Species Accounts - Cyprinidae - Garra
Genus Garra
Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822
The genus Garra is found throughout Southwest Asia and from Africa to southeast Asia. There are about 73 species and 4 are recognised from Iran. The genera Discognathus Heckel, 1843 and Discognathichthys Bleeker, 1859 are synonyms. Hora (1921) presents anatomical arguments for including Discognathus in Garra.
This genus is characterised by a small to moderate-sized body, elongate and almost cylindrical, a rounded snout with the mouth inferior and crescent-shaped, the lower jaw has a horny edge, the upper lip is usually fringed and continuous with the snout, the lower lip and chin area modified into a suctorial disc with free posterior margin (in Iran, elsewhere a some have a callous pad (Stiassny and Getahun, 2007) and the smallest specimens lack full disc development), the anterior disc margin free or adherent (species with the latter condition were placed in a separate genus, Discognathus or Discognathichthys), 1 or 2 pairs of short barbels (species with the former condition were placed in a separate genus, Discognathus or Discognathichthys), vomero-palatine organ vestigial or regressed, eyes small, usually large scales, lateral line complete, small dorsal and anal fins without thickened rays, pectoral and pelvic fins placed horizontally on the body, first two or more pectoral fin rays prominent and often unbranched, pharyngeal teeth in 3 rows (typically 2,4,5-5,4,2) with hook-shaped tips and spoon-shaped crowns, vent may be midway between pelvic and anal fin bases or nearer the latter, elongate and coiled gut, a black peritoneum, and 2n=50.
The Farsi common name used generally for these fishes is gel cheragh (= mud-eater, mud-grazer), سنگ ليس (sang lis) and ماهي سنگي (mahi sangi), not repeated in each species account.
These fishes are found in mountains streams and other flowing waters, maintaining position with their suctorial disc, reduced swimbladder, flattened belly and large, splayed and horizontal paired fins. Also known to occur in slow-moving or stagnant waters. They scrape algae from rocks. These are oily fishes which are eaten in India (Hora, 1956).
Menon (1954) considers that the members of this genus spread westwards along the Himalayas as late as the early Pleistocene. Kosswig (1952) indicates their presence in the Araxes (= Aras) of Turkey but this seems to an error.
Garra persica
Berg, 1913
Common names
See under genus account.
Systematics
This species is recognised only as a subspecies of Garra rufa by Bianco and Banarescu (1982) while Menon (1964) and Karaman (1971) synonymise it with Garra rufa.
The syntype specimens are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg under catalogue numbers ZISP 11707 (6 specimens from the "River Bampur in Eastern Persia. N. Zarudnyi 1898, 15-27.VII") and 11706 (1 specimen from "Kiabad in Zirkuh (Eastern Khorassan). N. Zarudnyi 1898, 3.V") according to Berg (1913) where the original description is founded on these fish, implying all are types. The latter is also given as "settlement Kiabad between Zirkuh province and Sistan" in the catalogue (this locality may be at or near Kuh-e Ziri at 32°48'N, 59°50'E according to Coad (1981d)). These dates are old style and corrected to new in Berg (1949) (27.VII-8.VIII and 15.V respectively). In St. Petersburg under ZISP 11707 there are 10 fish 24.0-46.5 mm standard length and ZISP 11706 is not listed as a type in the catalogue nor in Berg (1949). Berg (1949) lists 10 fish in 11707 too. These specimens were formerly identified as Discognathus lamta by Nikol'skii (1899) who lists 1 fish in 11706 and 6 in 11707. Three syntypes are in the Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta (ZSI F11101/1) listed under Garra rufa obtusa and received from the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia on exchange (Menon and Yazdani, 1968). There are more apparent types available than those listed by Berg (1913).
Key characters
Two pairs of barbels are present, the adhesive disc is well developed with a free posterior margin, the dorsal fin has 7 branched rays, and the caudal fin modally 16 branched rays. The caudal fin ray count is unique in cyprinids from Iran and very rare elsewhere. Almost all cyprinids show a strong mode of 17 branched caudal fin rays.
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 4 unbranched and 6-8 branched rays, anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 4-6 branched rays, branched pectoral fin rays 12-16, pelvic fin branched rays 6-8, caudal fin branched rays number 15-17 with a strong mode at 16, lateral line scales 28-38, total gill rakers 15-22 with lower counts in smaller fish, pharyngeal teeth usually 2,4,5-5,4,2, and total vertebrae 34-35.
Scales are regularly arranged and only lacking on the anterior isthmus in some fish. A pelvic axillary scale is present but is not always well-developed. Scales have numerous radii on all fields with the focus broken up into a network of lines. There are 4 short barbels. Upper lip well-developed, the rostral fold weakly fringed. The adhesive disc and rostral fold are greatly papillose although the disc centre is not as papillose as the margins. The gut is very elongate and greatly coiled.
Counts for 12 Iranian topotypic specimens from the Bampur River are as follows:- dorsal fin with 4(12) unbranched and 7(12) branched rays; anal fin with 3(12) unbranched and 4(3) or 5(9) branched rays; branched pectoral fin rays 12(1), 13(6) or 14(4); caudal fin branched rays number 15(1), 16(8) or 17(1) in the type series and 15(1), 16(10) or 17(1) in topotypes; lateral line scales 29(2), 30(1), 31(1), 32(2), 33(2), 34(2) or 35(2); total gill rakers 15(6); pharyngeal teeth 2,4,5-5,4,2(5); and total vertebrae 34(9) or 35(3).
Meristic values for topotypes and other material: dorsal fin branched rays 6(3), 7(115) or 8(4); anal fin branched rays 4(5) or 5(118); branched pectoral fin rays 12(8), 13(40), 14(49), 15(20) or 16(5); branched pelvic fin rays 6(9), 7(100) or 8(13); caudal fin branched rays number 15(10), 16(113) or 17(9); lateral line scales 28(1), 29(5), 30(5), 31(77), 32(18), 33(28), 34(20), 35(22), 36(11), 37(4) or 38(2); total gill rakers 15(16), 16(13), 17(18), 18(17), 19(11), 20(4) or 21(2); pharyngeal teeth 2,4,5-5,4,2(5); and total vertebrae 32(4), 33(44), 34(34) or 35(4).
