Species Accounts - Balitoridae
paracobitis, barbatula, schistura, triplophysa genus descriptions
Materials to ID and add to Sources
Nemacheilus sp.
CMNFI 1970-0521, 1, ?, mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River near Lulaman (no other locality data) ?bergiana; CMNFI 1970-0545, ?, ? mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River from Emamzadeh Hashem to Lulaman (ca. 37º01'N, ca. 49º38'E) ?bergiana; CMNFI 1970-0558, 4, ?mm standard length, Ghasemlou Chay ()?brandtii; CMNFI 1970-0559, 3, ?, mm standard length, Azarbaijan-e Bakhtari, Barunduz Chay (ca. 37º25'N, ca. 45º10'E); CMNFI 1970-0560, 3, ?, mm standard length, Azarbaijan-e Bakhtari, Mamiyand Chay near Mamiyand (ca. 36º59'N, ca. 45º39'E); CMNFI 1979-0026, 8, ? mm standard length, Fars, Shapur River at Shapur (29º47'N, 51º35'E); CMNFI 1979-0027, 9, 31.0-41.3 mm standard length, Fars, Chehel Chashmeh (ca. 29º43'N, ca. 52º04'E); CMNFI 1979-0028, 5, 48.3-55.6 mm standard length, Fars, ?; CMNFI 1979-0059, 28, 32.8-57.0 mm standard length, Fars, Pulvar River 8 km south of Sivand (30º01'30"N, 52º57'E)?distinct taxonand se other fars fish; CMNFI 1979-0061, 3, 50.2-63.7 mm standard length, Fars, stream tributary to Pulvar River (30º04'N, 53º01'E); CMNFI 1979-0067, 1, 55.8 mm standard length, Fars, qanat at Zarqan (ca. 29º46'N, ca. 52º43'E); CMNFI 1979-0070, 2, 38.8-39.9 mm standard length, Fars, Pulvar River at Naqsh-e Rostam (29º59'N, 52º54'E); CMNFI 1979-0073, 10, 31.1-56.1 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River (ca. 29º42'30"N, ca. 52º01'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0111, 5, 43.2-52.7 mm standard length, Fars, stream on Shiraz to Bushehr road (29º37'30"N, 52º21'E); CMNFI 1979-0117, 2, 42.1-50.6 mm standard length, Fars, Pulvar River on road to Naqsh-e Rostam (29º59'N, 52º54'E); CMNFI 1979-0155, 2, 30.7-30.9 mm standard length, Fars, spring at Gavanoo (28º47'N, 54º22'E); CMNFI 1979-0157, 3, 34.8-37.7 mm standard length, Fars, qanat at Hadiabad (28º52'N, 54º13'E); CMNFI 1979-0167, 41, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat at Bam (29º06'N, 58º20'E); CMNFI 1979-0168, 1, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat at Shahabad (29º07'N, 58º16'E); CMNFI 1979-0169, 11, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat 10 km from Mahan (30º08'30"N, 57º17'E); CMNFI 1979-0170, 1, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat at Baghin (30º12'N, 56º48'E); CMNFI 1979-0172, 18, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat on Kerman to Bandar Abbas road (29º51'N, 56º14'E); CMNFI 1979-0186, 2, ? mm standard length, Hormozgan, stream at Sar Khun (ca. 27º24'30"N, ca. 56º25'E); CMNFI 1979-0192, 7, ? mm standard length, Fars, qanat 2 km east of Rostaq (28º26'30"N, 55º04'E); CMNFI 1979-0193, 1, ? mm standard length, Fars, river 8 km from Darab (28º45'N, 54º27'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0194, 2, ? mm standard length, Fars, jube 15 km from Darab (28º45'30"N, 54º24'E); CMNFI 1979-0206, 3, ? mm standard length, Fars, qanat 1 km from Runiz-e Pa'in (29º12'N, 53º40'E); CMNFI 1979-0208, 15, ? mm standard length, Fars, qanat on road to Qatru (ca. 29º11'N, ca. 54º40'E); CMNFI 1979-0213, 7, ? mm standard length, Kerman, stream in Kharan River drainage (29º15'N, 56º25'E); CMNFI 1979-0219, 13, ? mm standard length, Kerman, jube 14 km west of Jiroft (28º37'N, 57º41'E); CMNFI 1979-0253, 7, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Qareh Chay west of Baqerabad (34º52'N, 50º49'E); CMNFI 1979-0276, 13, ? mm standard length, Lorestan, Chamesk River (ca. 33º19'N, ca. 47º53'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0284, 3, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Marek River at Mahidasht (34º16'N, 46º48'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0288, 1, ? mm standard length, Ilam and Poshtkuh, Gangir River at Juy-e Zar Eivan (33º50'N, 46º18'E); CMNFI 1979-0292, 8, 29.0-45.6 mm standard length, Fars, Lapu'i spring (29º48'N, 52º39'E) ?distinct taxon; CMNFI 1979-0306, 11, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat 33 km from Sirjan (29º13'N, 54º33'E); CMNFI 1979-0307, 4, 31.0-42.3 mm standard length, Kerman, river at Sartal (ca. 29º17'N, ca. 56º38'E)? distinct species; CMNFI 1979-0316, 1, ? mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream on road to Chah Bahar (26º48'N, 61º02'E); CMNFI 1979-0341, 10, ? mm standard length, Kerman, Tahrud west of Bam (29º23'N, 57º52'E); CMNFI 1979-0365, 6, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Doveyrich drainage (32º25"N, 47º36'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0366, 1, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream 17 km west of Dehloran (32º45'30"N, 47º05'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0367, 1, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, Meymeh River 11 km north of Dehloran (32º44'30"N, 47º09'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0371, 2, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Karkheh River drainage (32º05'N, 48º19'E); CMNFI 1979-0374, 2, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream tributary to Bala River (32º40'N, 48º15'E); CMNFI 1979-0389, 1, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, Zard River 1 km south of Bagh-e Malek (31º31'N, 49º53'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0390B, 2, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream 3km south of Bagh-e Malek (31º29'N, 49º54'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0395, 1, ? mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Marun River drainage (ca. 30º57'N, ca. 49º51'E); CMNFI 1979-0399, 1, ? mm standard length, Fars, stream near Basht (30º19'30"N, 51º15'E); CMNFI 1979-0411, 3, 21.9-25.9 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Minab River near Rudan (27º24'N, 57º12'E)?cf bampurensis; CMNFI 1979-0419, 19, ? mm standard length, Fars, stream 7 km from Rostaq (28º29'N, 55º01'E); CMNFI 1979-0423, 6, ? mm standard length, Boyer Ahmadi-ye Sardsir va Kohkiluyeh-Fars border, river in Beshar River drainage (30º31'N, 51º31'E); CMNFI 1979-0447, 2, 51.2-59.8 mm standard length, Gilan, stream 7 km east of Namin (38º23'N, 48º28'E); CMNFI 1979-0448, 9, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Ahar Chay 8 km from Ardebil (38º18'30N, 48º22'E); CMNFI 1979-0450, 3, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, stream near Kivi (ca. 37º37'N, ca. 48º17'E); CMNFI 1979-0452, 2, 42.1-42.8 mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Qezel Owzan River 6 km from Mianeh (37º23'N, 47º45'E); CMNFI 1979-0453, ?, ? mm standard length, Zanjan, Zanjan River (37º06'N, 47º56'E); CMNFI 1979-0458, 1, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Khar River 6 km north of Ab-Garm (35º47'N, 49º20'E); CMNFI 1979-0459, 4, ? mm standard length, Hamadan, stream 2 km south of Kazan (35º22'N, 49º02'E); CMNFI 1979-0462, 4, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Mazdaqan River (35º06'30"N, 49º40'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0463, 1, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Qareh Chay (34º53'N, 50º26'E); CMNFI 1979-0465, 1, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Qom River at Neizar (34º18'30"N, 50º32'E); CMNFI 1991-0155, 1, ? mm standard length, Hamadan, Gav Masiab River (34º12'N, 48º20'E); CMNFI 1991-0156, 1, ? mm standard length, Hamadan, Gav Masiab River (34º16'N, 48º10'E); CMNFI 1993-0125, 1, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Sarab-e Nilufar (34º24'N, 46º52'E); CMNFI 1993-0128, 1, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Sarab-e Sabz 'Ali Khan (34º25'N, 46º32'E); CMNFI 2007-0037, 5, ? mm standard length, Kerman, Hosseinabad and Gamatabad qanats at Bam (29º06'N, 58º21'E); CMNFI 2007-0038, 1, ? mm standard length, Kerman, Mehtiabad qanat at Bam (29º06'N, 58º21'E); CMNFI 2007-0039, 6, ? mm standard length, Kerman, Tahrud River (ca. 29º23'N, ca. 57º63'E); CMNFI 2007-0043, 9, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat at Emamzadeh Sultan (ca. 29º40'N, ca. 56º45'E); CMNFI 2007-0047, 2, ? mm standard length, Kerman, qanat at Hoshum (29º14'N, 56º19'E); CMNFI 2007-0051, 5, ? mm standard length, Hormozgan, upper Kol River basin (28º19'N, 55º55'E); CMNFI 2007-0055, 3, ? mm standard length, Hormozgan, stream in Minab River basin (27º47'N, 57º12'E); CMNFI 2007-0074, 10, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Qareh Su 32 km west of Arak (34º03'N, 49º21'E); CMNFI 2007-0075, 6, ? mm standard length, Hamadan, Malayer River 5 km from Malayer (ca. 34º17'N, ca. 48º47'E); CMNFI 2007-0081, 10, ? mm standard length, Zanjan, Zanjan River basin near Soltaniyeh (ca. 36º27'N, ca. 48º45'E); CMNFI 2007-0082, 7, ? mm standard length, Zanjan, Zanjan River basin near Zanjan (ca. 36º36'N, ca. 48º32'E); CMNFI 2007-0083, 2, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Qaranqu River basin west of Sar Eskand Khan (ca. 37º25'N, ca. 46º55'E); CMNFI 2007-0084, 2, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Talkheh River basin west of Sarab (ca. 37º56'N, ca. 47º19'E); CMNFI 2007-0085, 12, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Talkheh River basin east of Sarab (ca. 37º56'N, ca. 47º41'E); CMNFI 2007-0086, 3, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Qareh Su basin near Nir (ca. 38º02'N, ca. 48º00'E); CMNFI 2007-0089, 7, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Ahar Chay at Ahar (38º28'N, 47º03'E); CMNFI 2007-0091, 13, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Zilber Chay west of Marand (38º30'N, 45º23'E); CMNFI 2007-0093, 8, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari, Qotur River south of Khvoy (38º30'N, 44º58'E); CMNFI 2007-0095, 2, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari, Shahr Chay southwest of Reza'iyeh (ca. 37º27'N, ca. 44º56'E); CMNFI 2007-0096, 6, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari, Qasemul River south of Reza'iyeh (ca. 37º25'N, ca. 45º10'E); CMNFI 2007-0097, 4, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari, Baranduz Chay basin south of Reza'iyeh (ca. 37º16'N, ca. 45º08'E); CMNFI 2007-0099, 9, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari, Kalwi Chay west of Mahabad (ca. 36º35'N, ca. 45º25'E); CMNFI 2007-0100, 4, ? mm standard length, Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari, Kalwi Chay near Piranshahr (ca. 36º44'N, ca. 45º10'E); CMNFI 2007-0103, 3, ? mm standard length, Kordestan, Zarineh River basin north of Saqqez (36º18'N, ca. 46º16'E); CMNFI 2007-0105, 13, ? mm standard length, Kordestan, Zarineh River basin south of Saqqez (ca. 36º06'N, ca. 46º20'E); CMNFI 2007-0106, 17, ? mm standard length, Kordestan, Qezel Owzan River basin near Divandarreh (ca. 35º52'N, ca. 47º05'E); CMNFI 2007-0107, 8, ? mm standard length, Kordestan, Qezel Owzan River basin near Bijar (ca. 35º54'N, ca. 47º20'E); CMNFI 2007-0115, 1, mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Qareh Su basin (ca. 34º34'N, ca. 46º47'E); CMNFI 2007-0116, 2, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Gav Masiab River basin west of Sahneh (ca. 34º28;'N, ca. 47º36'E); CMNFI 2007-0118, 17, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Bid Sorkh River between Sahneh and Kangavar (ca. 34º23'N, ca. 47º52'E); CMNFI 2007-0119, 8, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Gav Masiab River basin near Kangavar (ca. 34º31'N, ca. 48º03'E); CMNFI 2007-0121, 6, ? mm standard length, Hamadan, Qareh Su basin north of Razan (ca. 35º25'N, ca. 49º02'E); BWC95-17, BWC95-20, BWC97-5, BWC2000-1, BWC2000-2, BWC2000-4, BWC2000-8, BWC2000-11, BWC2000-16, BM(NH) 1899.9.30:138-140, 4, 41.8-53.4 mm standard length, ?, Ula on the Zola Chai BM(NH) 1899.9.30:131-137, 7 (4 examined), 33.3-35.8 mm standard length, ?, Elinja Chai
The hillstream, mountain or river loach family has had various family names - see Menon (1987), Mirza (1989b), Hieronimus (1990; 1991), Ng and Lim (1991), Kottelat (1988, 1991), Nelson (1991), Thorne (1992), Anonymous (1993a) and Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) for discussions. The Iranian species were classified in Cobitidae in older works and more recently in Homalopteridae. Mirza (1989b), Nalbant (1998), Tang et al. (2006) and Šlechtová et al. (2007) consider that the correct name for this family is Noemacheilidae (in Mirza) or Nemacheilidae, but this is not widely used in the literature as yet. Nemacheilids are aligned with the main stem of cobitoid fishes rather than homalopterids as proposed by Sawada (1982) on osteological grounds. Nalbant (1998) considers the similarities observed by Sawada between nemacheilids and homalopterids to be homoplasies. Homalopterids are more closely related to cyprinids and psilorhynchids.
