Pelecus

Pelecus is a monospecific genus of freshwater and brackish water ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, which includes the daces, Eurasian minnows and related species. The only species in the genus is Pelecus cultratus, commonly known as the ziege, sichel, sabre carp or sabrefish, A fish found in Eastern Europe and adjacent Asian regions, inhabiting the lower reaches of rivers and brackish waters in the eastern Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea and Aral Sea basins. The ziege having no major threats, the IUCN lists it as being of Least Concern.

==Description== The ziege resembles a large Baltic herring in appearance. It grows to about in length. It has a keel on its belly which from the side looks curved while the back is almost straight. It has an upturned snout and the tip of the lower jaw also slopes steeply upwards. The lateral line is wavy and very low down the flank. The pectoral fin is long and pointed. This is a pale, silvery fish with almost colourless fins.