Sexual dimorphism
Males develop numerous breeding tubercles around the snout, between the nostril and the eye and between the nostrils. There is a transverse depression anterior to the nostrils on the snout. A postspawning individual from the Hormozgan basin measuring 148.7 mm SL has small tubercles under the eye running forward onto the snout as a band, the most evident tuberculation. The swollen snout tip bears no tubercles. The top of the head has tubercles but these are smaller and sparser than the band under the eye. Scattered large tubercles are present on the gill cover. Evident tubercles line the dorsal, anal, caudal and pectoral fin rays (pelvic fins not present on specimen), the largest being those on the anal fin.
Colour
The back and flanks are an orange-brown to golden-brown. There is a blue spot on the flank near the postero-dorsal edge of the operculum (dark black in preserved fish). The dorsal fin bears elongate blotches on the posterior half of each fin membrane, usually fading distally, but in some fish occupying the whole membrane. Proximally there is a gap between these blotches and 3-5 bars which originate at the posterior edge of the base of branched ray three and succeeding rays, and extend distally across the ray and then along the ray and the membrane to the gap. These bars are much more heavily pigmented than the dorsal blotches. There is a bluish tinge or spot around the pectoral fin base, sometimes developed as a bar along the edge of the gill cleft, becoming dark blue dorsally. There is a dark bar or a roundish, poorly-delimited spot on the caudal peduncle at the base of the caudal fin. Fins are generally pink to light orange. The caudal fin pigmentation is individually variable. Some are blotched irregularly on both rays and membranes, in others there is a trace of a band in mid-fin extending from the dorsal to the ventral margin following the posterior outline of the fin, while others have pigment heavily concentrated only in the mid-fin clear of the margins. The pelvic fin has little or no pigment and the anal fin has a very few irregular light blotches on both rays and membranes. The pectoral fin is pigmented near the dorsal base with some pigment on anterior rays and membranes. In live fish the paired fins are a light orange and other fins show less marked orange tinges. The peritoneum is black.
Size
Attains 7.5 cm total length (Berg, 1913).
Distribution
This species is found in the Hormozgan, Makran and Jaz Murian basins and possibly the Sistan and Yazd basins (Bianco and Banarescu, 1982; Abdoli, 2000).
Zoogeography
The species of the genus Garra are thought by Menon (1964) to have colonised Iran from a centre of origin in southern China by a series of "waves". The earliest wave arrived in the Miocene and is represented in Iran today by the species rossica and variabilis, characterised by the primitive condition of a weakly-developed adhesive disc without a free posterior border, the posterior chamber of the swimbladder is cylindrical and well-developed, there is no proboscis on the snout and the vent is close to the anal fin. A second wave is represented in Iran by rufa (and by implication persica) characterised by a well-developed disc and a tuberculated snout marked off by a transverse groove. There were 6 "waves" all told but only the first two are relevant to Iran. Karaman (1971) criticises this complex interpretation on two grounds. He maintains that it is unlikely that fishes would immigrate from southern China to Iran but leave no extant forms between these two remote places and that the species assigned to the various waves show no characteristics which would make them more adaptive and capable of replacing earlier wave members. The characters of rossica and variabilis (one pair of barbels, weak disc, reduced squamation) could equally be loss characters and a more recent specialisation rather than the primitive condition.
Habitat
Kiabi and Abdoli (2000) found this species to have the widest altitudinal range in Hormozgan Province.
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
None reported from Iran.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
This species is widely distributed in various smaller water bodies in eastern Iran and does not appear to be under threat.
Further work
The biology of this species remains unknown and would repay study. It is a significant component of a variety of water bodies.
Sources
Type material: See above, ZISP 11707 and 11706.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1979-0138, 1, 25.7 mm standard length, Fars-Hormozgan, Rasul River drainage (ca. 27º32'N, ca. 54º58'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0139, 1, 30.6 mm standard length, Fars-Hormozgan, Rasul River drainage (ca. 27º25'30"N, ca. 54º59'E); CMNFI 1979-0144, 1, 27.3 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Minab River at Minab (27º09'30"N, 57º04'E); CMNFI 1979-0145, 4, 14.8-25.4 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Geru River drainage (26º55'N, 57º01'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0149, 7, 29.0-49.4 mm standard length, Hormozgan, stream north of Bandar Abbas (27º36'N, 56º14'E); CMNFI 1979-0152, 1, 62.2 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Shur River drainage (28º09'N, 55º43'E); CMNFI 1979-0178, 23, 25.1-66.9 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Sarzeh River draiange (27º36'N, 56º15'E); CMNFI 1979-0180, 1, 42.7 mm standard length, Hormozgan, stream 3 km east of Essin (27º19'N, 56º17'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0181, 1, 44.0 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Kul River drainage (27º17'30"N, 56º03'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0186, 8, 30.2-64.6 mm standard length, Hormozgan, stream and pools at Sar Khun (ca. 27º24'30"N, ca. 56º25'E); CMNFI 1979-0187, 9, 32.1-57.9 mm standard length, Hormozgan, stream and pools at Sar Khun (ca. 27º23'30"N, ca. 56º26'E); CMNFI 1979-0312, 10, 26.6-35.6 mm standard length, Baluchestan, dam on Bampur River (27º11'N, 60º46'E); CMNFI 1979-0315, 1, 23.8 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Bampur River 2 km north of Karevandar (27º51'N, 60º46'E); CMNFI 1979-0324, 1, 29.6 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Bampur River at Sa'idabad (27º11'N, 60º22'E); CMNFI 1979-0329, 2, 25.4-30.8 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream at Zaminbandan (27º02'N, 61º20'E); CMNFI 1979-0411, 1, 60.4 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Minab River (27º24'N, 57º12'E); CMNFI 1979-0412, 9, 22.9-39.3 mm standard length, Hormozgan, spring at Saras (27º30'N, 57º34'E); CMNFI 1979-0416, 39, 15.1-46.8 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Ab Garm-e Ganow (ca. 27º26'N, ca. 56º20'E); CMNFI 2007-0051, 10, 29.5-43.7 mm standard length, Hormozgan, upper Kol River basin (28º19'N, 55º55'E); CMNFI 2007-0055, 5, 30.9-44.6 mm standard length, Hormozgan, Minab River basin (27º47'N, 57º12'E); CMNFI 2007-0056, 2, 32.1-54.2 mm standard length, Kerman, qanat at Kahnuj (27º58'N, 57º45'E); CMNFI 2007-0058, 7, 36.7-51.7 mm standard length, Fars, headwaters of Gowdar River (ca. 27º24'N, ca. 54º16'E).
