''Aphanius'', commonly referred to as Mediterranean killifish, is a genus of the order

Cyprinodontiformes Cyprinodontiformes is an order (biology), order of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish, comprising mostly small, freshwater fish. Many popular aquarium fish, such as killifish and Poeciliidae, live-bearers, are included. They are closely related t ...

in the family

Aphaniidae Aphaniidae, the Oriental killifishes, are a family of the order Cyprinodontiformes. The 42 extant species of the family inhabit inland waters, rivers and lagoons. The distribution of these species extends from the entire Mediterranean region th ...

. They are found in fresh and brackish waters in the coastal plains of the Mediterranean region.

Taxonomy and systematics

There were formerly 39 recognized species in this genus. However, the family Aphaniidae was split in 2020, and species were reallocated to eight

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

genera. Several species were reallocated; to five resurrected genera (''

Anatolichthys ''Anatolichthys'' is a genus of toothcarps in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to Asia Minor. Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be Threatened species, threatened. Etymology The generic name is derived fro ...

'', ''

Aphaniops ''Aphaniops'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to Western Asia (including Asia Minor and Iran), Northeast Africa and east to southwest India. Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may ...

'', ''

Kosswigichthys The scaleless killifish or Hazar toothcarp (''Kosswigichthys asquamatus'') is a species of freshwater fish in the family Aphaniidae. It is the only species in its genus, and is endemic to Lake Hazar Lake Hazar (; ; ) is a rift lake in the Tau ...

'', '' Paraphanius'', and ''

Tellia The footless killifish (''Tellia apoda'') is a monotypic species of killifish in the family Aphaniidae. This species is endemic to springs and streams in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria, between Batna and Constantine. ''T. apoda'' was described ...

'') and two new genera ''

Esmaeilius ''Esmaeilius'' is a genus of toothcarps in the family Aphaniidae. Most are native to Iran, with the range of one species extending to Iraq as well. Most species in the genus have very small distributions and all are seriously threatened. Etymol ...

'' and ''

Apricaphanius ''Apricaphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to northern Africa and southern Europe. All species in the genus have very small distributions and are seriously threatened. Etymology The generic name is der ...

''.

Species

Following the

split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

, there are two valid species: * '' Aphanius almiriensis'' Kottelat,

Barbieri Barbieri is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alberto Barbieri (general) (1882–...), Italian Army Corps General * Alberto Barbieri (academic), Argentine academic * Andrea Barbieri (born 1965), Argentine actress * Anth ...

& Stoumboudi, 2007 * ''

Aphanius fasciatus The Mediterranean killifish, Mediterranean banded killifish or South European toothcarp (''Aphanius fasciatus'') is a species of fish in the family Aphaniidae. It is found in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Franc ...

Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...

, 1821 (Mediterranean banded killifish) ;Fossil species *''

Aphanius crassicaudus ''Aphanius crassicaudus'' is an extinct species of fish in the family Aphaniidae. It lived in the Late Miocene in brackish and hypersaline A hypersaline lake is a landlocked body of water that contains significant concentrations of sodium chlo ...

'' Agassiz 1839 *''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

Fossils of extinct species, including '' A. crassicaudatus'' and '' A. yerevanicus'', are known as far back as the

Early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages: the Aquitanian age, Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages. The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 annum, Ma to ...

of the Mediterranean and Caucasus regions. are Fossils of ''Aphanius'' are found in strata of the

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( ; referred to colloquially as the ''ice age, Ice Age'') is the geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fin ...

of Italy (age range: from 11.608 to 5.332 million years ago.).

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1431202 Cyprinodontidae Freshwater fish genera Taxa named by Giovanni Domenico Nardo Taxonomy articles created by Polbot