Fartet Atlántico, Aphanius baeticus
Doadrio, Carmona & Fernandez-Delgado, 2002
Synonims: None
Common and vernacular names: Salinete, Fartet atlántico.
Macho y hembra (respectivamente) de Aphanius baeticus.
Foto por José M. García Poves.
Description: Small fish with ---- body and rounded fins. cuerpo oblongo. The mouth is turned upwards and has tricuspid maxillary teeth in one single row. Relatively big scales. Sexual dimorfism very clear, the males pattern consists on blueish and silver vertical bands as well as some marks on the fins, mainly the dorsal one being almost completely black-blue and the caudal which is crossed by some wide dark vertical bands. Females on the other hand are usually greenish-brown with some longitudinal bands and a few dark spots irregularly distributed on the body, their fins don´t have any spots and are just transparent.
Meristic formula: DI-II. 8-(9); AI. (9)-10-(11); P. (8) 9-10 (11); V. (3) 4-5; C.(13) 14-16 LLS. (24) 25 (26)
Size: Very rarely over 5 cm total length, females are bigger than males of the same age.
Habitat: Almost always in quiet or slow moving water, it can endure a wide margin of temperature and salinity, from fresh water to higher than salt content. (See Bibliography: Aparicio, Oltra, Romero, Sanz...).
You can see a selection of habitat pictures in our "Imágenes / Images" section.
Geographical distribution: Athlantic basin, south west of Spain. It can be found along the Santiago River (El Palmar de Troya, Sevilla), Salado river (Lebrija, Sevilla), Doñana National Park (Huelva), salt marshes of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz), Salado de San Pedro river (Paterna de la Ribera, Cádiz), Iro river (Chiclana de la Frontera de Cádiz), Roche river (Roche, Cádiz), Salado de Conil river (Conil, Cádiz) (Doadrio et al., 2002). In recent times a new population has been found in "Campo de Gibraltar".
Behaviour: It usually swims in small groups next to the submerged vegetation in shallow water, where it is not easily seen. In mating time, adult males stablish small territories which they defend by ritual fights against other males, and they court females that swimm into their territories.
Feeding: Omnivorous fish whose regime consists in small invertebrates (linsect larvae, crustacea, etc.) and vegetables, mainly algae.
Breeding: It usually happens betwenn March and September (both included). During this period the males develop a striking courtship pattern that consists in lateral exhibitions and circular movements around the female. If she is ready they both go towards and adequate substrate, genarally aquatic plants with small leaves, filamentous algae, etc. where the eggs are laid and fertilized. The eggs are around 1 mm in diameter, they are clear in the beggining and very adherent due to some filaments, and can be laid one by one or in small groups. The total amount of eggs for a single female during the whole breeding season may reach up to a thousand, but in several different periods. Hatching occurs at about eight days post laying (at the usual temperatures at that time of the year). For the first weeks the growth rate is fast and they mature very early, the individuals born in April may be breeding in June before they are three months old.
Complementary notes: Nowadays the surviving populations are being moved towards brackish waters because of the competitive pressure of the gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki), that was introduced in Spain in the 1920s to fight against the larvae of the mosquito that transmitted malaria. On the other hand in brackish and saline water it is being outcompeted by Fundulus heteroclitus.
Interest: It is an endemic species from the Iberian Peninsula and it is in extreme danger of extinction.
Threats: As well as many other freshwater fish the main threats for its populations are caused by human activities. Specifically in the case of the "Salinete" habitat loss ( water bodies dissicated, irrigation channels covered with concrete and other physical alterations), water pollution (from industrial, urban or agricultural origin) and the introduction of competitive species such as Gambusia and Fundulus, or predators like black bass, sun fish, etc. are the most negative factors that affect them.
Protection and present status: Until there is not specific legislation for this new species, anything which was prepared for Aphanius iberus is valid for it.