Garra rossica
(Nikol'skii, 1900)
Common names
mahi-e sangi, mahi-e sang lis, anjarak.
[diskognat in Russian; pathar chat or patherchatta in Pakistan].
Systematics
Discognathus phryne Annandale, 1919 described "from Seistan" is a synonym. Menon and Yazdani (1968) give Nasratabad, Seistan as the type locality. G. rossica has been placed in the genera Discognathus Heckel, 1843 and Discognathichthys Bleeker, 1859, here considered to be synonyms.
Discognathus rossicus var. nudiventris Berg, 1905 was described from "Schiwar" in Iran for specimens with a naked abdomen, thoracic region and groove on the back anteriorly. The distribution of these specimens overlaps with that of the type form and they are not given independent taxonomic recognition here. Berg (1949) later placed them as an infraspecies.
The syntypes of Discognathus rossicus are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg (ZISP 10365), the type locality in Latin on page 239 being "Flum. Tedschent in prov. Transcasp. Zarudnyi. 1892 (4)" while on p. 240 are the localities "Habitat in flumine Tedshent in provincia Transcaspiensi, nec noc in Persia orientale ad Kirmanum orientale" (Nikol'skii, 1900), and confirmed by me. However there were 3 fish in the jar (45.0-54.5 mm standard length) although 4 are listed in the catalogue and in the type description. Berg (1905) lists 3 fish but in Berg (1949) lists only 2. Other materials listed by Nikol'skii (1900) from eastern Iran and Kerman (ZISP 11113, 11703, 11704, 11705, 11708) are apparently not types of rossicus although Berg (1949) indicates that 11704 ("Neizar in Seistano") and 11705 ("Ljabeab in Seistano") are part of the type series from Iran. Eschmeyer et al. (1996) also list ZIL (= ZISP) 10665 (4) as part of the type series, perhaps a misprint for ZISP 10365.
The types for the var. nudiventris are in ZISP 11113, listed by Berg (1905) as 2 fish from Schivar, by Berg (1949) as being 4 fish, not numbered in the ZISP catalogue and with 5 fish in the jar (45.6-66.2 mm standard length). ZISP 11113 appears to have been renumbered in part as 11703 and 11708 according to Berg (1949). ZISP 11708 is listed in Berg (1949) as 13 specimens and 11703 seems to be also 13 specimens. The type localities for var. nudiventris are for ZISP 11113 "Shivar, north of Nikh (Nekh), north-east Kerman, basin of L. Hamun, 23 VI 1896, N. Zarudnyi", for ZISP 11708 "Podaghi, 28°08'N, north-north-east of Bazman, eastern Kerman, 6 VII 1898, N. Zarudnyi" and 11703 is probably "Neizar in Seistan, N. Zarudnyi" according to Berg (1949) (the catalogue number 11703 does not appear under the description of materials in Berg (1949), possibly omitted in error, and it is deduced here that it should have preceded the locality cited). This is not critical as the variety or infraspecies has no taxonomic status.
The holotype of Discognathus phryne is in the Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta (ZSI F9787/1) (Annandale, 1919b; Menon and Yazdani, 1968), a syntype (listed as a cotype) measuring 42.2 mm standard length from "Baluchistan" with the annotation "Ind. Mus. Ex. F 9789/1" is in the Natural History Museum, London (BM(NH) 1919.8.16:1) with another syntype (cotype) from "Quetta" measuring 32.2 mm standard length with the annotation "Ind. Mus. Ex. F 9790/1" (BM(NH) 1919.8.16:2).
Key characters
The single pair of small maxillary barbels (sometimes an anterior pair), absence of a free anterior margin to a weakly developed adhesive disc on the lower head surface, gill raker count, and distribution distinguishes this species. It is separated from the closely related, but geographically separated G. variabilis by smaller size, head length longer than caudal peduncle length, head length equal to or longer than pectoral fin length, distinctly emarginate caudal fin, and dorsal fin origin mid-way between snout tip and caudal fin base or closer to caudal fin base (Berg, 1949).
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 6-7, usually 7, branched rays, anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 5 branched rays, pectoral fin with 11-16 branched rays and pelvic fin with 7-8 branched rays. Lateral line scales 33-46. The mid-line of the back, and the chest and belly are naked in some populations. Some fish have only 3-4 rows of scales below the lateral line and this character is extremely variable (Berg, 1949). Scales are a vertical ovoid with an anterior or subcentral anterior focus. The posterior scale margin is rounded and elongate, the dorsal and ventral margins are rounded and merge into the posterior margin and the anterior margin has slight indentations above and below a shallow, rounded central protuberance. However some scales may be squarish with rounded corners and scale shape can be very variable. Circuli are fine. Radii are found on all fields, moderate to very numerous although this is individually variable. A pelvic axillary scale may be present or absent. Gill rakers on the lower arm 9-11, 10-12 total (but see below), almost reaching the adjacent raker when appressed. Pharyngeal teeth 2,4,5-5,4,2, 3,4,5-5,4,3, 2,4,5-5,4,3, 3,4,5-5,4,2, 2,4,5-5,3,2, 2,4,5-5,4,1, 2,4,4-4,4,2, 2,3,5-5,3,2 or 1,3,5-5,3,1. Teeth are conical to flattened with oblique but flattened crown which is slightly concave. Rarely crowns are blade-like and lack the flattened crown. Specimens from the Hari River basin have scales on the thorax and ridge of the back in front of the dorsal fin while those from Sistan lack scales in these areas (Annandale and Hora, 1920; Saadati, 1977). The anterior pair of barbels are usually absent but may be present and minute or even moderately well-developed. Some fish may lack barbels entirely. The gut is very elongate and coiled.