The family is found throughout Eurasia with a single species in northeast Africa. There are about 60 genera and about 590 species (Berra, 2001; Nelson, 2006), with more being described regularly. Iranian species belong to the subfamily Nemacheilinae.
Most species in Iran were placed in the genus Nemacheilus Bleeker, 1863 but this name contains only species from Southeast Asia (Kottelat, 1997). Noemacheilus Kuhl and van Hasselt in van Hasselt, 1823 is a nomen nudum since there are no taxonomic characters accompanying the original description. The next available name is Nemacheilus Bleeker, 1863 (see Kottelat, 1987). Nemachilus Günther, 1868 is an incorrect spelling. Much of the earlier literature on Iranian members can be found under the name Nemacheilus or its variant spellings.
These loaches have been placed in several genera or subgenera including the following relevant to Iran: Orthrias Jordan and Fowler, 1903 (see Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978); Orthrias = Barbatula Linck, 1790 of authors, see Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) for reasons advocating the later name over the earlier one; Kottelat (1997) gives Linck as 1789), Adiposia Annandale and Hora, 1920 (see Annandale and Hora (1920); see also Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) where it is synonymised with Paracobitis), Triplophysa Rendahl, 1933 and Hedinichthys Rendahl, 1933 (see Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967); see also Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) where the latter is synonymised with the former), Oxynoemacheilus Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967 (see Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967; synonymised with Orthrias in Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) and with Barbatula in Bogutskaya and Naseka (2004)), Paracobitis Bleeker, 1863 (see Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967), Schistura McClelland, 1839 (see Mirza, Nalbant and Banarescu, 1981; regarded as polyphyletic by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995)), and Seminemacheilus Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1995 (q.v.). Views on the generic validity of these names conflict between authors and between the same author at different dates (see Krupp, 1985c; Eschmeyer, 1990; Eschmeyer et al., 1996; Eschmeyer's "Catalog of Fishes"). Kottelat (1984) retained Nemacheilus until a revision of all species was complete but there has been a tendency to use the above genera and this is followed here. The table below summarises some of these allocations:-
| Species | Original genus^ | Other generic allocations^ | Current genus |
| angorae | Nemacheilus | Orthrias | Barbatula |
| bampurensis | Nemacheilus | - | Schistura |
| bergianus* | Nemachilus | Orthrias | Barbatula |
| brandtii | Nemachilus | Orthrias | Barbatula |
| cristatus* | Nemacheilus | Paracobitis | Schistura |
| frenata* | Cobitis | Nemacheilus, Orthrias | Barbatula |
| iranica* | Paracobitis | - | Paracobitis |
| kermanshahensis | Noemacheilus | Orthrias | Barbatula |
| kessleri | Nemachilus | - | Schistura |
| longicauda* | Cobitis | Nemacheilus, Adiposia | Paracobitis |
| longipinnis | Ilamnemacheilus | - | Ilamnemacheilus |
| malapterura* | Cobitis | Nemacheilus | Paracobitis |
| nielseni | Schistura | - | Schistura |
| persa* | Cobitis | Nemacheilus, Oxynoemacheilus, Orthrias | Barbatula |
| rhadineus* | Nemachilus | Adiposia | Paracobitis |
| sargadensis | Nemacheilus | - | Schistura |
| smithi | Noemacheilus | - | Paracobitis |
| stoliczkai | Cobitis | Nemacheilus | Triplophysa |
| tongiorgii | Seminemacheilus | - | Seminemacheilus |
| vignai | Paracobitis | - | Paracobitis |
* original suffix which may change if genus changes to masculine or to feminine; ^ Nemacheilus sometimes spelled Noemacheilus or Nemachilus by various authors
A number of balitorid species have been described from waters confluent with Iran, particularly from the Helmand River basin in Afghanistan. They have no Iranian records but are listed here as they may be relevant to revisionary studies.
Members of this family in Iran are characterised by an elongate and weakly compressed and almost cylindrical body, head not compressed but rounded, scaleless or body covered in minute scales (too small for scale counts to be commonly or easily made), lateral line complete or incomplete, a small and inferior mouth, lips thick, fleshy and papillose, lower lip interrupted in the middle, 2 pairs of barbels on the snout and 1 pair at the mouth corners (8 pairs in some non-Iranian species), no collapsible spine under the eye (sometimes present in non-Iranian species but distinguishes members of the related Cobitidae in Iran), eyes small to minute, usually not visible from the underside of the head, reduced gill opening, short to moderate dorsal fin without spines, short anal fins, vent a short distance in front of anal fin origin, swimbladder enclosed partially or entirely in a bony capsule, certain osteological characters such as the shape of bones in the Weberian apparatus used in sound transmission from the swimbladder to the ear, gut short or long, a dermal crest or adipose fin may be present, caudal fin truncate, rounded or slightly forked, and often distinctive colour patterns of bars, stripes and blotches. Iranian species may lack scales, may have an adipose fin, and have a single unbranched ray leading the pectoral and pelvic fins.
Krupp (1985c) reviews prior works by P. M. Bănărescu and co-authors on Levantine balitorids and regards them as unsatisfactory. This calls into question works on Iranian species by this author. Krupp (1985c) lists characters important in studying Nemacheilus sensu lato and those which are individually variable or develop independently, much in contrast to characters favoured by Bănărescu. Morphometric characters can vary with nutritional status and ecological factors. Stable characters were head length, interorbital width, caudal peduncle length and depth, and predorsal length. Fin lengths are dependent on sex in some species, less so in others. Allometry is a problem in fin positions and measurements involving such characters can only be used when comparing fish of equal size. Mouth width and digestive tract shape are good characters but lip shape and development of the processus dentiformis are not. The swimbladder capsule form, including the presence or absence of a continuous collar between the two hemispheres and the shape of laminae, is an important character. Reduced laminae and wide recesses on the hemispheres are derived characters. The dorsal adipose fin development is stable in some species, variable in others, and is independently derived in different phyletic lines, thus being of limited value. The shortening and deepening of the caudal peduncle is derived in one Levantine species. Scale characters such as size and position of the focus and general scale structure are very variable and not characters easily quantified. Only specimens of the same size are comparable and numerous scales must be examined because aberrant ones are common. The lateral line length is a good character, although juvenile fish may have a shortened one. A reduced lateral line is a derived character. Colour patterns are subject to variation and both spotted and striped forms can be found within one species. Nevertheless, patterns can be important in distinguishing species. Thickening of pectoral fin rays is a derived feature but absence of this character is a symplesiomorph condition and cannot be used to relate species.
The species in this family are often difficult to identify and many literature reports are undoubtedly mis-identifications. While some of these may be corrected based on material deposited in museums, others have no voucher material and cannot be re-identified. Identification is problematical because scale counts are not available (too minute), fin ray counts are often very similar, and unique structures uncommon. Colour patterns can be used but are notoriously variable and many types in museums are decoloured making comparisons difficult. Morphometric characters require good series of adult fish of both sexes, from various localities in the species range, preferably even from the same locality taken over several years to allow for local variations in habitat which may conceivably affect shape. Menon (1987) considers that many species in this genus are from very similar habitats, the stressful one of running water, and have been constantly selected to fit this niche. Valid species resemble one another closely. Such characters as position of the anal opening, the dorsal fin origin and barbel length have been used in species definitions but Menon (1987) found these to vary with growth. Swimbladder structure depends on the habitat where the fish live and scale coverage on the physico-chemical nature of the water. Menon (1987) found lateral line character, number of branched dorsal fin rays, caudal fin shape, secondary sexual characters in males and, despite the above, body colour and anal opening position to be useful.
Examination of Iranian species, where good series of fresh material was available, tend to confirm the observations of Krupp and Menon on characters. Position of the dorsal fin origin is variable within a species among morphometric characters used as distinctive, extent of the lateral line is also variable, there is marked sexual dimorphism, and colour patterns can be useful but also vary with the individual, the habitat and the temperature (fish kept in ice water have strong colour patterns while those preserved immediately from murky waters have faint patterns).
Two main problems exist in identifying certain Iranian loaches. These are determining appropriate characters which are not individually variable and which are apomorphic, and applying existing names to fresh material in comparison with poorly-preserved types.
A number of species remain to be described and are currently under study. Some named species are probably distinct taxa, e.g. Nemacheilus (= Barbatula) tigris (Heckel, 1843) (sagmahi-ye Dajleh) is recorded from the Karun River basin in Khuzestan (ZISP 24098) by Berg (1949) but specimens from this part of Iran differ from Heckel's types. The colour pattern on the fish figured by Berg (1949) from the Karun River in Iran is atypical according to Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) - it has only 4-5 bars on the posterior part of the body. The type locality of Cobitis Tigris is "Flüsschen Kueik bei Aleppo" (Haleb, Syria) according to Heckel (1843b).
Sawada (1982) thought that this family dispersed by two routes from Southeast Asia, one through Siberia and one through South Asia to reach what is now Iran. Menon (1987) considers that the land mass between East Africa and the west coast of India has submerged only recently, probably simultaneous with the birth of the Ganges and Indus. Connections of the Pleistocene fore-deep of the Himalayas with the Tigris-Euphrates basin in what is now the Persian Gulf could have existed, allowing movement of "Nemacheilus" species along a continuous route from Yunnan to Anatolia. Menon (1987) further suggests a series of waves, spreading "Nemacheilus" westwards into Southwest Asia from a South China origin. The Triplophysa wave is the first wave of evolution, in which the earliest stock from Yunnan spread through Tibet in the late Miocene and early Pliocene before the major rise of the Himalayas. By the end of the Tertiary, particularly in the Pleistocene, the Tibetan Plateau had risen causing a dry and cold climate with increased solar radiation and torrential rivers. This change in the environment caused rapid evolution, leading to such taxa as Triplophysa and Hedinichthys. The rupecola wave took place in the late Pliocene along the southern face of the Himalayas through Iran to Anatolia and even northeast Africa. Some of the criticisms listed under the cyprinid genus Garra, whose distribution Menon (1964) also attributes to waves, may be apposite here too.
These small fishes are quite secretive, hiding under stones or in mud. This common and stressful habitat may have led to a general similarity in body form among the various species. Some are known only from caves, including one Iranian species. Despite their small size, they are regarded as a delicacy in India (Hora, 1956). Barbatula angorae (and presumably other species) is a potential fishing bait for predatory fishes such as Sander lucioperca and has been examined experimentally for this purpose in Turkey (Kuşat et al., 1995). They are generally known as سگ ماهي (sag mahi meaning dog fish, but this is presumably the equivalent of loach in English), لوچ (= louch meaning loach) or mar mahi (= snake fish, presumably in reference to the elongate shape) in Farsi. These general names are not repeated below.
Genus Barbatula
Linck, 1790
Species in this genus were formerly placed in Orthrias (see Eschmeyer's "Catalog of Fishes" to track conflicting views). There are at least 18 species found mainly in western Asia with a few in Europe. The body is elongate, thick, and rounded or slightly compressed. The head is slightly depressed or compressed. Eyes are small and widely spaced. The caudal peduncle is relatively deep. The body is covered by scales at least on the posterior part of the body, the lateral line is complete or at least passes the middle of the body length, and the lateral line tubes do not penetrate the scales. There are no nasal barbels. The lower lips are moderately furrowed. The dorsal fin has 7-9, rarely 10, branched rays. The pelvic fins are inserted slightly behind the dorsal fin origin. The caudal fin is slightly emarginated to deeply forked. There is no dorsal crest on the caudal peduncle. The processus dentiformis (a tooth-like projection at the symphysis of the upper jaw) is weakly or moderately developed and lacks a corresponding gap in the lower jaw. The gut is short. Colour is variable, being barred, striped, irregular spots and blotches, or more or less regular rows of spots. The pectoral fin of males is broadened and thickened, and covered by tubercles in the spawning season. Tubercles also develop on the sides of the head.
Barbatula angorae
(Steindachner, 1897)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Angora, sagmahi-e-jooibari.
[lakh angorae in Arabic; Angor cilpaxcasi (or cilpagcasi), Lankaran cilpaxcasi (or cilpagcasi), both in Azerbaijan; Angorskii golets or Angora loach, Lenkoranskii golets or Lenkoran loach, both in Russian; otsidzug in Armenia; stone loach].
Systematics
Nemacheilus angorae was originally described from Angora (= Ankara, Turkey). Nemacheilus bergi Gratsianov, 1907 and possibly Nemacheilus bergianus Derzhavin, 1934 are synonyms.
Nemacheilus angorae lenkoranensis Abdurakhamanov, 1962 (incorrectly lenkoranica in Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967)) is described from "rivers of the Lenkoran coast; Lenkoranchai, Vilyazhchai, Kumbashichai, Tangyaru, Astarinka" in the southern Caspian Sea basin.
Orthrias angorae araxensis Banarescu and Nalbant, 1978 in Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978), is described from the Aras River basin of Turkey (type locality given below) (this subspecies was formerly referred to as Nemacheilus angorae bureschi (Drensky, 1928) by Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) and Banarescu (1968)). Nalbant and Bianco (1998) and Fricke et al. (2007) elevate this taxon to a species.
