Review on the Caspian Shemaya, Alburnus chalcoides (Güldenstädt, 1772)

Alburnus chalcoides, Caspian Shemaya, is found in the river systems of the Aral, Black and Caspian sea basins and is an economically valuable cyprinid from the southern Caspian Sea. This species has been reported as near threatened species in this basin due to damming, over and illegal fishing, destruction of its spawning grounds and water pollution. The Caspian Shemaya is an important species ecologically and economically, but information about its biology and ecology is widely scattered. Hence, in this review, its taxonomy, general characteristics and morphology, distribution, habitat and ecology, age and growth, reproduction, conservation status and threats in the southern Caspian Sea is summarized, and a bibliography on this fish is provided.