Members of the cyprinid genus Pseudophoxinus are small minnows mostly found in cold springs, slow-flowing waters and clean lakes (Küçük et al. 2013). Speciation and phylogenetic relationships within the genus in Anatolia were first studied by Hrbek et al. (2004), who argued that the Tohma Stream population (Fırat River drainage) (originally published as Pseudophoxinus new species, now Pseudophoxinus firati) and Pseudophoxinus kervillei from the Asi River form a separate lineage distinct from all other congeners in Central Anatolia, the Lakes Region and Büyük Menderes basins. A more comprehensive and detailed study based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data corroborates the hypothesis that the genus Pseudophoxinus is represented in Anatolia by two monophyletic lineages (Central Anatolian and Eastern Mediterranean Region clades) and noted uncertainty in Anatolian Pseudophoxinus species boundaries (Perea et al. 2010).

The original description of the Eastern Mediterranean Region species Pseudophoxinus kervillei by Pellegrin (1911: 109–110, 1928: 120–121) includes the following information: lateral line incomplete, 37–42 scales in lateral series, 9–10 scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin, 7–8 scale rows between lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin, D 11, A 10, P 13, V 8. The distribution area originally given as Asi River, Adana and Islahiye near Osmaniye (Pellegrin 1928: 121), is restricted to Jordan, Litani and Asi rivers basins according to Krupp (1985), who described a Phoxinellus (=Pseudophoxinus) sp. from Hupnik Stream (near Islahiye, 22 km southeast Gaziantep), a drainage of Asi River, with a shorter lateral line (0–18 scales vs. 4–27 in Pseudophoxinus kervillei), more gill rakers and more branched anal-fin rays. Since then this population hasn’t been studied and couldn’t be relocated at site during our surveys in June 2012 and October 2013. Bogutskaya (1997: 177–178) wrote that the Pseudophoxinus specimens from the Ceyhan River (ZMH 1103: Hamburg Zoological Museum, now Pseudophoxinus zekayi) and İncesu Spring (ZMH 8001) (mentioned in the original text as Seyhan tributary, although it is a tributary of Asi) differed from Asi River Pseudophoxinus kervillei in having more scales in the lateral series (55–60 vs. 35–50 in Pseudophoxinus kervillei) and presence of 25–34 perforate scales (4–17 in Pseudophoxinus kervillei). Perea et al. (2010) also tentatively identified the Pseudophoxinus population from İncesu Spring (Hassa, Hatay) as Pseudophoxinus cf. kervillei due to molecular distinction of the population from Pseudophoxinus kervillei (Asi River).

Our evaluation of morphological features and the distribution areas of Eastern Mediterranean Region species Pseudophoxinus firati, Pseudophoxinus kervillei, Pseudophoxinus zeregi and Pseudophoxinus zekayi indicates that the İncesu (Hassa, Hatay) specimens represent a new species distinct from the Asi River basin Pseudophoxinus kervillei, which is described below.

Fish specimens were collected by pulsed DC electrofishing equipment, killed by over anaesthetization and fixed in 5% formalin. Material is deposited in: IFC-ESUF, Inland Fishes Collection, Eğirdir Fisheries Faculty of Süleyman Demirel University. Counts and measurements follow Kottelat and Freyhof (2007). All measurements were point to point and made with digital calipers (0.01 mm sensitive). Other metrics include head width₁ (the distance between the anterior eye margins), head width₂ (the distance between the posterior eye margins), head width₃ (head width at the nape), head depth₁ (head depth through the eye), head depth₂ (head depth at the nape), and the snout width (measured at level of the nostrils). The perforated lateral-line scales were counted from the anteriormost scale (the first one to touch the shoulder girdle) to the posteriormost one; scales in lateral series were counted along the midlateral line from the first one to touch the shoulder girdle to the last scale at the end of the hypural complex; scales on the caudal fin itself are indicated by “+”; the last two branched dorsal and anal fin rays articulating on a single pterygiophore were counted as 1½. The vertebral counts were obtained from radiographs and counted following Naseka (1996); abdominal vertebrae were counted from the first Weberian vertebra to the one just anterior to the first caudal vertebra (the most anterior vertebra that has a fully developed haemal spine; the last complex vertebra bearing hypurals was included in the count of total and caudal vertebrae. Cephalic sensory canals were studied under a stereomicroscope.

The morphometric characters of the two species of Pseudophoxinus from Turkey were compared by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using a covariance matrix on log–transformed measurements and counts with the software package PAST version 1.8 (Hammer et al. 2001).

As stated by Küçük et al. (2013), unlike the central and western Anatolian species, which differ from one another in complex morphological features, the Eastern Mediterranean Pseudophoxinus species (mentioned as Levant species) are morphologically quite similar with the exception of Pseudophoxinus zekayi, which differs from the others in having a complete lateral line.

