# Sarmarutilus > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sarmarutilus > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sarmarutilus.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmarutilus > Source revision: 1355343985 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Monotypic genus of fish}} {{Speciesbox | image =Sarmarutilus rubilio.jpg | status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Ford, M. |year=2024 |title=''Sarmarutilus rubilio'' |volume=2024 |article-number=e.T19786A137285791 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T19786A137285791.en |access-date=28 January 2025}} | taxon = Sarmarutilus rubilio | parent_authority = [Bianco](/source/Pier_Giorgio_Bianco) & [Ketmaier](/source/Valerio_Ketmaier), 2014 | display_parents = 3 | authority = ([Bonaparte](/source/Charles_Lucien_Bonaparte), 1837) | synonyms = {{Specieslist | Leuciscus rubilio | Bonaparte, 1837 | Rutilus rubilio | (Bonaparte, 1837) | Leuciscus rubella | Bonaparte, 1837 | Leuciscus trasimenicus | Bonaparte, 1837 | Leuciscus fucini |Bonaparte, 1838 | Leuciscus lascha | [Costa](/source/Oronzio_Gabriele_Costa), 1838 | Leuciscus sardella | [Valenciennes](/source/Achille_Valenciennes), 1844 | Leucos henlei | Bonaparte, 1846 | Rutilus italicus | [Calderoni](/source/Pietro_Calderoni), 1981 }} | synonyms_ref = {{Cof genus|genus=Sarmarutilus|access-date=18 April 2025}} }} '''''Sarmarutilus''''' is a [monospecific genus](/source/monospecific_genus) of [freshwater](/source/freshwater) [ray-finned fish](/source/Actinopterygii) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Leuciscidae](/source/Leuciscidae), which includes the daces, Eurasian minnows and related fishes. The only species in this genus is '''''Sarmarutilus rubilio''''', known as the '''rovella''', '''South European roach''' or the '''Apennine roach''', a species [endemic](/source/Endemism) to the [Italian peninsula](/source/Italian_peninsula). ==Taxonomy== ''Sarmarutilus'' was first proposed as a genus in 2014 by [Pier Giorgio Bianco](/source/Pier_Giorgio_Bianco) and [Valerio Ketmaier](/source/Valerio_Ketmaier) with '' Leuciscus rubilio'' being its [type species](/source/type_species) by monotypy.{{Cof family|family=Leuciscinae|access-date=18 April 2025}} ''L. rubilio'' was first formally [described](/source/Species_description) in 1837 by the French [art collector](/source/art_collector) and [biologist](/source/biologist) [Charles Lucien Bonaparte](/source/Charles_Lucien_Bonaparte) with its [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given as [Lake Nemi](/source/Lake_Nemi). ''L. rubilio'' was subsequently classified in the genus ''[Rutilus](/source/Rutilus)'' but was which was reclassified in 2014 into the new monotypic ''Sarmarutilus''. This lineage is thought to have originated in the [Sarmatic Sea](/source/Lago_Mare) in the Middle [Miocene](/source/Miocene) and reached the Mediterranean area during the [Lago Mare](/source/Lago_Mare) phase, and then survived only in the Tuscany-Latium district.{{cite journal |author=Bianco, P.G.|author2= Ketmaier, V. |year=2014|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/z03841p402f.pdf |title=A revision of the ''Rutilus'' complex from Mediterranean Europe with description of a new genus, ''Sarmarutilus'', and a new species, ''Rutilus stoumboudae'' (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)|journal=Zootaxa |volume=3841 |issue=3|pages= 379–402|doi= 10.11646/zootaxa.3841.3.4 |pmid= 25082046 }} The sister group of ''Sarmarutilus'' is the genus ''[Leucos](/source/Leucos)'' of five roach species. Unlike ''Rutilus'' and ''Leucos'', ''Sarmarutilus'' is a riverine fish of running waters. It differs from ''Leucos'' by having large [pearl organ](/source/pearl_organ)s on the central part of head and body scales of males. From ''Rutilus'' it differs in the [pharyngeal teeth](/source/pharyngeal_teeth) formula and by its small size. ==Etymology== ''Sarmarutilus'' puts ''sarma'', from the ''Sarma Sea'' in front of the name of the roach genus ''Rutilus'', the Sarma Sea was a Miocene European freshwater waterbody where this species has its evolutionary origins. The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), ''rubilio'', thought to be a diminutive of ''rubella'', a reference to the similarity of the head shape and head proportion to that of ''Leuciscus rubella'',{{cite web |url=https://etyfish.org/leuciscinae/ |title=Family LEUCISCIDAE: Subfamily LEUCISCINAE Bonaparte 1835 (European Minnows)|author=Christopher Scharpf |date=8 April 2024 |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database |publisher=Christopher Scharpf}} now considered a [synonym](/source/Synonym_(taxonomy)) of ''L. rubilio''. ==Description== ''Samarutilus'' differs from the related genera ''Rutilus'' and ''[Leucos](/source/Leucos)'' in the following characteristics: the pharyngeal teeth number 5 on each side; breeding males have [nuptial tubercles](/source/nuptial_tubercles) at the centre of each scale on the head and body; the lateral stripe is obscured by a crescent-shaped area of dense pigmentation created by obvious triangular spots on each scale crescent. This species has a maximum [standard length](/source/standard_length) of {{cvt|18|cm}}.{{FishBase|Samarutilus|rubilio|month=February|year=2025}} ==Distribution and habitat== ''Samarutilus'' is endemic to Italy where it is found from the [Magra River](/source/Magra) south to the [Sele River](/source/Sele_(river)) on the drainage basins of the [Ligurian Sea](/source/Ligurian_Sea) and [Tyrrhenian Sea](/source/Tyrrhenian_Sea), and from the [Tronto River](/source/Tronto) to the [Trigno River](/source/Trigno_River) in the Adriatic drainage basin. The precise extent of its native range is unknown as it has been widely introduced to rivers to the south of its known native range, as far as [Sicily](/source/Sicily). The rovella is considered to be a habitat generalist but tends to be absent in the deeper slower flowing reaches of rivers, preferring upper reaches with clear water, rocky to stony substrates and aquatic vegetation, in some areas it will enter drainage channels, lakes and reservoirs. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Rutilus rubilio}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q28797925|from2=Q1191082}} {{Authority control}} Category:Monotypic fish genera Category:Fish described in 1837 Category:Endemic fauna of Italy Category:Leuciscinae Category:Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte Category:Habitats Directive species --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sarmarutilus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmarutilus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmarutilus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.