Korean Sharpbelly Hemiculter leucisculus (Basilewsky, 1855) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae) is a New Species of Azerbaijan Fauna

摘要

The invasive species Korean sharpbelly Hemiculter ieucisculus was found in the watershed area of the Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan). The species status was confirmed by the morphological analysis and by the genetic analysis of two loci of mtDNA: COI and cytochrome b. The data on distribution, morphology, and biology of sharpbelly in freshwaters of Azerbaijan are provided. Nowadays, Korean sharpbelly H. Ieucisculus is a common naturalized species that is widely distributed throughout Azerbaijan. Probably, it penetrated into freshwaters of Azerbaijan from the water bodies of neighboring countries, where this species was detected previously as an invasive one, or it settled here owing to the accidental appearance during the introduction of other species of water organisms to Azerbaijan.