Nemachilus angorae alasanicus Elanidze, 1983 was described from the upper reaches of the Alazani River at Alvani village, Georgia, a left bank Kura River tributary. It is here attributed to Elanidze (1983) since it is the only taxon listed in that book without an author.
The lower Kura River basin in Azerbaijan (of which the Aras is part) may have another subspecies in which about 40% of the fish have 7 branched dorsal fin rays, a shallower caudal peduncle than B. a. araxensis, and a colour pattern similar to B. angorae angorae (Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978); see also description in Abdurakhmanov (1962) for measurements).
B. bergiana from Iran may be another subspecies of B. angorae. The resolution of the systematics of B. angorae and its subspecies or related species depends on obtaining large numbers of specimens of mature material from the whole range of this species complex. There are few, if any, good characters in this complex which can be used to separate the taxa; body proportions are especially prone to locally induced variation and even the number of dorsal fin rays is at least as variable within samples as between species.
Sixteen syntypes of Nemacheilus angorae from Tabakane-Sir and Tschibuk-Tschai, Turkey are in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien according to Eschmeyer et al. (1996).
The holotype of Orthrias angorae araxensis, 62.0 mm standard length, from the "Kandili Karassu, oberes Araxes-Becken, Osttürkei" is in the Zoologischen Instituts und Zoologischen Museums der Universität Hamburg (ZMH 4827). Four paratypes, 45.0-65.2 mm standard length, from the same locality are under ZMH 5951 and 2 other paratypes, 51.2-59.3 mm standard length, also from the same locality are in the Institutul de Stiinte Biologice, Bucuresti, Romania (ISBB 2617). Five paratypes, 38.8-52.0 mm standard length, are from the "Oberlauf des Araxes Flusses bei Aras-Nehri, Hasankale" under ZMH 4826 and 3 paratypes, 41.0-45.0 mm standard length, from the same locality are under ISBB 2618 (Banarescu et al., 1978; Wilkens and Dohse, 1993).
A series of 18 fish in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg catalogued as ZISP 35701 from "Reka Lenkoran, Azerbaidzhan SSR" collected by Yu. Abdurakhmanov, 22.IX.1954 are probably the type series of Nemacheilus angorae lenkoranensis although they are not marked as such on the jar. One fish is a cobitid, 31.0 mm standard length (probably Cobitis taenia), while the rest measure 24.9-33.3 mm standard length.
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) follow Günther (1899) and describe specimens from the Lake Orumiyeh basin as Nemacheilus (= Barbatula) persa (q.v.) but Abdurakhmanov (1962) and Saadati (1977) consider them to be close to B. angorae.
Key characters
Abdurakhmanov (1962) distinguishes two subspecies in Azerbaijan by the following key:-
1(2) Caudal peduncle depth in length 2.5-3.3, mean 2.9; dorsal fin with 7-8 branched rays; length to 80 mm (Kura and Aras river basins) B. angorae
2(1) Caudal peduncle depth in length 2.0-2.6, mean 2.3; dorsal fin with 8-9 branched rays; length to 60 mm (rivers of Lenkoran) B. angorae lenkoranensis
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-4, usually 2 according to Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) and Dadikyan (1986), unbranched and 6-9, usually 7-8, branched rays (strong mode of 7 in populations of B. angorae angorae from Anatolia while the mode for B. angorae araxensis is 8 according to Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978) and for B. angorae lenkoranensis the range is 7-9 usually 8-9 according to Abdurakhmanov (1962)), anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 4-6 branched rays, usually 5, pectoral fin with 8-12 branched rays, and pelvic fin branched rays 6-8. The dentiform process on the upper jaw may be present or absent. The lower lip is more fimbriate than the upper and is interrupted in the middle. Weakly developed median flaps are present. Scales are minute. The lateral line is almost complete (almost to the caudal fin base). Gut without a posterior loop. Caudal fin almost truncate (deeply forked in Lake Orumiyeh material examined by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) - other characters of this small sample of 3 fish include a long and shallow caudal peduncle, vent just in front of the anal fin, pelvic fin origin under that of dorsal fin, dorsal fin origin much nearer caudal fin base than snout tip, large eyes, lateral line almost complete ending just before the caudal fin, scales are distinct, especially in the posterior half of the body, and cover the whole body including the ventral part, the upper lip is nearly smooth and has a narrow median interruption, the lower lip is more furrowed and has a wider interruption, the posterior part of the intestine is straight, males have thickened pectoral fin rays with tubercles, flanks are spotted to reticulate, and there is a band at the caudal fin base). The subspecies B. angorae araxensis has body proportions practically the same as the type subspecies from Anatolia according to Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978) but the caudal fin margin is almost straight and colour is different.
Sexual dimorphism
Mature males have a dense covering of tubercles on the head, body and fins. Pectoral fin rays 2-4, and to some extent 1 and 5, are thickened, widened and densely tuberculate. Pectoral and pelvic fins are longer in males than females.
Colour
Colour is variable but overall is greyish to yellow with orange tints in particular on the head. There are 5-6 spots along the mid-line of the back and about 20 brown to blackish spots along mid-flank, forming almost a stripe, especially in young. The dorsal spots may also form a stripe. The base of the caudal fin has a black bar. The dorsal and caudal fins have brown bars composed of small spots. The pectoral fin may also have bars, particularly in males. The other fins are hyaline. The subspecies B. angorae araxensis is darker in colour than B. angorae angorae, the flanks being covered in nearly black spots and fine dots almost as low as the belly. The spots are irregular or follow the lateral line almost to the caudal fin but there is no stripe as in the other subspecies.
Size
Reaches 8.5 cm.
Distribution
Found in the Black Sea basin, Aegean Sea basin and the Caspian Sea basin. In Iran, it is recorded from the the Anzali Mordab, upper Safid River basin (Qezel Owzan and Shahrud), the Qareh Su of the Aras River basin in the Caspian Sea basin, southern and eastern tributaries of Lake Orumiyeh (Zarineh and Tata'u, and Talkheh rivers), rivers of the Namak Lake basin (Karaj, upper Shur or Abhar, middle and upper Qareh Chai rivers, Jajrud), and possibly in the eastern Kavir basin (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967; Saadati, 1977; Holčík and Oláh, 1992; Abbasi et al., 1999; Abdoli, 2000; Jolodar and Abdoli, 2004). Specimens from Lake Orumiyeh identified as Nemacheilus persa by Günther (1899) are probably this species. Iranian Caspian Sea and Namak Lake basin fish are probably B. bergiana. If B. angorae is restricted to Turkey, then the species for the western Caspian is lenkoranensis and for the Kura-Aras basin is araxensis.
Zoogeography
see (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967) for discussion, p. 155
Habitat
This species is found in both streams and lakes. In shallow running water it lives among stones and vegetation.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Food items include chironomids, corixids and diatoms as well as the eggs of other fishes such as Alburnus alburnus. Abdoli (2000) lists Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera and Chironomidae.
Reproduction
Fecundity reaches 7000 eggs and egg diameter 0.84 mm. Spawning takes place from May to June.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
None.
Further work
The systematics of this species complex needs to be resolved based on additional material and perhaps modern molecular and genetic techniques.
Sources
Barbatula argyrogramma
(Heckel, 1849)
Reported from the Tigris-Euphrates basin in Iraq but no Iranian record except by Saadati (1977). Its validity is doubtful (see Freshwater Fishes of Iraq for more information).
Barbatula bergiana
(Derzhavin, 1934)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Safidrud, sehkhareh (?), sagmahi-e-jooibari.
[Sefidrudskii golets or Sefidrud loach in Russian; Safidrud stone loach].
Systematics
The type locality of this species in Latin from Derzhavin (1934) is "Systema fluminis Sefidrud" (= Safid River system). Berg (1948-1949) gives "Sefid-rud basin: Kisum village; Shah-rud R., falling into the Sefid-rud". The former is at Kisom at 37°14'N, 49°51'E or 37°12'N, 49°54'E in a gazetteer.
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) and Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978) place this species as a subspecies of B. angorae. Nalbant and Bianco (1998) consider it to be a distinct species in Orthrias. Abdurakhmanov (1962) compares fish from Lenkoran (B. angorae lenkoranensis) with B. bergiana. Head length and depth, predorsal distance, body depth, caudal peduncle depth, dorsal fin height, and pectoral and pelvic fin lengths are all greater in lenkoranensis while caudal peduncle length, pectoral-pelvic fin distance, interorbital width and eye diameter are all greater in bergianus.
The problems of the systematics of such a widespread and variable taxon as B. angorae are briefly alluded to under that species and I have retained B. bergiana as a distinct species until the problem has received a full study.
The holotype of Nemacheilus bergianus is 41.6 mm standard length and is in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg (ZISP 25433) and is from "Basin R. Sefid-Rud, c. Kissum, River Shahrud, tributary Sefid-Rud", collected by A. N. Derzhavin, 20.V.1922. The specimen is faded but there is a figure in Berg (1948-1949, Fig. 619).
Key characters
This species differs from B. angorae by having a less deep caudal peduncle, 3.3 in caudal peduncle length according to ? (but my measurement is 2.6 for the holotype). Saadati (1977) states that the caudal peduncle is deeper in B. bergiana.
| Character/Taxon | angorae | araxensis | bergiana | brandtii | lenkoranensis |
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 8 branched rays, anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5 branched rays, pectoral fin with 9 branched rays and pelvic fin with 6-7 branched rays. Vertebrae 31. The pelvic fins are separated by almost the width of a pelvic fin base. Caudal fin slightly emarginate. The upper lip is indented at the mid-point with a bony projection underneath. The lower lip is interrupted and also has a bony projection underneath. There are no adipose fins. The flank is minutely scaled and the lateral line is well-developed along the whole flank (not as in Berg's drawing - ?check this).
Meristics for Iranian fish: dorsal fin branched rays 8(1), anal fin branched rays 5(1), pectoral fin branched rays 9(1) and pelvic fin branched rays 7(1) - based on type ?see my material and add
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
The flank has several irregular dark grey blotches and the back has transverse, dark, squarish spots. The back and upper flank have a pinkish tinge. The lower flank is pale yellowish or whitish. The belly and lower head are white. The iris is silvery on the lower part and golden on the upper, strikingly so. The dorsal, pectoral and caudal fins are pinkish with 2-3 rows of elongate, dark grey spots along the rays. The caudal fin spots are horizontal rather than forming bands as in Barbatula brandtii. The upper base of the caudal fin is yellowish rather than dark as in B. brandtii. The pelvic and anal fins are colourless or slightly yellowish-pink without spots. The barbels are typically without pigment except occasionally at the base of the second pair.
Size
Reaches 6.8 cm with Jolodar and Abdoli (2004) giving 7 cm total length.
Distribution
This species is found in the middle Aras River and its tributary the Qareh Chai (or is araxensis), the Safid, Shahrud and lower Qezel Owzan rivers of the Caspian Sea basin, and the Karaj, Abhar, upper Qareh Chai and upper Qom rivers of the Namak Lake basin (Saadati, 1977; Abbasi et al., 1999; Abdoli, 2000; Jolodar and Abdoli, 2004)
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
Unknown.
Age and growth
Females are mature at 5.0 cm.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
Kiabi et al. (1999) consider this species to be of least concern in the south Caspian Sea basin according to IUCN criteria. Criteria include few in numbers, habitat destruction, limited range (less than 25% of water bodies), present in other water bodies in Iran (sic), present outside the Caspian Sea basin (sic).
Further work
The biology and systematics of this species needs study.
Sources
Type material: Holotype of Nemacheilus bergianus (ZISP 25433), see above.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1970-0527, 8, ? mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River near Kisom (37º12'N, 49º54'E); CMNFI 1970-0537, 24, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Shah River near Manjil (36º44'N, 49º24'E); CMNFI 1970-0545, , ? mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River (37º01'N, 49º38'E); CMNFI 1980-0132, 26, ? mm standard length, Gilan, Safid River at Kisom (37º12'N, 49º54'E); CMNFI 1980-0154, 26, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Karaj River below village (35º47'N, 50º58'E); CMNFI 1980-0156, 80, ? mm standard length, Markazi, Karaj River near village (35º47'N, 50º58'E).
Barbatula brandtii
(Kessler, 1877)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Kura.
[Kur cilpagcasi in Azerbaijan; Kurinskii golets or Kura loach in Russian].
Systematics
A syntype of Nemacheilus Brandtii from the upper Kura River at Tbilisi (= Tiflis), Georgia is in the Natural History Museum, London (BM(NH) 1897.7.5:39, 19.6 mm standard length, small and decoloured), formerly in ZISP; other syntypes are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg (ZISP) (Eschmeyer et al., 1996).
Nemachilus brandtii gibbusnazus is a subspecies with the author given as Elanidze in Elanidze (1983). The only apparently new taxon in Elanidze (1983) is Nemacheilus (= Barbatula) angorae alasanicus (q.v.). This taxon is unique in this book as a species without an author name after it. On this basis it was attributed to Elanidze (1983). The date of N. b. gibbusnazus may also be 1983 but it may have been described in an earlier paper by Elanidze not yet located by me. Both these subspecies are not mentioned in Eschmeyer et al. (1996) nor in the online version (downloaded 26 August 2007). The distribution of N. b. gibbusnazus is given as "in fact found before in the R. Khrami (1947), then in the R. Kura (1962), in its lower course at Kukheti, in the upper reaches at Vardziya - Toloshi, in the R. Alazani - in the upper reaches at Alvani", all in Georgia and the drainage of the Kura River.
