40. Aphaniops dispar (Rüppell, 1829) ―Red Sea Killifish― Native

Taxonomy. Original description: Lebias dispar Rüppell, 1829:66, Pl. 18 (figs. 1-2) [ Red Sea. Lectotype: SMF 821 ]. Synonyms: Cyprinodon zaccarinii var. airebejensis Gianferrari, 1933; Cyprinodon cilensis Gianferrari, 1930; Cyprinodon lunatus Valenciennes 1846; Cyprinodon darrorensis Gianferrari, 1933; Cyprinodon zaccarinii Gianferrari, 1933 .

Status in the Arabian Peninsula. Recorded from Saudi Arabia and Yemen by Freyhof et al. (2020).

General distribution. Middle East: Shores of Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and easternmost Mediterranean Sea basin; Socotra (northwestern Indian Ocean). Habitat: freshwater, brackish.

Distribution in the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia and Yemen: It is widely distributed in the coastal area of Red Sea south to Gulf of Aden.

Economic importance. No commercial importance. It has potential to be used as aquarium fish.

Conservation. Least Concern (LC).

Remarks. Esmaeili et al. (2020) recognized Aphaniops as a distinct valid genus name for Aphanius dispar complex group.