Meristics for Iranian specimens:- dorsal fin branched rays 6(5) or 7(54); anal fin branched rays 5(59); pectoral fin branched rays 11(2), 12(14), 13(14), 14(15), 15(8) or 16(4); pelvic fin branched rays 7(39) or 8(14); lateral line scales 34(3), 35(6), 36(17), 37(10), 38(4), 39(7), 40(1), 43(1), 44(1), 45(1) or 46(1); total gill rakers 11(7), 12(18), 13(18), 14(9), 15(3) or 16(2); pharyngeal teeth 2,4,5-5,4,2 (15), 2,4,5-5,3,2(2), 2,4,5-5,4,1(1), 3,4,5-5,4,2(1) or 2,4,5-5,4,3(1); and total vertebrae 34(11), 35(37) or 36(11).
Sexual dimorphism
Males in spawning condition bear small but evident tubercles on the operculum and the head above the operculum, fine tubercles on top of and anteriorly on the head, small tubercle son the pectoral fin rays following the branching of the rays and on the first unbranched ray, and there are a few minute tubercles on anterior flank scales.
Colour
The upper flanks and back are dark to greyish-brown, greenish-brown or golden-brown and there may be large spots on the upper flanks. The body is silvery overall. There is often a dark bar at the base of the tail. Fins are colourless and the belly and lower head surface are white to yellowish-white. The belly and lower head may be bright yellow as are the neighbouring fin bases. The bases of dorsal fin branched rays 3-5, and sometimes 6, have small dark spots. Young have a bluish mid-lateral stripe along the flank. The peritoneum is black. Colour is darker in clear than in muddy water.
Size
Reaches 9.5 cm.
Distribution
This species is found in the Mashkel (= Mashkid) River basin of Pakistan (Mirza, 1992), the Tedzhen and Murgab River drainages of the former U.S.S.R., and the Tedzhen River, Bejestan, Sistan, Lut, Jaz Murian and Makran basins of Iran (Nikol'skii, 1900; Berg, 1905; Berg, 1949; Menon, 1964; Spillman, 1972; Abdoli, 2000).
Records of Discognathus variabilis Heckel, 1843 from Sistan by Nikolskii (1899) and Regan (1906) are G. rossica (Menon, 1964).
Zoogeography
See under Garra persica. G. rossica is related to Garra variabilis of the Tigris-Euphrates basin.
Habitat
Found in pools and slow-flowing ditches and channels and in reed beds in Sistan.
Age and growth
Sexual maturity is attained at 2-3 years. Females grow more rapidly than males.
Food
Gut contents include green filamentous algae, higher plant fragments and sand grains.
Reproduction
Spawning occurs in the summer and up to 984 eggs are produced. Some fish still contain undeposited eggs in late July. Egg diameter is up to 1.06 mm (Nikol'skii, 1945). In southern Iran, fish with 1.1 mm eggs have been collected on 14 November and on 2 December eggs were 1.3 mm. On 8 May eggs were 1.2 mm suggesting either early spawning or prolonged retention of eggs. The most tuberculate males were found in both November and May.
Parasites and predators
None reported from Iran.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
This species is widely distributed in eastern Iran and does not appear to be under significant threat.
Further work
Further studies on its biology would clarify details of life history. Its wide distribution in isolated basins may have led to some divergence and speciation that is not readily detected with morphological studies and molecular work on this species might be rewarding.
Sources
Type material: See above, Discognathus rossicus (ZISP 10365), var. nudiventris (ZISP 11113), and Discognathus phryne (BM(NH) 1919.8.16:1 and BM(NH) 1919.8.16:2).
Iranian material: CMNFI 1979-0091, 5, 24.6-58.3 mm standard length, Khorasan, qanat at Nehbandan (31º32'N, 60º02'E); CMNFI 1979-0226, 5, 37.2-49.0 mm standard length, Sistan, pool near Kuh-e Khajeh (30º57'N, 61º17'E); CMNFI 1979-0227, 6, 48.1-61.1 mm standard length, Sistan, naizar at Kuh-E Khajeh (30º57'N, 61º16'E); CMNFI 1979-0230, 2, 29.2-43.4 mm standard length, Sistan, Jehil-e Puzak at Gohoor-ghoori (ca. 31º15'N, ca. 61º42'E); CMNFI 1979-0236, 7, 18.3-47.3 mm standard length, Sistan, irrigation ditch 27 km from Zabol (ca. 30º52'N, ca. 61º22'E); CMNFI 1979-0238, 11, 15.3-29.2 mm standard length, Sistan, irrigation ditch 11 km south of Zabol (30º57'N, 61º27'30"E); CMNFI 1979-0315, 2, 24.9-50.3 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Bampur River 2 km north of Karevandar (27º51'N, 60º46'E); CMNFI 1979-0316, 9, 35.7-53.4 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream 68 km south of Iranshahr (26º48'N, 61º02'E); CMNFI 1979-0326, 1, 39.0 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Ughin River south of Pip (ca. 26º35'N, ca. 60º02'E); CMNFI 1979-0327, 5, 37.3-46.7 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream 26 km south of Pip (26º32'N, 59º57'E); CMNFI 1979-0330, 68, 14.7-65.1 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream 22 km west of Qaleh-ye Zaboli (27º02'30"N, 61º26'E); CMNFI 1979-0336, 30, 22.4-31.6 mm standard length, Baluchestan, qanat 7 km from Khash (28º10'N, 61º15'E); CMNFI 1979-0339, 3, 40.6-51.0 mm standard length, Baluchestan, Tahlab River drainage 16 km from Mirjaveh (28º56'30"N, 61º21'E); CMNFI 2007-0025, 8, 36.6-47.1 mm standard length, Khorasan, qanat south of Birjand (ca. 32º24'N, ca. 59º49'E); CMNFI 2007-0026, 19, 36.3-62.9 mm standard length, Khorasan, qanat at Shusf (31º48'N, 60º01'E); CMNFI 2007-0027, 13, 31.4-60.7 mm standard length, Khorasan, qanat at Khvansharaf (31º34'N, 60º06'E); CMNFI 2007-0028, 13, 36.3-58.9 mm standard length, Khorasan, qanat at Khunik-e Pa'in (31º28'N, 60º06'E); CMNFI 2007-0029, 7, 35.2-60.7 mm standard length, Baluchestan, qanat at Hormak (29º58'N, 60º51'E); CMNFI 2007-0031, 2, 36.0-45.5 mm standard length, Baluchestan, headwater of Bampur River (27º51'N, 60º46'E); CMNFI 2007-0035, 9, 28.9-50.1 mm standard length, Baluchestan, stream west of Zaboli (ca. 26º58'N, ca. 61º27'E); USNM 205905, 6, 30.2-36.9 mm standard length, Baluchestan, small springs in upper Sarbaz River basin (no other locality data).
