at least more than half of upper lip (vs. only upper part of upper lip) (Ref. 59043). |
| Occurs most abundantly in still or slow-flowing water with dense aquatic vegetation and sand-silt bottom as lowland ponds, canals, slow-flowing rivers, backwaters and oxbows, where mussels are present (Ref. 59043). Found among plants over sand and muddy bottoms in shallow waters. Remarkable for its habit of deposing its eggs in the cavity of bivalves (Unio). Feeds mainly on plants and to a lesser degree on worms, crustaceans, and insect larvae. Formerly used for pregnancy tests: females injected with urine from pregnant women protruded their ovipositors (Ref. 6258). Live span is exceptionally up to 5 years but most individuals do not survive the year of their first reproduction and population sizes fluctuate greatly over the years (Ref. 59043). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 January 2008 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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Known from European Black Sea watersheds, Aegean Sea watersheds and Anatolian Black Sea watersheds. Also Ref. 106151. Sensitive to human activities. Considered a keystone species. Threatened due to habitat loss, eutrophication/pollution, construction of weirs/dams in rivers, loss of host species and water abstraction. Listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive under the name Rhodeus sericeus amarus (Ref. 58342). Has been confused with Rhodeus sericeus by authors. Also Ref. 7322.
Status of threat: Vulnerable (Ref. 58342). EurTurk. |
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