Placed in the genus Orthrias by Nalbant and Bianco (1998).
Key characters
This species is distinguished from B. angorae by having 3 unbranched and 8 branched dorsal fin rays (as opposed to 2 unbranched and 7-8 (usually 7) branched in B. angorae), longer and shallower caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 2.2-3.0 in caudal peduncle length instead of less than 2.0 as in B. angorae), and a more forked caudal fin with more pointed lobes. The caudal peduncle is said to be somewhat shorter and much lower than in B. angorae araxensis (with which species it occurs in the Aras River basin): length of caudal peduncle 18.4-23.4% and depth 8.0-9.4% of standard length in brandtii, 18.1-21.8% and 10.2-12.7% in araxensis respectively. Other body proportions are given in Banarescu, Nalbant and Balik (1978). The colour pattern is much darker and the caudal fin margin is almost vertical in B. a. araxensis.
Morphology
Dorsal fin unbranched rays 3-4 and branched rays 7-9, usually 8, anal fin unbranched rays 2-3 and branched rays 5, pectoral fin branched rays 9-12, and pelvic fin branched rays 6-8. Scales minute. A weakly developed dentiform process on the upper jaw.
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
Typical fish from the Kura-Aras basin lack a stripe on the flank, having brown spots which are either large, more or less triangular and fairly well-defined or broken into many small speckles forming a reticulate pattern. Dorsal spots are better defined than in B. angorae especially behind the dorsal fin where they fuse completely or incompletely with the lateral flank spots to form bands. All spots are brown, never blackish as in B. angorae araxensis. There are several rows of speckles on the caudal fin and two rows on the dorsal fin.
Size
Reaches 8.5 cm.
Distribution
Found in the upper and middle Kura and Aras River basins, and presumably in the Iranian reaches of the latter. It is also reported from the Namak Lake basin by Saadati (1977) citing a manuscript report by V. D. Vladykov, ? confusion with bergianus and from the Arnar Chay, Azarbayjan.
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
Unknown.
Age and growth
Age at maturity is about 2 years.
Food
Eggs of other fishes may be a food item as well as aquatic insects.
Reproduction
Fecundity reaches 17,409 eggs and egg diameter 0.95 mm.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
Endangered in Turkey (Fricke et al., 2007).
Further work
The biology and systematics of this species need study.
Sources
Type material: Syntype of Nemacheilus Brandtii ((BM(NH) 1897.7.5:39), see above.
Barbatula cyri
(Berg, 1910)
Nemacheilus tigris cyri Berg, 1910 is described from "Fontes fl. Cyrus, Caucasus". This species is placed in the subgenus or genus Paracobitis by Banarescu (1968) while Fricke et al. (2007) recognise the subspecies as a distinct species in Orthrias. Six syntypes of N. tigris cyri (31.4-51.5 mm standard length) are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg (ZISP 13291) from "Okam village Gel'skaya Plain, Karka Oblast", K. Satunin, 6.IX.1901. This is in the upper Kura River basin of Turkey. No Iranian record.
Barbatula farsica
(Nalbant and Bianco, 1998)
Common names
None.
Systematics
Originally described in the genus Orthrias. The species is named for Fars Province. The holotype is in the Department of Zoology, Naples University under IZA 7823. It measures 45.8 mm standard
length (51.8 mm standard length when measured by me) and was collected from the "River Kor near Persepolis" in Fars on 30 May 1976 by P. G. Bianco (note that IZA
is the acronym for Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Universita' Degli Studi
Dell'Aquila
L'Aquila, Italy,
where the material was previously stored). Paratypes were all collected by P. G. Bianco and include 64 specimens, 39.0-57.0 mm standard length from the same locality as the holotype (IZA 7824), 61
specimens, 38.5-60.0 mm standard length from the same locality as the holotype but taken on 7 July 1975 (IZA 7825), 7 specimens, 42.0-51.3 mm standard length, same locality as the holotype but taken on 7
July 1975 stored in the Institutul Stiinte Biologice, Bucharest (ISSB 3451), 31 specimens, 43.2-56.3 mm standard length from the River Shur, tributary of the River Mand, near Dasht-e-Arzhan
(Shiraz) 25 May 1976 (IZA 7826), 7 specimens, 47.0-57.0 mm standard length from the latter locality (ISBB 3446), 7 specimens, 47.0-58.0 mm standard length from River Qom, Qom Town 5 May 1975 (IZA 7845)
and 7 specimens, 36.2-47.3 mm standard length from the latter locality (ISBB 3442).
CMNFI material?
Key characters
This fish has long paired fins and a short, deep and compressed caudal peduncle. The flanks and back have roundish brown spots on a marbled background and the head and body are a pale yellow ventrally. Dorsal and caudal fins have rows of brown spots. The peritoneum is a dull brown. The dorsal fin has 3 unbranched and 8 branched rays, the anal fin 2 unbranched and 5 branched rays, the pectoral fin 2 unbranched and 9-11 branched rays and the pelvic fin 1 unbranched and 6-7 branched rays. It is related to B. brandtii but differs in in the deeper caudal peduncle and longer fins. Other species outside Iran have differing colour patterns.
Morphology
Dorsal fin branched rays 7-9 (90% with 8 rays in the type description, n=38), anal fin branched rays 4-5 (95% with 5 rays), pectoral fin branched rays 9-11 (69% with 10 rays) and pelvic fin branched rays 6-7 (65% with 7 rays). The lateral line is straight, on the mid-flank and ends just anterior to the caudal fin base. The cephalic canal system is well-developed laterally. The rear half of the body is scaled completely and the anterior half has scalation well-developed but not as closely spaced as posterior scales. Scales are oval with a large focus. Esmaeili and Niknejad (2006-2007) give scanning electron micrographs of the scales along with a description. The head is conical and the eye is small and centrally placed. The nostrils are just anterior to the eyes. The mouth has a moderate arch with long barbels. Lips and barbels have small tubercles and fine furrows. The upper lip has a median incision and the lower lip lacks mental lobes. The processus dentiformis in the upper jaw is well-developed but lacks a gap in the lower jaw.
Sexual dimorphism
Males have numerous fine tubercles on the dorsal surface of the pectoral fin rays in bands, and the anterior fn rays are expanded. There are fewer rays and less expansion when progressing proximally. There is a groove running anteriorly at a slight downward angle from the eye to the antero-ventral corner below the nostril, fading out under the anterior nostril. Near the eye and dorsal to this groove, fine tubercles form a narrow band. The sides and top of the head are finely tuberculate. The pelvic and dorsal fin rays have tubercles following the rays (not bands as in the pectoral fin). Fine tubercles line the margin of the scales.
Colour
The dorsal head is speckled brown and there is a dark-brown stripe from the eye to the snout tip, sometimes extending beyond the eye. The back has 7-11, modally 9, rounded dark-brown saddles. Similar blotches occur on the flank. The dorsal fin has 4 rows of elongate spots, the pectoral fin has up to 6 rows and the caudal fin has 4-5 rows. The anal and pelvic fins are immaculate.
Size
Reaches 67.7 mm standard length.
Distribution
Endemic to Iran and found in the basins of the Namak Lake basin (Qom River), Kor River basin (Kor River) and Gulf basin (Shur River in the Mand River drainage).
Zoogeography
Found in both endorheic and exorheic basins in central and southern Iran.
Habitat
Details are unknown.
Age and growth
Unknown. Esmaeili and Ebrahimi (2006) give a significant length-weight relationship based on 34 fish measuring 3.15-6.77 cm standard length. The a-value was 0.0126 and the b-value 3.084 (a b-value < 3 indicating a fish that becomes less rotund as length increases and a b-value >3 indicating a fish that becomes more rotund as length increases).
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
Population trends and numbers unknown.
Further work
More collections are needed to record information on biology and distribution.
Sources
Type material: The holotype (IZA 7823) and paratypes (IZA 7824, 7825, 7845) of Orthrias farsicus, see above.
?CMNFI material IZA 7824, 3 as gift, 36.5- , IZA 7826, 3 as gift, 34.0- the measurements are the smallest fish in these samples)
Barbatula frenata
(Heckel, 1843)
Common names
See genus account.
[lakh or telay (= bowed head according to Heckel (1843b) at Mosul), both in Arabic; banded Tigris loach].
Systematics
The type locality of Cobitis frenata is "Tigris", presumably at Mosul (Heckel, 1843b). Five syntypes are in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NMW 48552) although the catalogue lists only 4 specimens. A lectotype designated by F. Krupp in 1984 is 70.0 mm standard length, the remaining specimens being small, 27.2-43.4 mm standard length.
Nemacheilus frenatus afrenatus Battalgil, 1942 described from "un petit ruisseau à Diyarbakir" is also from the Tigris River basin but in Turkey. This subspecies lacks the "frein à la bouche" (presumably the band across the snout) of B. f. frenata and its dorsal fin is higher than long (as measured at the base) while in B. f. frenata it is as high as long.
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) place this species in the genus Orthrias. Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) consider this taxon to be a "doubtful species" but illustrate it in Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995: Fig. 20).
Key characters
The colour pattern is distinctive and there is no dermal crest or adipose fin behind the dorsal fin.
Morphology
Dorsal fin unbranched rays 2-3, branched rays 7-8, anal fin unbranched rays 2, branched 5, pectoral fin branched rays 10-13, and pelvic fin branched rays 6-7. Scales are present over the whole body but not readily visible without magnification. The anterior pectoral fin rays are thickened. Caudal peduncle thick (depth 80-90% of length) according to Saadati (1977). The bulb of the swimbladder capsule has large ovoid to circular perforations and the anterior and posterior lamina or wings are only moderately developed (Krupp, 1985c). Lips are not strongly plicate and the dentiform process is well-developed. The gut has a posterior loop.
Meristics for Iranian specimens: dorsal fin branched rays 8(1), anal fin branched rays 5(1), pectoral fin branched rays 10(1) and pelvic fin branched rays 6(1) based on lectotype.? add my material
Sexual dimorphism
Bands of tubercles are found on the pectoral fin rays of males, including the first, declining in breadth and extent on the smaller rays. Tubercles are also present on the pelvic and anal fin rays but are much less well developed. The head is covered in fine tubercles. Flank scales, particularly anterior ones, are lined anteriorly with tubercles. There is an elongate tuberculate swelling anterior to the lower eye margin on the snout.
Colour
Overall colour is yellowish, mottled with fine but irregular brown or black dots or blotches, some flank blotches being quite large. The rear of the body and the caudal fin in particular are mottled with brown, tending to form bars. A black band is continuous from the front of one eye, across the snout and round to the other eye. It may be diffuse on the snout or well-defined in fish from the same locality. The dorsal and caudal fins have thin but irregular bands made up of spots on the rays (up to 3 on the dorsal and 4 on the caudal fin), bands are faintly present on the anal and pelvic fins, and only a few are visible on the pectoral fins. The dorsal fin has an anterior basal spot at its origin, variably developed in individuals. There are distinct, dark spots at the base of the caudal fin above and below the body mid-line.
Size
Reaches about 9.2 cm (Heckel, 1843b).
Distribution
Found in the Quwayq and Tigris-Euphrates rivers. Abdoli (2000) records it from the upper Karun, middle and lower Dez, Kashkan and Simarreh rivers in the Tigris River basin of Iran.
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
Known to inhabit both rivers and lakes, the environmental requirements of this species are unknown.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
The biology of this species, its distribution, numbers and habitat requirements are unknown so no comments on conservation can be made. Near threatened in Turkey (Fricke et al., 2007).
Further work
The biology and conservation status of this species need investigation.
Sources
Type material: Syntypes of Cobitis frenata (NMW 48552), see above.
Iranian material: BWC 95-30, mm standard length, .
Comparative material: BM(NH) 1974.2.22:1449-1477, 30, 37.7-55.5 mm standard length, Iraq, branch of Khalis River (); BM(NH) 1974.2.22:1478-1757, ca. 279, 19.7-53.3 mm standard length, Iraq, Khalis (); BM(NH) 1974.2.22:1758-1772, 15, 27.2-34.1 mm standard length, Iraq, Khalis (); BM(NH) 1972.2.22:1773-1776, 4, 28.3-34.0 mm standard length, Iraq, Khalis (); BM(NH) 1974.2.22:1777-1778, 2, 27.5-31.4 mm standard length, Iraq, Khalis ();.
Barbatula kermanshahensis
(Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Kermanshah.
[Kermanshah loach].
Systematics
This species was tentatively placed in the subgenus Orthrias Jordan and Fowler, 1903 but is regarded as "aberrant" by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967). However, Nalbant and Bianco (1998) later place it in Orthrias.
The holotype of Noemacheilus kermanshahensis (ZMUC P 2787, 46.4 mm standard length) and the 7 paratypes (ZMUC P 2788-94, 25.5-61.8 mm standard length) are stored in the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen (Nielsen, 1974). The type locality is "Kermanshah in the drainage of the Karun River, a tributary of the lower Euphrates, Western Iran" (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967). The type series was collected on 5 February 1937 by E. Kaiser. The type locality is poorly defined - the city of Kermanshah is on the Qarasu River and lies in the drainage of the Karkheh River which drains towards the Tigris River. Nalbant and Bianco (1998) correct their original type locality description to the Karkheh River drainage and "Quareh Su, Kermanshah, River Shimarek", probably referring to the Qareh Su-Simareh drainage of the upper Karkheh River.