Garra rufa
(Heckel, 1843)
Common names
mahi-e sangi, mahi-e sang lis, shirbot, gel khorok, gel ra (and even gararufa or gara in Farsi).
[djulake; kokur ahmar or karkoor ahmar; garagoor; gassur achmar (= red gassur) or gassur hadjari (gassur of the pilgrims) at Aleppo (= Haleb, Syria) according to Heckel (1843b), all in Arabic; red garra].
Systematics
Discognathus obtusus Heckel, 1843 described from "Aleppo" and "Mossul", Discognathus crenulatus Heckel, 1849 described from the "Confluenten des Araxes, als aus den Quellen des Saadi und dem Kara-Agatsch" (= probably includes the Pulvar (= Sivan) River near Persepolis; Sa`di at 29°37'N, 52°35'E, now within the city of Shiraz; and the Qarah Aqaj River; all in Fars), Garra rufa gymnothorax Berg, 1949 from "Kulihan, Karun R. basin, 6 IV 1904, N. Zarudnyi" and Garra rufa turcica Karaman (1971) from the Ceyhan River basin in Turkey are synonyms (Krupp, 1985c). Records of Garra lamta (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822) from Iran are in error (Menon, 1964).
The types of Discognathus rufus are from "Aleppo" according to Heckel (1843b). The syntypes of Discognathus rufus according to Krupp (1985c) are in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien under NMW 53240, 8 specimens, 59-108 mm standard length from Aleppo and 1 syntype is in the Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt under SMF 553 (formerly NMW), 103 mm standard length and also from Aleppo. The catalogue in Vienna lists 6 specimens. One specimen from NMW 53240, 112.3 mm standard length (as measured by me), was designated as the lectotype and 7 fish, 60.2-97.5 mm standard length as paralectotypes by F. Krupp, 29 October 1984, and published in Krupp and Schneider (1989).
Four syntypes of Discognathus obtusus, 46-134 mm standard length, are under NMW 53238 and 2 syntypes, 65-92 mm standard length, are under SMF 5408 (formerly NMW and also numbered SMF 447)(65.1-93.1 mm standard length). A further 10 fish under NMW 53257 and measuring 31.5-106.2 mm standard length are also indicated on the jar in Vienna as syntypes but this is probably in error as the catalogue lists 6 fish. Eschmeyer et al. (1996) give only 1 syntype under NMW 53257, 4 syntypes under NMW 53238, 1 dried syntype under NMW 79372, 1 syntype in the Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt under SMF 447 and 2 syntypes under SMF 5408 (formerly NMW).
The syntypes of Discognathus crenulatus are in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien under NMW 53236 (14 specimens) from the Qarah Aqaj River and 53237 (6) from Sa`di measuring 33-79 mm standard length (Kähsbauer, 1964). The 14 specimens under NMW 53236 measure 24.0-75.9 mm standard length and 7 (not 6) specimens under NMW 53237 measure 35.4-56.6 mm standard length according to my observations. Neither the record of Kähsbauer (1964) nor my own data from jars on the shelves accord with the catalogue in Vienna which gives 10 or 8 and 6 or 5 specimens respectively for these two syntype localities.
The syntypes of Garra rufa gymnothorax are in the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg (ZISP 13214), there being 6 fish in the catalogue and 6 in the jar although Berg (1949) lists 7 in his description. They measure 30.5-44.9 mm standard length. The date in Berg (1949) is 6.VI.1904 while in the catalogue it is 4.III.1904 and in the jar 24.III.1904, variations not accountable by old and new styles of dating (13 days apart). A further collection listed by Berg (1949), (ZISP 24435), is not listed as type material in the text nor in the jar but the catalogue suggest that they are (Eschmeyer et al. (1996) list these 10 fish as syntypes). ZISP 24354 is from "Ziaret-Seid-Hasan, Mesopotamiya". The type series may be only ZISP 13214 as in the text. Eschmeyer et al. (1996) list ZIL (= ZISP) 13215, 17 fish, and ZIL 24436, 3 fish, as syntypes also.
Bianco and Banarescu (1982) referred their material from the Hablehrud and Mand River to Garra rufa crenulata as these fish had fewer scales (29-32 for Mand and 33-34 for Hablehrud versus 35-38 from the Tigris-Euphrates) and fewer gill rakers (15-21 versus 25-27 in Tigris-Euphrates specimens). Possible syntypes of crenulata had intermediate scale counts (31-34) between Mand and Hablehrud fish. These authors suggest that there may be distinct subspecies in these two rivers. Their sample sizes are too small in my opinion to warrant subspecies recognition. Berg (1949) was uncertain of the status of this taxon.
A Principal Components Analysis on 448 fish from the Hormozgan, Lake Maharlu, Gulf and Tigris River basins and Sa`di's Tomb using 20 morphometric and 5 meristic characters did not separate any of these groups. Note that fish form the Hormuz basin, rivers draining to the Straits of Hormuz, modally had 7 branched dorsal fin rays (as in G. persica, see table below) but branched caudal fin rays were modally 17 (not 16 as in G. persica). There may be some introgression in this region of Iran.
Menon (1964) and Karaman (1971) consider Garra persica to be a synonym but this species is regarded here as distinct. Both these authors refer specimens from the Tigris River basin of Iran (and therefore all Iranian specimens) to a subspecies, Garra rufa obtusa, distinguished from the type subspecies in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan by having a variable number of dorsal fin branched rays (7-8), the anal aperture further forward, and the anal fin origin half way between the pelvic fin base and the caudal fin base as opposed to closer to the pelvic base. Krupp (1985c) synonymises Garra rufa obtusa with the type subspecies.
