Nemacheilus petrubanarescui

Banarescu's Bystranka, <em>Alburnoides petrubanarescui</em>, is a small freshwater fish in the family Leuciscidae, a large and widely distributed cypriniform family encompassing daces, chubs, roaches, and many related minnow-like fishes across the Palearctic and Nearctic realms. The species belongs to the genus <em>Alburnoides</em>, a group of slender, silvery, laterally compressed fishes endemic to freshwater drainages of the Middle East, the Caucasus region, and Central Asia. <em>Alburnoides petrubanarescui</em> reaches a maximum recorded length of approximately 10.5 centimetres. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature. The species epithet honours Petru Bănărescu, the eminent Romanian ichthyologist and one of the foremost authorities on the freshwater fishes of Europe and western Asia, who contributed substantially to the systematic understanding of Leuciscidae and allied families. Like its congeners, the species is presumed to occupy clear, flowing freshwater environments, foraging on invertebrates and fine organic matter. Its ecology and population biology are poorly documented. The IUCN Red List lists this species as Not Evaluated. Continued systematic investigation of the genus is warranted.