Capoeta baliki Turan, Kottelat, Ekmekçi & Imamoglu, 2006 a junior synonym of Capoeta tinca (Heckel, 1843) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Abstract

Capoeta baliki was described from Sakarya basin, Turkey. It was distinguished from its nearest congener i.e. C. tinca based on a combination of characters, including fewer serrae along posterior margin of last simple dorsal-fin ray, modally fewer scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin, fewer vertebrae, deeper and shorter head and slenderer caudal peduncle. We examined the synonymy hypothesis of C. baliki and C. tinca by comparing their morphometric, meristic and molecular characters. Based on the results, their morphometric and meristic characters largely overlapped and no character was found to distinguish them. In addition, a low K2P mean genetic divergence of 0.37% C. baliki and C. tinca based on cytb gene and clustering in same clad showed that they are identical in molecular characters. As no character could be found to clearly distinguish these species, we treat C. baliki as a junior synonym of C. tinca.