Fish lacking scales on the breast were named by Berg (1949) as Garra rufa gymnothorax but this is a variable character widespread among cyprinid fishes in Iran and is unlikely to be of systematic significance.
Key characters
Two pairs of barbels are present, the adhesive disc is well developed with a free anterior margin, the dorsal fin has 8 branched rays modally, and the caudal fin 17 branched rays modally.
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-3, usually 3, unbranched and 7-9 branched rays with a very strong mode at 8, anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 4-6 with a very strong mode at 5 branched rays (99.6% of 534 specimens from Iran). Pectoral fin branched rays 12-14 (in literature, but see table), pelvic fin branched rays 7-8 (but see table). Lateral line scales 31-38 (but see table), scales from the dorsal fin origin to the lateral line 3-6, from the lateral line to the pelvic fin origin 2-5, predorsal mid-line scales 9-13, and scales around the caudal peduncle 12-17 with a strong mode at 16. Pharyngeal tooth formula 2,4,5-5,4,2 or 2,4,4-4,4,2 (3,3,5-5,3,3 in Heckel (1843b)). Teeth are hooked at the tip. The short gill rakers number 16-21, 12-17 on the lower arm. In Iranian specimens the range is 14-26 (a range only is given since rakers are difficult to count on the arch ends with accuracy and may be related to age). The upper lip is delicately fimbriated. Pharyngeal teeth in Iranian specimens? Total vertebrae in Iranian specimens 32-37 (see table). The chromosome number is probably 2n=52 (Klinkhardt et al., 1995) although Ünlü et al. (1997) give 2n=38 for Turkish specimens with 26 meta- to submetacentric chromosomes and 12 telo- to subtelocentric chromsomes (NF=64) and Gözükara and Çavaş (2004) gave 2n = 44 for Turkish specimens with 22 metacentric and 20 submetacentric chromosomes and 2 acrocentric ones (NF=85).
Some fish are very rounded in cross section while others are more terete.
Meristics for Iranian specimens:-
|
Basin/Dorsal fin branched rays |
7 |
8 |
9 |
x |
S.D. |
|
Horm ozgan |
27 |
6 |
|
7.2 |
0.39 |
|
Lake Maharlu |
|
90 |
2 |
8.0 |
0.15 |
|
Sa`di's Tomb |
5 |
20 |
|
7.8 |
0.41 |
|
Gulf |
16 |
173 |
1 |
7.9 |
0.29 |
|
Tigris River |
15 |
176 |
3 |
7.9 |
0.30 |
|
Basin/Pectoral fin branched rays |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
18 |
x |
S.D. |
|
Horm ozgan |
|
|
1 |
3 |
18 |
10 |
1 |
|
14.2 |
0.78 |
|
Lake Maharlu |
|
1 |
2 |
15 |
50 |
23 |
1 |
|
14.1 |
0.78 |
|
Sa`di's Tomb |
|
|
5 |
16 |
2 |
2 |
|
1 |
13.2 |
1.24 |
|
Gulf |
|
1 |
4 |
57 |
84 |
42 |
1 |
|
13.9 |
0.81 |
|
Tigris River |
1 |
1 |
10 |
54 |
93 |
33 |
2 |
|
13.8 |
0.88 |
|
Basin/Pelvic fin branched rays |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
x |
S.D. |
|
Horm ozgan |
|
20 |
12 |
|
7.4 |
0.49 |
|
Lake Maharlu |
|
8 |
84 |
|
7.9 |
0.28 |
|
Sa`di's Tomb |
|
9 |
16 |
|
7.9 |
0.27 |
|
Gulf |
1 |
110 |
79 |
|
7.4 |
0.50 |
|
Tigris River |
2 |
51 |
138 |
3 |
7.7 |
0.50 |
Basin/Lateral line scales 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 x SD Hormozgan
2 7 19 10 1
33.0
0.87
Lake Maharlu
1 4 13 21 32 30 9
31.2
1.54
Sa`di's Tomb
2
6 6 7 4
33.1
1.39
Gulf 1 1 5 16 25 24 25 42 36 19 5
31.2
2.06
Tigris River
2 2 24 44 59 45 9 2 1 1
33.9
1.34
32 33 34 35 36 37 x S.D. Sexual dimorphism
Large males become heavily tuberculate on the front and sides of
the snout and in a band from the eye to the nostril and across to the
other nostril and eye as illustrated in Fowler and Steinitz (1956) for
a specimen from `Ain Umm Keishik in Iraq. A deep,
tubercle-free groove is apparent between the upper band of tubercles
through the nostrils and the tubercles on the snout above the mouth.
Colour
Overall colour is brownish-olive to dark green with darkly mottled
flanks and a yellowish to whitish belly. The head and flanks may be a
rusty-red, bronze or golden. A dark or bluish-green band runs along
the whole flank ending in a spot on the caudal fin base. Much of the
body may be blackish with only the belly creamy. Others are a light
olive-green with lime-green highlights giving an iridescent effect
especially on upper anterior flank scales. There is a black,
greenish-blue, lime-green or dusky-blue spot behind the upper corner
of the gill opening, sometimes extending as a bar to the pectoral fin
base where the skin is also blue. Fins can be yellowish with darker
margins. The pectoral fins can be orange-pink dorsally, grey-white or
slightly orange-pink ventrally. The pelvic and anal fins may be orange
with the fin rays yellow posteriorly in the anal fin but yellow
mesially in the pelvic fin. The bases of the pectoral, pelvic and anal
fins are orange-red in breeding males and the caudal fin is orange.
The caudal fin can be orange to red ventrally and yellow dorsally.
There is a black spot at the caudal fin base and the upper caudal lobe
may have a few dark grey spots. The dorsal fin is dark green with
reddish pigment at its middle. There is usually a dark spot at the
bases of each of the middle 4-5 dorsal fin rays. In some specimens the
dorsal fin is orange with yellow posterior rays. The pectoral, dorsal
and caudal fin rays may be olive to black rather than yellow or
orange. The iris is bright yellow, orange or red.
