Aphanius, commonly referred to as Mediterranean killifish, is a genus of the order Cyprinodontiformes in the family Aphaniidae. They are found in fresh and brackish waters in the coastal plains of the Mediterranean region.

Aphanius
Temporal range: Miocene–recent
Aphanius fasciatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Aphaniidae
Genus: Aphanius
Nardo, 1827
Type species
Aphanius nanus
Nardo, 1827
Synonyms

Lebias Goldfuss, 1820 (invalid name)
Micromugil Gulia, 1861

Taxonomy and systematics

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There were formerly 39 recognized species in this genus. However, the family Aphaniidae was split in 2020, and species were reallocated to eight monophyletic genera. Several species were reallocated; to five resurrected genera (Anatolichthys, Aphaniops, Kosswigichthys, Paraphanius, and Tellia) and two new genera Esmaeilius and Apricaphanius.[1]

Species

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Following the split, there are two valid species:[1]

 
Fossil of Aphanius crassicaudus
Fossil species
  • Aphanius crassicaudus Agassiz 1839[2]
  • Aphanius yerevanicus Vasilyan et al. 2009
  • Lebias cephalotes Agassiz 1839
  • Lebias gaudryi Sauvage 1873
  • Lebias gobio Agassiz 1839
  • Lebias meyeri Agassiz 1839
  • Lebias perpusillus Agassiz 1839

Fossil record

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Fossils of extinct species, including A. crassicaudatus and A. yerevanicus, are known as far back as the Early Miocene of the Mediterranean and Caucasus regions.[3] are Fossils of Aphanius are found in strata of the Pleistocene of Italy (age range: from 11.608 to 5.332 million years ago.).[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jörg Freyhof; Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu (July 2020). "A proposal for a new generic structure of the killifish family Aphaniidae, with the description of Aphaniops teimorii (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes)". Zootaxa. 4810 (3): 421–451. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4810.3.2.
  2. ^ A. crassicaudus at Fossilworks[dead link]
  3. ^ Reichenbacher, Bettina; Kowalke, Thorsten (2009-10-01). "Neogene and present-day zoogeography of killifishes (Aphanius and Aphanolebias) in the Mediterranean and Paratethys areas". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 281 (1): 43–56. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2009.07.008. ISSN 0031-0182.
  4. ^ "†Lebias Agassiz 1832 (ray-finned fish)". Paleobiology Database.