Alburnus neretvae

The Neretva bleak, <em>Alburnus neretvae</em>, is a small freshwater fish in the family Leuciscidae, endemic to the Neretva River basin in the western Balkans. The Neretva is a major karst river flowing through Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia before emptying into the Adriatic Sea, and it supports a highly distinctive and threatened freshwater fish fauna. <em>Alburnus neretvae</em> is a slender, silvery fish with a laterally compressed body, a slightly upturned mouth, and a forked tail typical of the bleak group. It likely inhabits the flowing and still waters of the Neretva system, including rivers, canals, and the lower lake regions, feeding on surface insects and small invertebrates. Specimens can reach a maximum recorded length of approximately 14.5 cm. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature beyond its known association with the Neretva drainage. Its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. The Neretva basin faces significant environmental pressures from hydropower development, water diversion, and agricultural runoff, which pose ongoing threats to its endemic fish species.