Achondrostoma asturicense Doadrio, Casal-López & Perea, 2023

Family:  Leuciscidae (Minnows), subfamily: Leuciscinae
Max. size:  8.28 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Europe: Spain and possibly Portugal.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-5; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 4-4. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: canaliculate scales on the lateral line 38-44 (mean = 40.9, Md = 41 n = 36); scales above the lateral line 5-6 (mean = 5.8, Md = 6 n = 36); scales below the lateral line 3-4 (mean = 3.1, Md = 3 n = 36); caudal peduncle low (SL/BLD<10); body depth high in comparison to caudal peduncle depth (BD/BLD > 2); pharyngeal teeth 5/5; dentary with coronoid process wide; skull narrow with HL/ID>3. Genetic distances from the other Achondrostoma species inferred from the MT-CYTB gene sequence were: about 7.7 % with respect to A. salmantinum, 4.1 % with respect to A. occidentale, about 6-6.3 % with respect to A. oligolepis, 6.8-6.9 % with A. arcasii (here defined as the Ebro and adjacent Mediterranean rivers), and 6.6 % with Central-Eastern Duero. It has 13 autapomorphies in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, one of which is a transversion (Ref. 128766).
Biology:  This species lives in rivers and lakes placed in the western of the Cantabrian mountains in oligotrophic waters shady with vegetation. Breeding occurs during summer and spring (Ref. 128766).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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