Key characters
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) consider that this species differs from most South and West-Asiatic loaches by the longitudinal pigment pattern on the flank. Most other species have bars, vertical patches of pigment. The longitudinal arrangement is found in B. angorae but kermanshahensis has smaller eyes, a shorter lateral line (almost complete in angorae), a more anteriorly placed vent, and scale shape comprising an almost central focus, vertical sub-oval outline and radii on all fields widely and evenly spaced. Characteristically the caudal peduncle is short and deep, depth being 92.9-114.3% of length (Saadati, 1977).
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 7-8 branched rays, anal fin with 2 unbranched and 5-6 branched rays, and pelvic fin with 6-7 branched rays. Scales only on the posterior part of the body, well-developed on the caudal peduncle. The lateral line reaches the level of the middle or posterior half of the dorsal fin or over the front half of the anal fin. The origin of the dorsal fin is variable in relation to the snout tip and caudal fin base (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967). The caudal peduncle is short and deep and lacks a crest. The anus is somewhat anterior to the anal fin origin. Lips are thick and fringed, the lower lip being interrupted in the middle. The intestine is simple with the posterior part straight.
The type series counts are dorsal fin branched rays 7(8), anal fin branched rays 5(8), pectoral fin branched rays 8(3), 9(1), or 10(3), pelvic fin branched rays 6(3) or 7(6); vertebrae 38(6), 39(2) or 40(1).
Sexual dimorphism
Check my fish ? No sexual dimorphism was noted by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) as their large specimen is female and others immature.
Colour
The overall colour is yellowish with about 12, dark brown bars on the flank my fish - check this, see my fish?. A stripe on the mid-line of the back breaks up into spots posteriorly.
The colour pattern in alcohol-preserved specimens dating from 1937 is yellowish with 3 wide, brownish stripes along the flank. The dorsal stripe is continuous anteriorly but breaks up into spots posteriorly in most specimens. The central, mid-flank stripe is the widest and is continuous although width is variable. The ventral "stripe" (my quotation marks) is absent from smaller specimens and consists of small and irregular spots. The upper parts of the head have small, irregular brownish spots. The caudal fin has 3 rows of spots and the dorsal fin 2 rows of spots, apparently concentrated on the fin rays (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967).
Size
Reaches 6.3 cm standard length.
Distribution
Known only from Tigris River basin drainages of Iran. Abdoli (2000) reports it from the Marun, upper Karun and lower Khersan, Dez, Simarreh, Qareh Su and Gav Masiab rivers.
Zoogeography
Relationships may lie with B. angorae according to Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) based on colour pattern and general body shape, or with other species not found in Iran having stripes along the flank. This seems insufficient evidence on which to base relationships.
Habitat
my collection data ?
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
No measures are being undertaken for this poorly known species.
Further work
Studies should be carried out to determine the numbers of this species, its distribution and its ecological requirements in Iran to ascertain if conservation measures should be taken.
Sources
Type material: The holotype (ZMUC P 2787) and paratypes (ZMUC P 2788-94) of Noemacheilus kermanshahensis, see above.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1979-0285, 20, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Marek River (34º26'N, 46º37'E); CMNFI 1979-0286, 1, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Ravansar River at Ravansar (34º43'N, 46º40'E); CMNFI 1993-0128, 1, ? mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Sarab-e Sabz 'Ali Khan (34º25'N, 46º32'E); BWC 95-17, ? mm standard length, .
Barbatula oxiana
(Kessler, 1877)
Reported from the Karakum Canal of Turkmenistan by Shakirova and Sukhanova (1994) and Sal'nikov (1995), this species may eventually reach the Tedzhen River and Caspian Sea basins of Iran. Originally described in the genus Nemacheilus. No Iranian record.
Barbatula persa
(Heckel, 1849)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Fars (= Persian loach).
[Persian loach].
Systematics
The type locality for Cobitis Persa is "Quellen um Persepolis" according to Heckel (1846-1849b). Kähsbauer (1964) reports a syntype of this species in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien under NMW 48567. It measures 47.6 mm standard length and is probably the holotype as the Vienna catalogue lists only 1 specimen (and the Vienna card catalogue examined in 1997 concurs). This specimen is in poor condition and not readily comparable to fresh material. It is scaled although scales are not imbricate, the caudal fin is broken off, the body is collapsed so its shape cannot be determined, and it is decoloured.
Kessler (1877) refers to a Heckel species Nemachilus persicus, presumably this taxon judging from Kessler's page number reference.
Günther (1899) recorded Nemacheilus persa from the Lake Orumiyeh basin ("Zola Chai near Ula") and the upper Aras River basin ("Elinja Chai") but these fish were probably B. angorae. Berg (1948-1949), Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) and Nalbant and Bianco (1998) also refer Günther's material to Nemacheilus persa but Abdurakhmanov (1962) suggests that these fish are Nemacheilus angorae. Saadati (1977) places Lake Orumiyeh fish close to Nemacheilus angorae which makes more sense geographically. ? check my specimens and compare ? The dorsal fin origin is closer to caudal base than the snout tip in the Lake Orumiyeh fish, interorbital width is greater, the head is longer, the caudal fin less emarginate, and there are more and darker spots on the body (Saadati, 1977). Evidently new material from the Kor River basin wherein lies Persepolis, the type locality for Cobitis persa, and the Lake Orumiyeh basin are required to resolve this problem - the Lake Orumiyeh sample examined by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) comprised only 3 males.
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) place this species in their subgenus Oxynoemacheilus but later (Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995); and also Nalbant and Bianco (1998)) place it in Orthrias.
Key characters
?
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 8 branched rays, anal fin with 2 unbranched and 5 branched rays, pectoral fin with 8 branched rays, and pelvic fin with 6-7 branched rays. Lateral line almost complete. Scales are present on the anterior and posterior flank according to Banarescu and Nalbant (1964). Esmaeili and Niknejad (2006-2007) give scanning electron micrographs of the scales along with a description. The caudal fin is slightly emarginate to forked. The barbels are hair-like thin (Heckel, 1846-1849b).
Meristics for Iranian specimens: dorsal fin branched rays 8(1), anal fin branched rays 5(1), pectoral fin branched rays 9(1) and pelvic fin branched rays 6(1) based on type ?add my material
Sexual dimorphism
Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) report that pectoral fin rays 2-5 are widened and thickened in males. The appearance of a subocular pad in Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967:Fig. 3) is an error and was apparently meant to represent a small groove (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1995).
Colour
The overall colour is yellowish with some brown blotches and 5-7 brown bars on the posterior body and irregular brown blotches on the anterior body. The dorsal and caudal fins are barred.
Size
Reaches 63.2 mm standard length.
Distribution
Found in the Kor River basin and, according to Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967), also in the Lake Orumiyeh basin and probably the whole of western and central Iran. Abdoli (2000) maps the Kor and Pulvar rivers.
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
Unknown.
Age and growth
Unknown. Esmaeili and Ebrahimi (2006) give a significant length-weight relationship based on 32 fish measuring 2.94-6.32 cm standard length. The a-value was 0.0211 and the b-value 2.784 (a b-value < 3 indicating a fish that becomes less rotund as length increases and a b-value >3 indicating a fish that becomes more rotund as length increases).
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
?
Further work
?
Sources
Type material: The holotype of Cobitis persa (NMW 48567), see above.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1979-0019, 2, 28.9-33.7 mm standard length, Fars, Barm-e Baba Hajji (29º23'N, 52º40'E); CMNFI 2004-0004, ? mm standard length.
Genus Ilamnemacheilus
Coad and Nalbant, 2005
This genus is characterised by a high, laterally compressed body; large head with small eyes and mouth; anterior lip lacking an interruption in the middle; posterior lip with widened mental lobes, small round papillae covering only the mental lobes, the rest of the lips being unfurrowed; the processus dentiformes absent; lateral line complete and terminating slightly before the posterior margin of the caudal peduncle; scales small with a quite large and eccentric focus, sparsely present on the rear half of the body; stomach syphonal and intestine straight without loops; gas bladder with two encapsulated chambers united by a short encapsulated duct; paired fins very long; dorsal fin long; and caudal fin well forked.
The type species is Ilamnemacheilus longipinnis by original designation and monotypy.
Ilamnemacheilus longipinnis
Coad and Nalbant, 2005
Common names
None.
Systematics
The holotype and only known specimen is CMNFI 1979-0366 (79-966 is a lapsus), 36.0 mm standard length, Iran, Meymeh River, formerly a tributary of the Tigris River, 17 km west of Dehloran and about 21 km east of the Iraqi border, 32º45'30&"N, 47º05'30"E, 28 January 1978, B. W. Coad and S. Coad.
Key characters
Characters are those of the genus.
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 10 branched rays, anal fin with 2 unbranched and 5 branched rays, pectoral fin with 9 branched rays and pelvic fin with 5 branched rays. Total vertebrae 28 or 29 including the ural centrum (vertebral fusions present), and some centra have two neural and haemal arches. ?check vertebral counts against other loaches - very low ? fusions Other characters are listed above under the genus and Coad and Nalbant (2005) give some measurements.
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
The sole preserved specimen is a overall a pale brown with 3-4 indistinct greyish blotches in the middle of the second half of the body. All fins are pale but the caudal fin has faded greyish lines along the marginal rays. In life it was an olive-green overall with orange fins.
Size
Reaches 36.0 mm standard length.
Distribution
Endemic to Iran and found in Tigris River basin at a single locality (see above).
Zoogeography
An endemic genus in the Tigris-Euphrates basin (along with Turcinoemacheilus, not in Iran). This species may be related to an undescribed species from the Orontes River basin in Syria.
Habitat
The sample site was a small stream, 20 m wide with a maximum depth of 1 m. Altitude was 210 m. Capture depth was 30 cm in a medium current. The bottom was a mix of pebbles and mud with some encrusting algae. Water temperature was 14ºC, pH was 6.0 and conductivity was 1.65 mS. The cyprinids Cyprinion macrostomum and Garra rufa were caught with the loach.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
Known only from a single specimen, abundance and wider distribution unknown.
Further work
More collections are needed to record information on biology and distribution and provide a more detailed description.
Sources
The holotype and sole known specimen (see above).
Genus Paracobitis
Bleeker, 1863
This genus comprises about 8, comparatively large species in western Asia. The body is elongate, thick anteriorly and posteriorly compressed. The head is strongly depressed. The caudal peduncle is long, low and bears an elongate crest dorsally from the dorsal fin to the caudal fin. The caudal fin is slightly emarginate or truncate, rarely rounded. Scales are present and the lateral line is complete. The processus dentiformis is strongly developed but its notch on the lower jaw is reduced. Lips are smooth or grooved. The gut is short with a single loop. The colour pattern is variable comprising bars or irregular spotting. Males and females show no external differences.
Paracobitis boutanensis
(McClelland, 1842)
Probably described from the neighbourhood of the Bolan Pass, Helmand River drainage of Afghanistan in the Sistan basin according to Hora (1929) and Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967). No Iranian record.
Paracobitis ghazniensis
(Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967)
Described from "Ghazni, on the Ghazni River, tributary of the Ab-i-Istadah Lake, Helmand drainage; East Afghanistan" (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967). Ghazni is at 33°33'N, 68°26'E in the Sistan basin. No Iranian record.
Paracobitis iranica
Nalbant and Bianco, 1998
Common names
sagmahi-ye irani.
[Iranian loach].
Systematics
The species is named for Iran. The holotype is 79.8 mm standard length (66.0 mm standard length when measured by me) and is from "River Qom near the town of Qom" collected on 6 May 1976 by P. G. Bianco and stored in the Department of Zoology, University of Naples (IZA 7831). The locality in the jar is "Qom River near Qom (a little salt river 3.5 p.p.t.) near Qom at the bridge, 950 m, 5 June 1976", the date being at variance with the published date. Paratypes number 5 specimens, 59.0-92.0 mm standard length (IZA 7832)(only two present in 2002 visit by me), and 4 specimens, 47.0-72.0 mm standard length (Institutul Stiinte Biologice, Bucharest, ISBB uncatologued). It may be related to P. malapterura and P. longicauda but differs in colour and the larger caudal peduncle keel.
Key characters
The body is elongate with a compressed posterior region and a depressed head. The caudal peduncle is elongate and has a long dorsal adipose crest. The body is scaled. The overall colour is yellowish-white with a row of dark grey spots on the mid-back and on mid-flank. Spots extend onto the adipose crest. A row of dark irregular spots is found on the posterior part of the ventral region. The holotype has a dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 7 branched rays, an anal fin with 2 unbranched and 5 branched rays, a pectoral fin with 2 unbranched and 9 branched rays and a pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 5 branched rays.
Morphology
The dorsal fin has 7-8 branched rays (90% with 7 rays, n=9), the anal fin has 5 branched rays in all specimens examined in the type description, the pectoral fin has 9 branched rays in all specimens and the pelvic fin has 6-7 branched rays (78% with 7 rays, n=9). The lateral line is straight and extends to the caudal fin base. The body is minutely scaled with a relatively eccentric and large focal zone. The head is conical with eyes in the anterior half. The nostrils are just in front of the eyes. The mouth has a strong arch with short barbels and well-furrowed lips interrupted in the middle. The processus dentiformis is well-developed. The stomach is syphonal and the intestine straight. The gas bladder capsule has a relatively short duct.
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
The head is covered by dark grey dots and all fins have small grey dots. See also Key characters.
Size
Attains 92.0 mm standard length.
Distribution
Known only from the Qom River in the Namak Lake basin, an Iranian endemic.
