Phoxinellus alepidotus Heckel, 1843

Family:  Leuciscidae (Minnows), subfamily: Leuciscinae
Max. size:  14.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Europe: streams in Glamočko, Livanjsko poljes; Duvanjsko ploje, Lakes Busko and Blidinje and intermittent streams Korana and Struga near Bosansko Grahovo (Bosnia Herzegovina).
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 38-40. Diagnosed from its congeners by having the following characters: body naked, without scales except for lateral line scales; 11-42 pored lateral line scales, ending between pelvic fin origin and anal fin origin; caudal fin moderately forked; mouth subterminal (Ref. 59043).
Biology:  Occur in lowland water bodies, with little current (Ref. 26100). Inhabit streams with clear water and enter subterranean karstic waters during winter or droughts. Spawn in shallower parts of streams where females probably lay 2-3 portions of eggs. Threatened due to pollution, habitat destruction and introduction of exotic species; limited data suggest that its decline in the last 10 years is likely to continue due to water abstraction and introductions of exotic species (Ref. 59043).
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 31 January 2006 (B2ab(ii,iii,iv)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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