Below we compare Pseudophoxinus turani from the İncesu Spring, a drainage of Asi River, with the Eastern Mediterranean region Pseudophoxinus species group: Pseudophoxinus kervillei from Gölbaşı Lake (Asi River drainage), Pseudophoxinus zekayi from Aksu Stream (Ceyhan River drainage), Pseudophoxinus zeregi from Sinnap Stream (Kuveik River drainage), and Pseudophoxinus firati from Tohma Stream (Fırat River drainage) (Pellegrin 1911; 1928; Bogutskaya 1997; Bogutskaya et al. 2007). Pseudophoxinus turani is easily distinguished from Pseudophoxinus kervillei by its terminal mouth (vs. slightly superior) and rounded snout (vs. slightly rounded). It is further distinguished from Pseudophoxinus kervillei by having more gill rakers on the outer side of the first gill arch (8–11, rarely 13, vs.7–8), usually more lateral-line scales (12–25, vs. 4–17), more abdominal vertebrae (21–22, vs. 19–20), usually more total vertebrae (36–38, vs. 35–36) and sometimes fewer branched pelvic-fin rays (6 vs. 6–7). Besides the differences listed above Pseudophoxinus turani has a smaller eye diameter and longer snout than Pseudophoxinus kervillei.

Pseudophoxinus turani and Pseudophoxinus kervillei were also compared by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using 27 morphometric characters. The PCA clearly separated Pseudophoxinus turani from Pseudophoxinus kervillei (Fig. 5). Variables loading on the first metric PC I–II are given in Table 3.

Pseudophoxinus turani is distinguished from Pseudophoxinus zeregi by having fewer lateral-line scales (12–25, vs. 47–53), fewer lateral series scales (38–46+2–3, vs. 54–59+2–3), fewer scales between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin (10–11, vs.11–13) and usually more gill rakers on first gill arch (8–11, rarely 13, vs. 7–9). In Pseudophoxinus turani, membranes of fins are grey and rays have black spots, while in Pseudophoxinus zeregi membrane of fins are hyaline and rays lack black spots.

Pseudophoxinus turani is clearly separable from Pseudophoxinus zekayi by having an incomplete lateral line (vs. complete), fewer lateral-line scales (12–25 vs. 36–44), fewer pharyngeal teeth (5–4, vs. 5–5) and a longer snout (28.5–31.7 % HL, mean 30.3, vs. mean 26.01 % HL). In Pseudophoxinus turani, eye diameter is smaller than snout length while in Pseudophoxinus zekayi, eye diameter is equal to or greater than snout length.

Pseudophoxinus turani is distinguished from Pseudophoxinus firati by having fewer lateral-line scales (12–25 vs. 35–51) and more gill rakers on the outer side of the first gill arch (8–11, rarely 13, vs. 6–7). Pseudophoxinus turani is also distinguished from Pseudophoxinus firati by having a black spot on base of caudal fin (vs. lacking), slightly shorter head length (26.0–27.5, mean 26.9 %SL, vs. mean 28.6), 3 simple dorsal-fin rays (vs. commonly 4), and more scales between lateral-line and dorsal-fin origins (10–11, vs. commonly 9).

Our data on meristic features of the Eastern Mediterranean Pseudophoxinus (Table 2) are largely compatible with previously published counts: Heckel (1843) counted 57–66 perforated scales on the lateral line of the type species, Pseudophoxinus zeregi, from the Kuveik River near Aleppo, whereas we counted 47–53 scales in our material from Sinnap Stream (Kuveik River drainage) (We believe that Heckle (1843) were counted scales in lateral series along the midlateral line). Lateral series and lateral line scale counts of Pseudophoxinus kervillei are compatible with that of Pellegrin (1928) and Küçük et al. (2013). Meristic data of Pseudophoxinus firati and Pseudophoxinus zekayi are also found largely to be in conformity with Bogutskaya et al. (2007) and Küçük et al. (2013).

Pseudophoxinus firati: IFC-ESUF 03-0999, 12, 34.6–51.7 mm SL, Sivas prov.: Fırat River drainage, Yazyurdu, M.A. Atalay, 04 August 2004; 03-1001, 4 (paratypes), 41.2–47.7 mm SL, Sivas prov: Fırat River drainage, Tohma Stream at Yazyurdu, T. Hrbek, K.N. Stölting, R.H. Wildekamp and A. Meyer, ? April 2000.

Pseudophoxinus kervillei: IFC-ESUF 03-0987, 26, 60.7–84.9 mm SL, Hatay prov.: Lake Gölbaşı-Kırıkhan, F.Küçük, D.Turan, S.S. Güçlü, 01 July 2012; 03-0988, 25, 27.4–56.0 mm SL, Hatay prov.: Meydan Village-Samandağ, F.Küçük, D.Turan, S.S. Güçlü, H.Temizkan, 30 June 2012.

Pseudophoxinus zekayi: IFC-ESUF 03-1007, 32, 28.5–62.1 mm SL, Kahramanmaraş prov.: Aksu Stream, F.Küçük, D.Turan, S.S. Güçlü, 29 June 2012.

Pseudophoxinus zeregi: IFC-ESUF 03-1011, 47, 33.9–64.5 mm SL, Kilis prov.: Sinnap Stream, F.Küçük, D.Turan, S.S. Güçlü, M. Kamer, C. Kaya, 04 November 2012 and 26 June 2013; IFC-ESUF 03-1012, 4, 36.3–64.5 mm SL, Kilis prov.: Sinnap Stream, İnanlı Village, C. Kaya, E. Gürlek, 26 June 2013.