Zoogeography
This species and similar ones are widely distributed in Iran, although poorly collected, and their systematics and zoogeographical relationships are unknown.
Habitat
Details are unknown. The type series was collected in a small salt river (3.5‰).
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
Population trends and numbers unknown.
Further work
More collections are needed to record information on biology and distribution.
Sources
Type material: The holotype (IZA 7831) and paratypes (IZA 7832) of Paracobitis iranica, see above.
Paracobitis longicauda
(Kessler, 1872)
Common names
sagmahi-ye kakoldar-e sharqi (= eastern crested loach).
[vostochnyi grebenchatyi golets or eastern crested loach in Russian].
Systematics
May be a subspecies or synonym of P. malapterura. Has been placed in the genus Adiposia Annandale and Hora, 1920. Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) restrict P. longicauda to basins in Central Asia (e.g. the Amu Darya) and not Iran. Cobitis longicauda was originally described from the Ak-Darya in the Zeravshan River basin of Uzbekistan and the holotype is in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg under ZISP 2686 (Eschmeyer et al., 1996).
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) place this species in Paracobitis.
Key characters
This species is distinguished from P. malapterura by distinct scales and larger size.
Morphology
Dorsal fin unbranched rays 2-3, branched rays 7, anal fin unbranched rays 2-3, branched rays 5, pectoral fin branched rays 9-10,and pelvic fin branched rays 7. Caudal fin truncate. Large fish are scaled on the flanks, dorsal crest and belly, scales being visible to the naked eye in contrast to the few scales needing a microscope to be visible in P. malapterura and in P. rhadinaea. Caudal peduncle long, about 4.5-4.6 in standard length.
Sexual dimorphism
Colour
Colour is very similar to P. malapterura with spots sometimes loop-shaped and sometimes rounded.
Size
Reaches 20.0 cm.
Distribution
Found in the Tedzhen and Murgab rivers of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and in the Aral Sea basin, and in the Tedzhen River basin of Iran.
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
Unknown.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
This species is too poorly known in terms of biology and numbers for an effective conservation assessment.
Further work
The biology of this species in Iran needs study.
Sources
Comparative material: ZISP 2686, 1, 140.8 mm standard length, ?, Samarkand (); ZISP 4482, 1, 145.7 mm standard length, Zeravshan (?); ZISP 4483, 4, 107.2- 125.8 mm standard length, ?, Zeravshan (); ZISP 4484, 8, 62.2-96.7 mm standard length, ?, Zeravshan (); ZISP 10362, 4, 31.8-112.1 mm standard length, ?, Tedzhen (); ZISP 10963, 1, 93.7 mm standard length, ?, Samarkand (); ZISP 13300-13301, 3, 93.7-157.6 mm standard length, Pul-e Khatun (?); ZISP 14510, 3, 119.4-173.4 mm standard length, ?, Samarkand (); ZISP 33105, 9, 30.4-98.6 mm standard length, ?, Ak-Darya ().
Paracobitis malapterura
(Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1846)
Common names
sagmahi-ye kakoldar-e gharbi (= western crested loach), sagmahi-ye juibari or sagmahi-e-jooibari.
[lakh in Arabic; zapadnyi grebenchatyi golets or western crested loach in Russian].
Systematics
The type locality of Cobitis malapterura is given as "Syrie" in Cuvier and Valenciennes (1846) but has not been found there since (Berg, 1948-1949); it does occur in the Tigris-Euphrates basin however (Coad, 1991b). The specimen was collected by Aucher-Éloy who visited Iran and the specimen may in fact be from there. It is possible that the type locality is in the Caspian Sea basin of Iran although Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) give the Tigris-Euphrates basin which extends though Syria for the distribution of P. malapterura malapterura. Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) places this species Paracobitis.
Cobitis longicauda Kessler, 1872 is possibly a synonym. Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) restrict P. longicauda (q.v.) to basins in Central Asia (e.g. the Amu Darya) and not Iran. Nemacheilus macmahoni Chaudhuri, 1909 has been advanced as a synonym or subspecies (Nikol'skii, 1947; Berg, 1948-1949; 1949; Banarescu and Nalbant, 1964) but see the review in Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) and below under P. rhadinaea. Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) consider fish from Sistan and the Caspian Sea basin of Iran to be P. malapterura macmahoni.
Filippi's (1865) record of Cobitis merga (Krynicki, 1840) from "fiumicelli di Sartschem e di Sainkalé" was P. malapterura; these localities being in the Safid River basin near the falling of the Zanjan River into the Qezel Owzan of Safid Rud (Berg, 1948-1949) presumably at Sarcham-e Sofla (37°07'N, 47°54'E) and possibly Sa'in Qaleh (36°18'N, 49°04'E) in the Namak Lake basin.
Two syntypes are in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris under MNHN 3962 and B.3070 (formerly MNHN 3962) (Eschmeyer et al., 1996) and measure 125-145 mm total length (Bertin and Estève, 1948).
Key characters
The colour pattern is distinctive and there is a well-developed dermal crest or adipose fin behind the dorsal fin to the caudal fin base.
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 6-8 branched rays, anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 5 branched rays, pectoral fin branched rays 10-12 (Nikol'skii (1947) gives 7-10) and pelvic fin branched rays 5-7. Caudal fin slightly emarginate. There is a well-developed dermal crest or adipose fin behind the dorsal fin to the caudal fin base. Scales are scattered on the posterior body in large fish but need magnification to be seen. The lateral line extends almost to the caudal fin. The dentiform process of the upper jaw is well-developed and fits in a lower jaw groove. The lips, especially the lower one, are strongly plicate. The eyes are small and widely spaced. Caudal peduncle short, 5.6-6.3 times in standard length. The gut is straight posteriorly.
Sexual dimorphism
The cheeks are distended in some fish and this is believed to be a sexual character.
Colour
The top and sides of the body and head are mottled or reticulated with grey and some yellowish pigment. The reticulations may be very fine, giving a more mottled appearance. The belly and lower head surface are white. The flank reticulations extend onto the caudal peduncle crest. When touching the dorsal margin of the crest, the reticulations make the crest there dark, otherwise the crest is a light creamy colour along the margin and, in some fish without reticulations reaching the margin, the whole edge is light. The lateral line is white, sometimes in marked contrast to the rest of the flank. The dorsal fin has darkly pigmented rays, sometimes broken into series of spots. The caudal fin has a series of 4-5 small spots elongated along the rays, the middle series being the blackest. The dorsal margin of the caudal fin may have 2-4 isolated spots. The pectoral fin has dark pigment along the rays or 2-3 series of small spots. The pelvic and anal fins have 1-2 series of grey spots and the pelvic fin may have only 1-2 spots. Pelvic and anal fins may be immaculate. At the front or along the base of the anal fin there is a broad pigmented band. There may be a dark, zig-zag bar at the caudal base, merging dorsally and/or ventrally with flank botches. The barbel bases are all darkly pigmented especially the second pair. The iris is silvery. Young fish have a less reticulated pattern with more blotches on the flank.
Size
Reaches 15.0 cm.
Distribution
This species is found in the Caspian Sea basin of Iran in rivers from the Safid to the Atrak including the Sardab, Haraz, Babol, Tajan, Karasu, Gorgan, etc. (Laptev, 1934; Nikol'skii, 1947; Kiabi et al., 1999; Jolodar and Abdoli, 2004). Material from the Kor River and Esfahan basins may be this species and material from the Namak Lake basin are presumably P. iranica. - ?check
Need to be checked and re-mapped?
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
This species appears to favour deeper water and stronger current than other sympatric loaches.
Age and growth
Tabiee and Abdoli (2005) found a sex ratio of 4:1 (male:female) in the Zarringol River of Golestan Province. Average total length was 59.07 mm for males and 82.42 mm for females. Condition factor was 2.6 for females and 1.97 for males. Esmaeili and Ebrahimi (2006) give a significant length-weight relationship based on 48 Iranian fish measuring 2.67-7.43 cm standard length. The a-value was 0.0126 and the b-value 2.628 (a b-value < 3 indicating a fish that becomes less rotund as length increases and a b-value >3 indicating a fish that becomes more rotund as length increases).
Food
The Zarringol fish were carnivorous with chironomids making up 65.3% of the diet.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
A Diplostomum species is recorded from the muscles of this balitorid in the Shirud of Mazandaran (Alghmandi and Dalimi Asi, 2000).
Economic importance
Kiabi et al. (1999) consider this species to be of least concern in the south Caspian Sea basin according to IUCN criteria. Criteria include medium in numbers, habitat destruction, widespread range (75% of water bodies), present in other water bodies in Iran, and present outside the Caspian Sea basin.
Conservation
Little is known of the biology and population numbers so no conservation assessment can be made.
Further work
The systematics of this species and its relatives need further study.
Sources
?check for newer species from Bianco and Nalbant
Iranian material: CMNFI 1977-0510A, 2, 74.2-81.5 mm standard length, ?; CMNFI 1979-0252, 1, 53.7 mm standard length, Markazi, jube at Baqerabad (34º55'N, 50º50'E); CMNFI 1979-0253, 1, 58.9 mm standard length, Markazi, Qareh Chay west of Baqerabad (34º52'N, 50º49'E); CMNFI 1979-0481, 1, 77.9 mm standard length, Mazandaran, stream 3 km west of Ghalahleekesh (37º18'30"N, 55º31'E); CMNFI 1979-0486, 18, 12.7-63.2 mm standard length, Mazandaran, stream in Atrak River drainage (37º44'N, 56º18'E); CMNFI 1979-0489, 2, 27.4-45.3 mm standard length, Mazandaran, stream in Atrak River drainage (37º50'N, 55º53'E); CMNFI 1980-0154, 8, 45.8-80.8 mm standard length, Markazi, Karaj River below village (35º47'N, 50º58'E); CMNFI 1980-0156, 24, 28.4-63.6 mm standard length, Markazi, Karaj River near village (35º47'N, 50º58'E); CMNFI 1980-0160, 3, 35.4-40.0 m standard length, ? CMNFI 1991-0157, 2, 70.4-73.0 mm standard length, Mazandaran, Ramian River (36º58'N, 55º07'E); CMNFI 1993-0145, 2, ? mm standard length, Mazandaran, Qareh Su (no other locality data); CMNFI 1993-0155, 2, 53.4-58.7 mm standard length, Markazi, Sharra River near Khosbijan (34º07'N, 49º23'E); CMNFI 2007-0121, 5, 45.3-98.3 mm standard length, Hamadan, Qareh Su basin north of Razan (ca. 35º25'N, ca. 49º02'E); USNM 205921-22, 6, 25.9-34.6 mm standard length, Markazi, Baragon River (ca. 36º00'N, ca. 50º50'E); BWC 95-9. Gorgan River from Kiabi 2, 83.4-83.9 mm standard length, ?
Comparative material: ZISP 25788, 1, 62.2 mm standard length, ?, Sumbar River at Aidere (?).
Paracobitis rhadinaea
(Regan, 1906)
Common names
See genus account. Fowler and Steinitz (1956) refer to a fish from Sistan known locally as mahrmahé (sic, presumably mar mahi, snake fish) and this may refer to this species which has an elongate body.
Systematics
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) and Nalbant and Bianco (1998) place this species in Paracobitis.
Nemacheilus macmahoni Chaudhuri, 1909 described from the "affluents (= delta, an error for effluents) of the Helmand" is a synonym according to Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) who refute the opinions of Nikol'skii (1947) and Berg (1948-1949; 1949) who consider macmahoni to be identical to P. malapterura. Earlier Banarescu and Nalbant (1964) placed fish from Sistan and the Caspian Sea basin of Iran as Nemacheilus malapterurus macmahoni. P. malapterura has both lips strongly furrowed, pelvic fin origin under the dorsal fin origin rather than behind, better developed scales which are also present on mid-flank, and a colour pattern of numerous oblique bands.
P. rhadinaea is distinguished from macmahoni by Annandale and Hora (1920) in having an extremely short posterior diverticulum and minute vesicle in the swimbladder, by the absence of scales, a more elongate body, smaller, narrower and less flattened head, and by differences in the profile of the body.
A syntype of Nemacheilus rhadinæus (ZSI F1240/1) is in the Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta under the name Adiposia rhadinaea and the holotype of Nemacheilus macmahoni (ZSI F1222/1) is also there under the name Adiposia macmahoni (Menon and Yazdani, 1968). Two syntypes listed as Nemacheilus rhadinaeus from "Sistan" are in the Natural History Museum, London (BM(NH) 1905.11.29:28-29, 2, 137.8-209.1 mm standard length).
A specimen in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg (ZISP 24413, 76.5 mm standard length) is from "Helmand delta, northwest of Jalalabad, Seistan, XI 1918, Indian Mus. (Dr. Hora)" according to Berg (1949) and could be a syntype of Nemacheilus macmahoni (Eschmeyer's "Catalog of Fishes", downloaded 20 May 2008). However, this taxon was described from a single specimen ? . The jar bears a label on the outside reading "N. malapterurus XI 1918 Indian Museum S. L. Hora Delta of Helmand near Jalabad" and another label reads "Adiposia macmahoni Randa stream 4 mls N.W. of Jalabad Seistan. N. Annandale coll."
Adiposia Annandale and Hora, 1920 (type species Nemachilus macmahoni Chaudhuri, 1909, and including Nemacheilus longicaudus and N. rhadinaeus according to Annandale and Hora (1920)) is a synonym of Nemacheilus or of Paracobitis.
Key characters
?
