Alburnus danubicus

The Danube bleak, <em>Alburnus danubicus</em>, is a small freshwater fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae. As its name suggests, this species is associated with the Danube River system, one of the longest and most biodiverse river systems in Europe. It likely inhabits the main channel and tributaries of the Danube basin, favoring slower-flowing to moderately fast reaches with open water where schools can feed near the surface. <em>Alburnus danubicus</em> is a slender, silvery fish with a laterally compressed body and a slightly upturned mouth adapted for capturing surface insects and small invertebrates. Specimens can reach a maximum recorded length of approximately 20.0 cm. Like other bleaks, it is thought to play an ecological role as prey for larger piscivorous fish and as a consumer of aquatic invertebrates and surface-drifting organisms. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature beyond its general association with the Danube drainage. Its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. Population trends and the impact of environmental changes on this species in the Danube system are not well documented.