Alburnus thessalicus

The Thessalian bleak, <em>Alburnus thessalicus</em>, is a small freshwater fish in the family Leuciscidae, endemic to the Thessaly region of central Greece. Thessaly is a broad inland plain drained by the Pinios River and associated lake and wetland systems, which historically supported a distinctive freshwater fish fauna. <em>Alburnus thessalicus</em> is a slender, silvery fish with a laterally compressed body and a slightly upturned mouth, adapted for surface feeding on insects and small invertebrates. Specimens can reach a maximum recorded length of approximately 15.5 cm and a maximum recorded weight of approximately 0.03 kg. This species likely inhabits the rivers, streams, and associated still waters of the Thessalian basin, occupying open-water zones where it schools and feeds near the surface. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature beyond its known Thessalian distribution. Its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. The Pinios River basin has experienced significant hydrological modification for agricultural irrigation and flood control, which may pose threats to endemic freshwater fish species within the system.