There is variation in colouration. Some fish are pale while others
are very dark; the spots on the dorsal fin may extend two-thirds of
the way up the fin rather than being restricted to the base; and the
flanks may not be mottled. Fish from muddy water are a sickly grey
with the body mottled and the lower caudal lobe dark. Their colour
darkens and becomes brighter after immersion in ice water. Fish from
deep in qanats are very pale.
Size
Attains 24 cm total length in the Tigris River in Iraq (Rahemo, 1995).
Reaches 15.9 cm (Krupp, 1985c), over 17 cm according to Heckel
(1843b). Fish up to 18.5 cm total length are known from Khuzestan.
Distribution
Found in the Tigris-Euphrates basin and the Ceyhan, Orontes (= Asi), Quwayq
and Jordan river basins and coastal drainages of the eastern Mediterranean as
well as much of southern Iran.
In Iran it is found in the Tigris River, Gulf, Lake Maharlu, and Kor River
basins and the Hormozgan basin (Berg, 1949; Menon, 1964; Bianco and
Banarescu, 1982; Gh. Izadpanahi, pers. comm., 1995; M. Rabbaniha, pers.
comm., 1995; Abdoli, 2000).
Zoogeography
The wide distribution in Southwest Asia and inadequate examination of
variation may mask distinct taxa, although this is not apparent on morphometric
and meristic grounds. If such variation is valid, then taxa may
reflect vicariant events.
Habitat
This is the commonest species in catches in southwestern Iran,
followed by Cyprinion macrostomum. In areas under human
influence in Lorestan, such as the lower reaches of rivers and near
cities, it is more common than in higher, pristine waters. As well as grazing on
exposed rock surfaces in streams, it can be found under pebbles on the stream
bed. Age and growth
Rahemo (1995) reported fish up to age 7 from the Tigris River, Iraq in a
parasitological study. Esmaeili and Ebrahimi (2006) give a significant length-weight relationship based
on 291 Iranian fish measuring 2.28-11.82 cm standard length. The a-value
was 0.0265 and the b-value 2.919 (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
Gut contents include diatoms, algae and large quantities of sand in fish
examined from Iran. Younis et al. (2001b) found Shatt al Arab fish feeding mainly on
organic detritus, followed by diatoms and algae, with arthropods ranking third.
. A study by Yalçin-Özdilek and Ekmekçi (2006) in the Asi (=
Orontes) River in Turkey demonstrated that this species is a grazer on aquatic
plants, mostly consisting of benthic cyanobacteria, chrysophytes and
phytoplankton with included rotifers and protozoans. Both season and location in
a stream affected the composition of the diet with season the most important factor.
Reproduction
Bardakci, Ozansoy and Koptagel (at www.epress.com/w3jbio/vol5/bardakci/paper.htm,
downloaded 29 March 2001) note depression of vitellogenesis in a hot
spring population in Turkey, perhaps due to temperature and
starvation. A nearby stream population has a higher gonadosomatic
index. Ovaries increased in size and weight from May to July in both
localities although the hot spring had fewer mature oocytes and more
atretic oocytes at various development stages. High temperatures and
poor food conditions in some Iranian habitats may be limiting factors
in reproduction for this species.
Parasites and predators
Jalali and Molnár (1990a) record two monogenean species, Dactylogyrus
spp., from this species in the Dez River. Gussev et al. (1993b)
describe two new species, Dactylogyrus rectotrabus and D.
acinacus, from this species in the Dez River, Khuzestan. Jalali et al. (2005) summarise the occurrence of
Gyrodactylus species in Iran and record G. sp. from fish in the Helleh River.
Eaten by Silurus triostegus at Baghdad (notes on a specimen in the Field Museum of Natural
History, Chicago (FMNH 51251)).
Economic importance
Ündar et al. (1990) identify this species and Cyprinion
macrostomum as the "doctor fish" of the Kangal hot
spring in Turkey (Warwick and Warwick, 1989; Kürkçüoğlu and Öz, 1989;
Bardakci, Ozansoy and Koptagel at www.epress.com/w3jbio/vol5/bardakci/paper.htm,
downloaded 29 March 2001, Bilke, 2004; Anonymous, 2007; and various newspaper and television reports). High
water temperatures around 35°C reduce the amount of plankton available as fish
food and the fish nibble away infected skin of humans who bathe in
these waters. This fish is known as "licker" (and Cyprinion
macostomum as "striker") from its behaviour in the spa pools. The healing properties are linked to the high level of
selenium (1.3 p.p.m.) in the water, selenium being beneficial in some
skin diseases and possibly UV light. The fish facilitate the action of the selenium
and UV light by softening and clearing away psoriatic plaque and scale, exposing the
lesions to the water and sunlight. However some lesions are made worse
and the fish can cause some new ones.
Conservation
A common species with a wide distribution and not under any specific threat.
Vulnerable in Turkey (Fricke et al., 2007).
Further work
Meristic counts summarised above show overlapping but significant variation
between drainage basins and may reflect recognisable taxa. Molecular studies
would help clarify this situation but is should be noting that variation of this
nature is to be expected in a wide ranging species and does not always warrant
taxonomic distinction.
Sources
Type material: See above, Discognathus rufus (NMW 53240 and SMF 553), Discognathus obtusus (NMW 53238 and SMF 5408), Discognathus crenulatus
(NMW 53236 and 53237), and Garra rufa gymnothorax (ZISP 13214), and see comments on other possible types.