Morphology
macmahoni:- ? check The head is broad and flattened and the small eyes are dorsal. The dorsal profile is slightly convex behind the head but the dorsal and ventral profiles soon become straight and nearly parallel, or thicker in front and tapering behind the dorsal fin. Body depth 5.8 in total length. Caudal fin rounded. Oval scales are found on the posterior part of the body in adults (not in rhadinaeus in Regan (1906) and Annandale and Hora (1920)) or scales very small and deciduous all over the body. Nostrils are nearer to the eye than the snout tip. The two anterior pairs of barbels reach back to the nostril level and the posterior pair to the anterior or to middle or to the rear of the eye. The upper lip is minutely tubercular and the lower lip is widely interrupted in the middle. Scale radii are few and widely spaced, on all fields. Material identified originally as macmahoni has the pelvic origin behind that of the dorsal fin origin level, the caudal fin is slightly emarginate, the dorsal fin edge is straight, the anus is some distance in front of the anal fin, a well-developed adipose dorsal ridge runs from the dorsal fin to the caudal fin base, the lateral line is almost complete, scales are restricted to the last third of the body, being small, rounded and far apart, lips are almost smooth, and the intestine has a single loop posteriorly. The description of rhadinaeus is short. The snout is longer than the postorbital distance, body depth is 7-10 times in body length, head length 5.0-5.5 times in body length, the mouth cleft extends to below the nostrils, lower lip interrupted medially, outer rostral barbel as long as maxillary barbel reaching back to or beyond nostrils, no scales, dorsal fin origin nearer tip of snout than caudal fin base, caudal fin slightly emarginate, caudal peduncle 2.0-2.75 as long as deep, 5.0-5.3 in length of fish.
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 7 branched rays. Anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 5 branched rays. Pectoral fin branched rays 10 and pelvic fin branched rays 6-8. Scales are highly deciduous and not always present on old preserved material. The dorsal fin rounded. There is a well-developed post-dorsal fin crest and a slight ventral crest on the caudal peduncle. The pelvic fin origin lies just in front of the mid-point of the dorsal fin base. There is an adipose tissue flap at the pelvic fin base. The anterior nostril is a tube followed immediately by a horizontal slit. The bony upper jaw has a slight protuberance and the lower jaw is curved and not indented.
Meristic values for Iranian specimens including types and macmahoni are:- dorsal fin branched rays 7(33) or 8(1), anal fin branched rays 5(34), pectoral fin branched rays 9(2) or 10(32) and pelvic fin branched rays 6(2) or 7(32).
Sexual dimorphism
None reported, the pectoral fin being identical in both sexes in material identified as macmahoni (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967).
Colour
Living fish identified as macmahoni are pale olivaceous fading to silvery-white on the belly. The head and upper part of the body are irregularly spotted and darker. Some fish are pale yellowish without markings or with faint marbling. All fins are tinged a dull red, most evidently on the caudal fin, and are obscurely marked with small dark spots. There is a dark band at the caudal base. Preserved material identified originally as macmahoni is whitish with 9-21 irregular, brownish spots along the flank, other spots are present dorsally and smaller ones between the dorsal and lateral rows. There are 3 rows of minute spots on the dorsal and caudal fins and 2 rows on the pectoral fin (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967). Types of macmahoni are brown all over, darker dorsally, barbels a lighter brown, dorsal and caudal fins with darker bands, pectoral also slightly banded but anal and caudal uniform light brown. P. rhadinaea has large oblong or rounded dark spots on the back and sides, dorsal and caudal fins with small spots and red tinged, lower fins pale and immaculate although pectoral, and to a lesser extent pelvic, fins may be red tinged.
Size
Attains 28.8 cm as macmahoni.
Distribution
This species is probably restricted to the Sistan basin of Iran and presumably Afghanistan. Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) place this species in the Atrak and Safid rivers of the Caspian Sea basin, the Abkhar River of central Iran, probably most of Iran, the Helmand drainage and the Tedzhen River, evidently confusing it with P. malapterura and P. iranica. Abdoli (2000) lists as questionably from the Bejestan, Yazd and Lut basins, from the middle and lower Halil and Bampur rivers of the Hamun-e Jaz Murian basin, and from the Simish and the river to its north in the Mashkid River basin.
Zoogeography
The closest relatives of this species are P. malapterura and P. longicauda (q.v.) in Iran (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967).
Habitat
Annandale and Hora (1920) note that Adiposia macmahoni was healthy buried some inches in mud when cyprinids died in foul water above.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Stomach contents include cyprinid fish remains and mayfly larvae (Annandale, 1921).
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
Unknown.
Conservation
?
Further work
?
Sources
Type material: Syntypes of Nemacheilus rhadinæus (BM(NH) 1909.11.29:28-29), see above.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1979-0222, 11, 16.8-28.8 mm standard length, Sistan, jube 2 km south of Lutak (30º46'30"N, 61º24'E); CMNFI 1979-0223, 1, 23.9 mm standard length, Sistan, ditch 1 km south of Lutak (30º45'N, 61º24'E); CMNFI 1979-0228, 3, 55.1-119.8 mm standard length, Sistan, ditch 1 km from Zabol (31º02'30"N, 61º31'E); CMNFI 1979-0229, 3, 87.4-115.5 mm standard length, Sistan, ditch 5 km from Zabol (31º03'N, 61º33'E); CMNFI 1979-0231, 1, 22.6 mm standard length, Sistan, jube 3 km from Zabol (31º01'N, 61º32'E); CMNFI 1979-0232, 2, 82.5-95.6 mm standard length, Sistan, jube 11 km from Zabol (ca. 30º58'30"N, ca. 61º36'E); CMNFI 1979-0233, 1, 68.7 mm standard length, Sistan, ditch at Deh Vazi (ca. 30º57'N, ca. 61º38'E); CMNFI 1979-0234, 1, 85.5 mm standard length, Sistan, effluent of Hirmand River near Zahak (30º54'N, 61º40'E); CMNFI 1979-0237, 2, 17.5-25.2 mm standard length, Sistan, ditch 18 km south of Zabol (30º53'N, 61º27'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0238, 2, 23.6-27.7 mm standard length, Sistan, ditch 11 km south of Zabol (30º57'N, 61º27'30"E); BM(NH) 1920.1.20:31-34, 4, 79.6-109.5 mm standard length, Sistan, northwest of Jalalabad (no other locality data); ZISP 24413, 1, 76.5 mm standard length, Sistan, Randa stream 4 miles northwest of Jalalabad (?).
Paracobitis smithi
(Greenwood, 1976)
Dorsal view of head Ventral view of head
Common names
sagmahi-ye gharzi (= cave loach), mahi kurghar (= cave fish).
[blind loach].
Systematics
This species is named for Anthony Smith who collected the holotype. Accounts of Smith's searches for cave fishes in Iran are given in his two books (Smith, 1953; 1979). The holotype is in the Natural History Museum, London under BM(NH) 1976.6.28:1, was collected in April 1976, is apparently an immature male and is 35.5 mm standard length. Locality data is given below.
Greenwood (1976) placed this species in the catchall genus Noemacheilus (correctly Nemacheilus) pending an adequate revision of the subfamily Nemacheilinae and since little purpose would be served by erecting a new genus for a fish with such features as eyelessness and depigmentation found in common with other unrelated cave-dwelling fishes. Greenwood (1976) considers its relationship to lie with species in the subgenus or genus Paracobitis as does Nalbant and Bianco (1998).
Key characters
The only eyeless, depigmented balitorid reported from Iran.
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 7 branched rays, anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5 branched rays, pectoral fin with 10 branched rays and pelvic fin with 5-6 branched rays. In specimens seen by me dorsal fin with 7(5) branched rays, anal fin with 5(5) branched rays, pectoral fin with 10(5) branched rays and pelvic fin with 5(5) branched rays. The caudal fin is unusual in having only 14(5) branched rays. Vertebrae 37-38. check on my fish? The barbels are short with the middle pair the longest. There are no scales. The lateral line is interrupted irregularly and there are more pores on the posterior half of the body. A long adipose fin is present dorsally, most obvious in young, and a weaker ventral ridge is present. The mouth is subterminal, lips are weakly to moderately papillose, and there is a horny ridge on the dentaries and on the upper jaw. The middle pair of barbels is the longest. The internarial flap is long. Gill membranes are broadly attached to the isthmus. The gut is short with a single transverse loop.
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
A dead white with the red of blood visible as a pale pink cast and a deeper red at the gills visible through the gill cover. Small, straw-coloured fat globules are visible under the skin of formalin preserved fish over the whole head and body with concentrations in the orbits and the fin bases, particularly the dorsal and anal bases. The viscera are visible through the body wall. There is no peritoneal pigment.
Size
Attains 64.5 mm total length.
Distribution
Found only at "Kaaje-ru" above the garden "Bagh-e Loveh", "Lowa" or "Levan" (probably Loven at 33°04'N, 48°37'E) which is about 4 km from kilometre 382 on the railway from Bandar Shapur and approximately 12 km north of the railway station Tang-e Haft. The stream below the cave locality is the "Ab-e Serum" which runs into the "Ab-e Zezar" which is a tributary of the Dez River. The locality is at 33°04'38.6"N, 48°35'33.1"E in Lorestan Province. Further locality details are given in Bruun and Kaiser (1948) and under the cyprinid Iranocypris typhlops.
Zoogeography
Endemic to Iran, its relationships to other species are unknown. It shares the cave habitat with another eyeless species, Iranocypris typhlops, a member of the family Cyprinidae. This blind cave species is placed in a world-wide context by Proudlove (1997a; 1997b).
Habitat
Known only from a well-like but natural outlet of a subterranean system. The outlet overflows to form a small stream from January to May (Smith, 1979) during the snow-melt period in the Zagros Mountains but in April to June this flow ceases (the precise timing of flow and its cessation is estimated from villager's comments and scientific visits and also varies with precipitation). The well area is about 5 by 3 m and gradually decreases as the year progresses. Divers descended to a depth of 60 feet (= 18.3 m) in 1977 in the "well" until the resurgence narrowed (Farr, 1977). A rope was let down by R. Mehrani (pers. comm., 2000) and reached 23 m before the rope ran out and yet it was not at the bottom. Smith (1979) reports divers descending to 60-70 feet (18.3- 21.3 m). The pool shelves deeply under the cliff rearwards but the whole pool surface is exposed to light. There is no vegetation in the pool except for some encrusting algae on the rocky sides. The shale fragments forming the outermost floor of the pool have a thin layer of mud on them which may contain algae.
It seems probable that a complex of flooded but narrow and inaccessible passages is the habitat of this species and the well is merely the surface manifestation of this complex (Bruun and Kaiser, 1948; Smith, 1978; Banister, 1992). There is a smaller pool (about 2 m across narrowing rapidly inside) and flowing exit stream lower down the gorge, about 50 m away from the main locality, where an Iranocypris typhlops was seen but not caught in December 2000 (Smith (1979) also tentatively reports sighting a fish here). This is assumed to be evidence of the interconnectivity of subterranean passages. The main pool was not flowing at this time. The stream from the smaller pool increases in flow downstream, possibly tapping more groundwater, and eventually has a moderate flow. No fish were seen in it. The stream falls over a high waterfall (estimated at 10-15 m high by Smith (1979) which seems about right) so the well localities are isolated from the local fishes in the main river. The main river houses Garra rufa and Nemacheilus species s.l.. The stream shows evidence of recent higher flow which tends to confirm overflow from the main well.
Sampling in December 2000 recorded a water temperature of 18.5°C, pH 7.5 and a conductivity of 334 µS. Photographs of the habitat can be seen under the account of Iranocypris typhlops (Cyprinidae).
A captive specimen attempted to climb out of a glass tank, almost its whole body being out of the water before it slid back. It did not hide from or react to light and spent most of the time resting on the tank bottom, moving along the bottom or more often swimming actively around the tank (Greenwood, 1976).
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown but a captive specimen was fed on mosquito larvae.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown but there are probably no predators in the cave environment.
Economic importance
Robins et al. (1991) list this species as important to North Americans. Importance is based on its use in textbooks.
Conservation
A fine of 10,000 rials is imposed specifically for illegal fishing of this species (Anonymous, 1977-1978), more recently 100,000 rials (N. Najfpour pers. comm., 2008). It is on the IUCN 1994 Red List of Threatened Animals as one of two rare fish species from Iran (see also Iranocypris typhlops) and is on the 2000 IUCN Red List as VU D2 (Vulnerable, acute restriction in its area of occupancy, also on subsequent Red Lists; see also Proudlove (2001)). Coad (2000a), using 18 criteria, found this species to be one of the top 4 threatened species of freshwater fishes in Iran.
B. Sandford (in litt., 1979) considered this fish to be endangered. The cave appeared to be a recently collapsed system and the network of fissures could be quite small. Coupled with recent collecting the number of extant specimens may be quite low.
This species is much rarer than the co-occurring Iranocypris typhlops, by at least an order of magnitude. Including the holotype, about 14 specimens are known to have been collected (see below; plus 2 in Muze-ye Melli-ye Tarikh-e Tabi'i, Tehran (MMTT 1227-1228) and 6 collected by students of A. Abdoli, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran in 2001).
Further work
?
Sources
Type material: Holotype of Noemacheilus smithi (BM(NH) 1976.6.28:1), see above.
Iranian material: CMNFI 2007-0123, 5, 24.1-52.9 mm standard length, type locality, 28 January 1977.
Further information on the habitat is in the account of Iranocypris typhlops.
