Aphanius iberus, Spanish toothcarp : aquarium

Aphanius iberus (Valenciennes, 1846)

Spanish toothcarp
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Aphanius iberus
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Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopteri (ray-finned fishes) > Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) > Aphaniidae (Oriental killifishes)
  More on author: Valenciennes.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.5 - 7.5; dH range: 8 - 10; non-migratory.   Temperate; 10°C - 32°C (Ref. 1672); 42°N - 34°N, 3°W - 1°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Europe: Spain along Mediterranean coast from 30 known localities (now extirpated in 14 of them). Historical records from near Perpignan, France now extirpated. Populations from Algeria and the Atlas along Morocco-Algeria border have long been identified as Aphanius iberus but they belong to Aphanius saourensis and other, unnamed and possibly extinct, species (Ref. 59043). In Appendix III of the Bern Convention (protected fauna).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3788); 5.4 cm TL (female)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 7 - 10. Can be diagnosed from other species of Aphanius, Valenciidae and Fundulidae in Europe by having the following characters: males possess a hyaline to bluish-grey caudal fin, with 2-5 dark grey bars, 10-20 dark grey to dark blue bars on a silvery background, bars usually irregularly shaped and set, often connected, breaking up into a mosaic of dark blue and silvery spots along back and in posterior part of body; females have numerous dark brown spots on sides and back; 23-27 scales in lateral line series on body; pectoral fin with 9-10 rays; and anal fin with 7-8 rays (Ref. 59043).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits lagoons, salt marshes, swamps, estuaries and freshwaters. Euryhaline, occurring in water bodies with salinities ranging from freshwater to 57 ppt (Ref. 59043). Occurs in lowland water with little current. Spawns from April to September. Is an egg-laying carnivorous fish which is used for mosquito control (Ref. 26100). This short-lived species is now threatened throughout its entire range because of habitat destruction and because of the introduction of Gambusia affinis (Ref. 3788). Not a seasonal killifish. Is easy to maintain in the aquarium (Ref. 27139).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Kottelat, M. and J. Freyhof, 2007. Handbook of European freshwater fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol and Freyhof, Berlin. 646 pp. (Ref. 59043)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 123251)

  Endangered (EN) (A2ce); Date assessed: 31 January 2006

CITES (Ref. 123416)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

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Special reports

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00912 (0.00543 - 0.01532), b=3.20 (3.06 - 3.34), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.4   ±0.45 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 2.6 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1 growth studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm=0.5; K>0.3).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100) .