Sarmarutilus rubilio

Samarutilus differs from the related genera Rutilus and Leucos in the following characteristics: the pharyngeal teeth number 5 on each side; breeding males have 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 of 18 cm (7.1 in).

Samarutilus is endemic to Italy where it is found from the Magra River south to the Sele River on the drainage basins of the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, and from the Tronto River to the 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. 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.

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, 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, now considered a synonym of L. rubilio.