Paracobitis vignai
Nalbant and Bianco, 1998
Common names
sagmahi-ye Sistan.
[Sistan loach].
Systematics
The species is named for Professor Augusto Vigna Taglianti, La Sapienza University, Rome. The holotype is 89.0 mm standard length (86.5 mm standard length when measured by me) collected from "Nahr Taheri, Zabol, Seistan" on 9 October 1977 by A. Vigna and is deposited in the (Department of Zoology, University of Naples (IZA 7838). Paratypes are from the same locality and number 24 specimens, 35.0-78.0 mm standard length (IZA 7839) and 7 specimens, 44.0-49.0 mm standard length (Institutul Stiinte Biologice, Bucharest, ISBB uncatalogued). One specimen is in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH 40946), presumably a paratype from one of the preceding series. CMN fish?
Key characters
This species is scaleless and has a deeply forked caudal fin. The dorsal adipose crest or keel on the caudal peduncle is well-developed. The anus is placed well anterior to the anal fin origin. The dorsal fin has 3 unbranched and 7 branched rays, the anal fin has 2 unbranched and 5 branched rays, the pectoral fin has 1 unbranched and 9 branched rays and the pelvic fin has 1 unbranched and 7 branched rays.
Morphology
Dorsal fin branched rays 6-8 (80% with 7 rays in original description, n = 20), anal fin with 5-6 branched rays (95% with 5 rays), pectoral fin with 8-10 branched rays (85% with 9 rays) and pelvic fin with 6-7 branched rays (95% with 7 branched rays). The lateral line extends to the base of the caudal fin. The body is slender and compressed, particularly posteriorly. The head is long and the eyes are small. The dorsal fin origin is at mid-body (snout tip to caudal fin base). The mouth is arched with strongly furrowed lips that have few papillae. Mental lobes are reduced. The stomach is syphonal and the intestine is straight. The gas bladder capsule has globular chambers and a short duct.
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
The head and body are greyish, lighter ventrally. Dark spots along the back and flank may be occasionally fused. Fine spots are scattered in a reticulated pattern on the body. The dorsal and caudal fins have dots in rows while other fins are colourless. The caudal fin base has a distinct blackish bar.
Size
Reaches 89.0 mm standard length.
Distribution
Endemic to Sistan.
Zoogeography
Nalbant and Bianco (1998) consider this species to be an epigean form of the blind cave fish P. smithi. The differences are in head shape and mouth and lip morphology, apart from the eyes and pigment loss typical of ipogean P. smithi.
Habitat
Details are unknown.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
Population trends and numbers unknown.
Further work
More collections are needed to record information on biology and distribution.
Sources
Type material: The holotype ((IZA 7838)) and paratypes (IZA 7839) of Paracobitis vignai, see above. + ?CMNFI paratypes
Genus Schistura
McClelland, 1838
Schistura alta
Nalbant and Bianco, 1998
Described from "Afghanistan, Kajkai, Helmand river drainage, north east of Girisk". No Iranian record.
Schistura baluchiorum
(Zugmayer, 1912)
Possibly a synonym of S. bampurensis. The type locality is Panjgur on the Rakhshan River of the Hamun-i Mashkel basin in Pakistani Baluchistan and it is also recorded from Afghanistan in the Helmand River drainage. A cotype is in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien under NMW 19851 and is 46.0 mm standard length. Not recorded from Iran by specimens although Abdoli (2000) reports it from the Simish River and a river just north of it, both in the Mashkel basin.
Schistura bampurensis
(Nikol'skii, 1899)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Bampur.
[Bampur loach]
Systematics
Publication date is given as 1900 in Berg (1949) and Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967). This may be correct if the volume appeared late as the volume of the publication is for the year 1899; but note that a footnote and the plate both bear the year 1899.
Nemacheilus baluchiorum Zugmayer, 1912 is possibly a synonym (Berg (1949) places this species in synonymy with Nemacheilus montanus - see below). Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) and Nalbant and Bianco (1998) place S. bampurensis in the subgenus or genus Schistura.? read description carefully and comment
Berg (1949) placed S. bampurensis in Nemacheilus montanus (McClelland, 1839) but Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) recognise bampurensis as distinct on its incomplete lateral line, focal zone of scales larger, dorsal fin positioned more anteriorly, deeper body, and colour pattern without regular bands (Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967: fig 12) for three pattern varieties). Observations were made by me on the faded syntypes of N. montanus from Simla, 62.8-68.7 mm standard length (BM(NH) 1860.3.19:118-119) as well as ZISP 8298, 9 specimens 25.3-51.1 mm standard length. Additional characters which distinguish bampurensis and montanus are as follows. The preorbital process is very strongly developed in N. montanus, being almost as deep as the eye and extending almost an eye length below the lower orbit margin, extending almost twice the distance of the process in bampurensis types and being less curved and close under the eye. N. montanus has a slight but obvious keel on the back before the caudal fin while bampurensis are humped there but usually not keeled. The caudal fin is dark at the base in montanus, not so in bampurensis or not as solid, wide and dark. The flank bars are oblique with the top forward in contrast to bampurensis, and are less numerous than in bampurensis (5-10 versus 11-22 total, from under dorsal fin insertion to caudal fin but excluding any caudal fin base bar). N. montanus types have faded bars but are clearly fewer.
The syntypes of Nemacheilus bampurensis are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg under catalogue numbers ZISP 11698 and 11699 at the localities, dates and number of specimens in Latin as follows respectively:- "Kjagur prope urb. Bazman. 4. VII (6)" and "Kaskin prope urb. Bazman. 6.VII (4)" (Nikol'skii, 1899). Berg (1949) gives both these localities as between Bazman and Bampur. However, ZISP 11698 comprises 9 specimens, 35.1-44.6 mm standard length and ZISP 11699 comprises 4 specimens not listed as types on the jar, 36.8-44.5 mm standard length.
Key characters
The male has a characteristic, moveable protuberance directed downward on the preorbital bone at the antero-ventral corner of the eye. It lies close to the eye, extends slightly below the lower orbit, and curves partly around the orbit.
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 6-7 branched rays, anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 4-5 branched rays. Pelvic fin branched rays 6-7. Lateral line incomplete, ending in front of the dorsal fin level. Scales well-developed but the anterior third to a quarter of the body is scaleless. The posterior nostril is ovoid, slanting postero-dorsally. Barbels are large and the third pair is usually the largest although in some fish the second pair is the largest (Saadati, 1977). The lower lip is divided, lips are corrugated, and the upper jaw process is rounded, overlapping the lower one. There is a fleshy pelvic axillary process. Caudal fin slightly emarginate.
The type series (ZISP 11698) has dorsal fin branched rays 6(3) or 7(6); anal fin branched rays 4(1) or 5(8); pectoral fin branched rays 9(8) or 10(1); pelvic fin branched rays 6(2) or 7(7); and flank bars 14(2), 15(3), 17(1), 19(2) or 22(1).
Meristic counts for Iranian material:- Dorsal fin branched rays 6(3) or 7(73), anal fin branched rays 4(1) or usually 5, pectoral fin branched rays 8(2), 9(59) or 10 (10), pelvic fin branched rays 6(7), 7(51) or 8(2), and flank bars 10(1), 11(7), 12(6), 13(12), 14(6), 15(8), 16(3), 17(1), 18(2), 19(2) and 22(1).
Sexual dimorphism
See above under Key characters. Males also have tubercles on the pectoral fin rays and on the operculum (see figure in Berg (1949)). The first branched pectoral fin ray is greatly expanded, 2-3 times broader than the second ray, which itself may be expanded a little.
Colour
Body yellowish to a light olive-green with 9-18 dark, brownish or chestnut-brown bands. The caudal fin has 3-4 dark wavy bars and a bar at its base, the dorsal fin 2-3 dark bars and a black spot at the anterior fin base. Fins are a light orange or pinkish, particularly the caudal fin.
Size
Reaches 5.3 cm.
Distribution
Berg (1949) and Abdoli (2000) record this species from the Lut basin without specific localities, questionably from the Tigris River basin (presumably based on Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967), see below), the middle and lower Bampur and Halil rivers of the Jaz Murian basin, and the Sarbaz and Nikshahr rivers of the eastern Makran.
Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) report this species from Shapur, 12 km north of Kazerun and from Shah Bazan on a tributary of the Ab-i-Diz, and "probably most of Iran". This seemed inherently unlikely as the type locality is in Baluchestan and the material was later described as a new species, S. nielseni q.v.
Zoogeography
See family account.
Habitat
Unknown.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
A female measuring 4.8 cm and caught in late February carried fairly well-developed eggs (Berg, 1949).
Parasites and predators
Unknown.
Econmic importance
None.
Conservation
This species is reported from several localities in Baluchestan, including those remote from human influence, and does not seem to be in any danger.
Further work
The biology of this species needs to be studied.
Sources
Type material: Syntypes of Nemacheilus bampurensis (ZISP 11698 and 11699), see above.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1979-0312, 14, 24.9-41.5 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Bampur River 8 km west of Iranshahr (27º11'N, 60º36'E); CMNFI 1979-0313, 5, 31.1-39.9 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Bampur River at Bangharabad (27º20'N, 60º46'E); CMNFI 1979-0315, 17, 20.0-44.8 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Bampur River 2 km north of Karevandar (27º51'N, 60º46'E); CMNFI 1979-0317, 28, 19.9-45.8 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Sarbaz River at Bondan (26º35'N, 61º13'E); CMNFI 1979-0318, 1, 23.8 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Sarbaz River at Huvar (26º09'N, 61º27'E); CMNFI 1979-0323, 5, 20.7-31.4 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Sarbaz River (ca. 26º26'N, ca. 61º16'E); CMNFI 1979-0326, 12, 19.3-35.0 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream in Oghin River drainage (ca. 26º35'N, ca. 60º02'E); CMNFI 1979-0327, 10, 21.2-37.4 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream in Nikshahr River drainage (26º32'N, 59º57'E); CMNFI 1979-0329, 14, 21.1-33.4 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream at Zaminbandan (27º02'N, 61º20'E); CMNFI 2007-0045, 6, ? mm standard length, Kerman, Kharan River drainage at Baft (29º14'N, 56º38'E)checkID
Schistura chrysicristinae
Nalbant, 1998
Described from the Tigris River basin in Turkey but no Iranian record.
Schistura cristata
(Berg, 1898)
Common names
sagmahi-ye Torkomani or Turkmeny (= Turkmenian crested loach), sagmahi-ye kakoldar-e Torkomani.
[Turkmenskii grebenchatyi golets or Turkmenian crested loach in Russian].
Systematics
This species was described under Nemacheilus in Latin from "Habitat in flum. Tedschent, prope Aschabad, in provincia Transcaspica". The type locality is presumably the Tedzhen River in Turkmenistan although Ashkhabad is not on the Tedzhen River. Berg (1948-1949) notes "not in the Tedzhen!". Syntypes are reported to be in the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University (MMSU) by Eschmeyer et al. (1996).
Placed in the taxon Paracobitis by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) and later in Schistura by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) and by Nalbant and Bianco (1998).
Key characters
The dorsal fin branched ray count of 8 distinguishes this crested loach from other crested loaches in northeast Iran and adjacent regions. In addition the crest, or adipose fin, is shorter and thicker than in P. malapterura.
Morphology
Dorsal fin unbranched rays 2-6 (assumed to be usually 3) and branched rays 7-9, modally 8, anal fin unbranched rays 2-4, usually 3, and branched rays 5, pectoral fin branched rays 8-11, usually 9-10, and pelvic rays 6-8, usually 7. The dorsal fin origin lies midway between the snout tip and caudal base or nearer the caudal base. There is a fleshy pelvic axillary process. Caudal fin slightly emarginate in Turkmenistan but Hari Rud fish have a conspicuous fork. The two lobes of the caudal fin may be equal or either may be longer. The lobes are pointed or rounded. The dorsal adipose fin or crest begins shortly in front of the anal fin origin level and reaches the root of the caudal fin. There is a small gap between the dorsal fin insertion and the origin of the crest, and the depressed dorsal fin partially occupies this gap and the slight rise of the crest origin. It is strongly developed, high and thick. Large fish have scales posteriorly on the body. Scales are small, oblong and widely separated. Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) did not find scales on fish from the Harirud (confirmed for these fish (ZMUC P 2798, 2799, 27100, a fourth specimen P 2797 is lost; these catalogue numbers corrected from Bănărescu and Nalbant (1967) where incorrect; 63.1-68.3 mm standard length) from Obeh, Afghanistan; and not found on 3 fish, 38.1-60.9 mm standard length from Sarakhs on the Hari Rud) and this population may be distinct. The lateral line extends nearly to the caudal base. Caudal peduncle short, 5-6 times in standard length (6.1-6.9 for 3 Iranian fish, 38.1-60.9 mm standard length). Lips are thick and furrowed, the upper lip with a slight median gap and the lower lip widely interrupted. The dentiform process on the upper jaw is weakly developed. The anterior nostril has a large flap developed posteriorly and postero-dorsally. Large fish have bulging cheeks. The posterior part of the intestine is straight (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1967) or with a single loop (Bănărescu and Nalbant, 1995).
Meristics for Iranian specimens:- dorsal fin branched rays 8(4), anal fin branched rays 5(4), pectoral fin branched rays 9(2), 10(1) or 11(1); and pelvic fin branched rays 7(4).
Sexual dimorphism
Unknown.
Colour
Somewhat similar to P. malapterura but with a dark spot at the anterior base of the dorsal fin, on the unbranched and first branched rays. A similar spot may be pre