FISH OF THE CARP FAMILY (CYPRINIDAE) IN THE WATER BODIES OF UKRAINE - V. V. Zamorov - 2015

GENUS NASSE - CHONDROSTOMA AGASSIZ

Body moderately elongated. The origins of the dorsal and pelvic fins lie on the same vertical line, D III (7) 8-10, A II - III (7) 8-12, both lacking spiny rays. Scales firmly fixed, medium-sized. The lateral line along the middle is slightly curved downward (47-90 scales). Belly without a keel. Snout elongated, cartilaginous at the tip. Mouth inferior, transverse, straight or slightly arcuate. Upper lip thin, continuous, lower lip entirely underdeveloped. The posterior end of the maxillary bone does not reach the vertical of the anterior margin of the eye. The lower jaw has a sharpened edge, usually covered with a horny sheath, articulating with the Skull beneath the middle or posterior third of the eye. The posterior Branches of the lower jaw have five to six pores underneath. The interbranchial space is narrow. Gill rakers short, rather densely spaced. Pharyngeal Teeth uniserial, knife-like, 6-6, 7-6, 6-7, 7-7, 6-5, 5-5. Peritoneum black. The digestive tract is two to three times longer than the body length.

Distributed in Europe (excluding Great Britain, Scandinavia, Finland, and the Arctic Ocean basin), the basins of the Black and Caspian Seas, the Orontes, Tigris, and Euphrates rivers. There are 34 known species, with two found in Ukraine. Chondrostoma nasus ranges eastward up to and including the Dnieper River, while Chondrostoma variabile is distributed from the Don to the Ural rivers.