''Paraphanius'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

killifish A killifish is any of various oviparous (egg-laying) cyprinodontiform fish, including families Aplocheilidae, Pantanodontidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fundulidae, Nothobranchiidae, Profundulidae, Aphaniidae and Valenciidae. All together, there ar ...

es 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 ...

, which are native to western Asia (including

Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be

threatened A threatened species is any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which is vulnerable to extinction in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensatio ...

Etymology

The generic name is derived from , "near", and ''

Aphanius ''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. Taxonomy and syst ...

'', the genus from which they were split in 2020. It is a

sister genus In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and t ...

to ''Aphanius'' and ''

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 ...

''.

Species

There are seven valid species: * ''

Paraphanius alexandri ''Paraphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to western Asia (including Asia Minor). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be threatened. Etymology The generic name is derived ...

'' (Akşiray, 1948) * ''

Paraphanius boulengeri ''Paraphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to western Asia (including Asia Minor). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be threatened. Etymology The generic name is derived ...

'' (Akşiray, 1948) * ''

Paraphanius mento The iridescent toothcarp or pearl-spotted killifish(''Paraphanius mento'') is a species of killifish in the family Aphaniidae. It can be found in Western Asia (Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey). It occurs in a wide range ...

'' ( Heckel, 1843) (Pearl-spotted killifish) * ''

Paraphanius mentoides ''Paraphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to western Asia (including Asia Minor). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be Threatened species, threatened. Etymology The gen ...

'' (Akşiray, 1948) * ''

Paraphanius orontis ''Paraphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to western Asia (including Asia Minor). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be threatened. Etymology The generic name is derived ...

'' (Akşiray, 1948) * ''

Paraphanius similis ''Paraphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to western Asia (including Asia Minor). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be threatened. Etymology The generic name is derived ...

'' (Akşiray, 1948) * ''

Paraphanius striptus ''Paraphanius'' is a genus of killifishes in the family Aphaniidae, which are native to western Asia (including Asia Minor). Several species in the genus have very limited distribution and may be threatened. Etymology The generic name is derived ...

'' (Goren, 1974)

Etymology

Species

References

Further reading