Anabarilius maculatus

The Spotted Bystranka, <em>Alburnoides maculatus</em>, is a small freshwater fish in the family Leuciscidae, one of the most species-rich cypriniform families in the Northern Hemisphere, comprising daces, chubs, roaches, and numerous allied taxa. The species belongs to the genus <em>Alburnoides</em>, a cluster of slender, silvery, laterally compressed fishes native to river systems across the Middle East, Caucasus, and parts of Central Asia. <em>Alburnoides maculatus</em> reaches a maximum recorded length of approximately 9.9 centimetres. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature. The common name Spotted Bystranka alludes to the patterning that distinguishes this taxon from the plain-flanked congeners within the genus. As a small leuciscid, it likely inhabits clear, shallow, fast-flowing freshwater streams and rivers, where it forages for aquatic invertebrates, algae, and organic detritus. Its life history parameters, including age at maturity and reproductive output, have not been extensively described in the literature. The IUCN Red List has not formally assessed the conservation status of this species, which remains listed as Not Evaluated. Systematic revisions of the genus are ongoing.