In a phylogeographic study, Levin et al. (2017) argue that the Ponto-Caspian taxa including R. caspicus, R. heckelii and R. stoumboudae could represent a single widespread species whose range extends to Siberia, to be named Rutilus lacustris, whereas R. kutum is included in R. frisii.
[4]
The genera Leucos and Sarmarutilus have been recently separated from Rutilus and are closely related to it.[5]
Etymology
Rutilus was chosen as the genus name by tautonymy with Cyprinus rutilus; rutilus means red, golden red or reddish yellow, and is an allusion to the red colour of the fins.[6]
Rutilus, according to Rafinesque, was characterised by "Vent posterior nearer to the tail. Abdominal fins with nine rays. Mouth large and with lips. Scales large."[7] The smallest species in the genus is R. atropatenus with a maximum total length of 9.5 cm (3.7 in),[8] while the largest are R. frisii and R. meidingeri with a maximum total length of 70 cm (28 in).[9]
Distribution
Rutilus is a widely distributed genus of leuciscids and fishes from this genus are found from Western Europe to Eastern Siberia.[10]
^Rafinesque, C. S. (1820). "Fishes of the Ohio River". Western Review and Miscellaneous Magazine: a monthly publ., devoted to literature and science. 2 (4). Lexington, KY: 235–242.
^B. A. Levin; E. P. Simonov; O. A. Ermakov; et al. (2016). "Phylogeny and phylogeography of the roaches, genus Rutilus (Cyprinidae), at the Eastern part of its range as inferred from mtDNA analysis". Hydrobiologia. 788 (1): 33–46. doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2984-3.
