Genus
Aphaniops
- Species
- 2
- Photographed
- 2 of 2
- Difficulty rated
- 2 of 2
Where the name comes fromEdit
named for the related genus Aphanius, within which members were formerly placed, in combination with the taxonomic suffix -ops, meaning 'resembling'.
Aphaniops disparArabian Toothcarp
(Rüppell, 1829)
The Arabian toothcarp, Aphaniops dispar, is found around the coasts of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Inland populations also exist, and it tolerates anything from pure freshwater to hypersaline conditions. A 2003 phylogenetic study found it paraphyletic, and several populations once included in it have since been described as separate species, so forms are labelled by locality, such as 'Lake Assal'.
Aphaniops sirhaniAzraq Toothcarp
Villwock, Scholl & Krupp, 1983
The Azraq toothcarp, Aphaniops sirhani, is endemic to what remains of Azraq Oasis in the Wadi Sirhan valley of the Syrian Desert, Jordan. From the 1960s the aquifers feeding the oasis were pumped to supply Amman, and the IUCN considers it critically endangered. Vigorous spawning behaviour makes it a poor choice for the community aquarium, and the emphasis is on captive reproduction.