Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Leuciscidae (Minnows) > Leuciscinae
Etymology: orpheus: The name orpheus means a legendary Thracian musician and poet, son of the Thracian river-god Oiagros and of the Muse Calliopte.
Eponymy: This is not a true eponym as it refers to Orpheus, the legendary Thracian musician and poet, son of King Oeagrus (or, in some versions, the god Apollo) and the Muse Calliope. The name reflects the dace’s occurrence in Thrace, Greece. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Kottelat & Economidis.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Subtropical
Eurasia: Maritza to Struma drainages in Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 28.1 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 95340)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Differs from its congeners in Balkan Peninsula by having the following characters: origin of dorsal fin above pelvic base; dorso-hypural distance reaching between eye and nostril when reported forward from dorsal origin; free margin of flank scales faintly marked, not much contrasted against rest of scale, which is also pigmented; scale pocket dark brown; anal fin with blackish membranes and hyaline rays; head length equal to or slightly greater than body depth; mouth subterminal, upper lip conspicuously projecting beyond lower jaw, sometimes including tip of lower jaw; 44-46 + 2 scales on lateral line; dorsal fin and anal fin with 8½ branched rays; posterior margin of anal convex; in stretched anal of individuals larger than about 10 cm SL, distance between tips of first and last branched rays ( with the fin stretched out) 1.0-1.3 times caudal peduncle depth; and head length 26-29% SL (Ref. 59043).
Occurs in small to larger streams and rivers with standing water to moderate current (Ref. 57141). Found mainly in pools (Ref. 57141). Feeds in the water column and in the upper layers on fallen terrestrial insects but it is otherwise omnivorous (Ref. 57141). Spawns in shallow areas with gravel bottom. Some populations are under threat due to water abstraction in dry season (Ref. 59043).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kottelat, M. and P.S. Economidis, 2006. Squalius orpheus, a new species of cyprinid fish from Evros drainage, Greece (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 17(2):181-186. (Ref. 57141)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00676 (0.00423 - 0.01081), b=3.10 (2.96 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (18 of 100).
