Alburnus sava

The Sava bleak, <em>Alburnus sava</em>, is a small freshwater fish in the family Leuciscidae, named after the Sava River, a major tributary of the Danube flowing through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. The Sava basin hosts a diverse freshwater ichthyofauna, and this species is one of several bleaks associated with the rivers of the western Balkans. <em>Alburnus sava</em> is a slender, laterally compressed fish with a silvery body and a small upturned mouth, characteristic of the genus. It likely inhabits the moderately flowing reaches of the Sava system and associated tributaries, where it forms schools and feeds near the water surface on insects and small invertebrates. Specimens can reach a maximum recorded length of approximately 15.0 cm. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature beyond its general association with the Sava drainage. Its conservation status has not been formally assessed by the IUCN. Continued study of this species' ecology, genetics, and distribution within the Sava basin would help clarify its status and any conservation concerns.