Iranian material: CMNFI 1970-0540, 7, 22.2-41.4 mm standard length, Fars, qanat south of Kazerun (no other locality data);
CMNFI 1979-0018, 48, 21.5-64.9 mm standard length, Fars, Barm-e Shur (29º28'N, 52º41'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0019, 4, 28.9-35.4 mm standard length, Fars, Barm-e Baba Haji (29º23'N, 52º40'E);
CMNFI 1979-0026, 2, 21.5-22.3 mm standard length, Fars, Shapur River at Shapur (29º47'N, 51º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0027, 1, 50.5 mm standard length, Fars, Chehel Cheshmeh (ca. 29º43'N, ca. 52º04'E);
CMNFI 1979-0033, 34, 23.7-72.0 mm standard length, Fars, Barm-e Shur (29º28'N, 52º41'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0036, 1, 36.4 mm standard length, Fars, Shapur River at Shapur (29º47'N, 51º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0045, 16, 20.0-59.2 mm standard length, Fars, spring at Sa'adi's Tomb, Shiraz (29º37'N, 52º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0046, 1, 43.7 mm standard length, Fars, qanat at Barm-e Dalak (ca. 29º35'N, ca. 52º38'E);
CMNFI 1979-0047, 2, 36.2-67.6 mm standard length, Fars, spring source of Ab-e Paravan marshes (ca. 29º34'N, ca. 52º42'E);
CMNFI 1979-0048, 1, 40.1 mm standard length, Fars, spring and marsh northeast side of Lake Maharlu (ca. 29º32'N, ca. 52º48'E);
CMNFI 1979-0075, 31, 12.5-57.1 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River at Pol-e Kavar (29º11'N, 52º41'E);
CMNFI 1979-0109, 1, 74.3 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River at Shahr-e Khafr (28º56'N, 53º14'E);
CMNFI 1979-0111, 8, 30.7-62.0 mm standard length, Fars, stream on Shiraz-Bushehr road (29º37'30"N, 52º21'E);
CMNFI 1979-0112, 5, 55.0-77.1 mm standard length, Fars, stream draining Soltanabad Marshes (29º29'N, 52º38'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0113, 4, 40.8-63.7 mm standard length, Fars, spring at Sa'adi's Tomb, Shiraz (29º37'N, 52º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0115, 5, 57.7-66.5 mm standard length, Fars, spring at Sa'adi's Tomb, Shiraz (29º37'N, 52º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0120, 5, 27.6-66.3 mm standard length, Bushehr, Dalaki River near Konar Takhteh (29º28'N, 51º21'E);
CMNFI 1979-0125, 2, 99.0-121.4 mm standard length, Bushehr, Dalaki River near Dalaki (ca. 29º28'N, ca. 51º21'E);
CMNFI 1979-0128, 6, 26.6-32.1 mm standard length, Shur River between Atashkadeh and Firuzabad (28º51'N, 52º31'E);
CMNFI 1979-0129, 43, 24.8-46.9 mm standard length, Fars, spring 2 km north of Farrashband (28º54'N, 52º04'E);
CMNFI 1979-0131, 10, 16.9-46.6 mm standard length, Fars, Ab-Arak River 24 km from Qir (28º38'N, 52º49'E);
CMNFI 1979-0132, 11, 23.1-49.5 mm standard length, Fars, Shur River 54 km from Firuzabad (28º35'N, 52º58'E);
CMNFI 1979-0155, 11, 27.1-42.9 mm standard length, Fars, spring at Gavanoo village (28º47'N, 54º22'E);
CMNFI 1979-0156, 20, 33.8-56.7 mm standard length, Fars, qanat at Rashidabad (28º47'N, 54º18'E);
CMNFI 1979-0157, 10, 40.6-88.6 mm standard length, Fars, qanat at Hadiabad (28º52'N, 54º13'E);
CMNFI 1979-0158, 13, 35.3-54.2 mm standard length, qanat over Qasook River (28º54'N, 53º53'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0161, 11, 43.1-92.2 mm standard length, Fars, qanat on Shiraz-Neyriz road (29º10'30"N, 53º41'E);
CMNFI 1979-0193, 3, 22.8-27.1 mm standard length, Fars, river 8 km from Darab (28º45'N, 54º27'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0195, 3, 44.3-59.4 mm standard length, Fars, jube stream of road to Fasa (ca. 28º54'N, ca. 53º53'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0199, 4, 37.3-45.0 mm standard length, Fars, qanat 18 km from Jahrom (ca. 28º23-25'N, ca. 53º31-40'E);
CMNFI 1979-0200, 5, 27.6-43.6 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River tributary 13 km from Jahrom (28º36'N, 53º36'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0202, 9, 19.1-25.1 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River (29º01'N, 53º00'E);
CMNFI 1979-0206, 2, 50.9-51.9 mm standard length, Fars, qanat near Runiz-e Pa'in (29º12'N, 53º40'E);
CMNFI 1979-0241, 6, 35.7-49.2 mm standard length, Fars, Shapur River at Shapur (29º47'N, 51º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0271, 8, 34.7-56.7 mm standard length, Lorestan, Kashkan River drainage (33º39'N, 48º32'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0273, 15, 40.9-58.2 mm standard length, Lorestan, Kashkan River drainage 5 km from Khorramabad (33º26'N, 48º19'E);
CMNFI 1979-0274, 3, 24.4-32.8 mm standard length, Lorestan, Kashkan River drainage 20 km from Khorramabad (33º27'N, 48º11'E);
CMNFI 1979-0275, 7, 38.6-60.5 mm standard length, Lorestan, Kashkan River near Ma'mulan (33º25'N, 47º58'E);
CMNFI 1979-0276, 10, 42.1-70.0 mm standard length, Lorestan, Chamesk River (ca. 33º19'N, ca. 47º53'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0277, 1, 128.4 mm standard length, Lorestan, Kashkan River drainage (33º30'N, 47º59'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0278, 12, 53.9-89.3 mm standard length, Lorestan, Kashkan River draiange, Sarab Dowrah (33º34'N, 48º01'E);
CMNFI 1979-0279, 9, 33.5-117.3 mm standard length, Lorestan, Khorramabad River (33º37'N, 48º18'E);
CMNFI 1979-0288, 43, 22.9-102.3 mm standard length, Ilam and Poshtkuh, Gangir River at Sarab Ewan (33º50'N, 46º18'E);
CMNFI 1979-0289, 5, 57.2-101.9 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Diyala River drainage (34º28'N, 45º52'E);
CMNFI 1979-0290, 6, 24.1-54.9 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Diyala River drainage in Qasr-e Shirin (34º31'N, 45º35'E);
CMNFI 1979-0291, 7, 24.9-66.8 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Diyala River draiange 15 km from Qasr-e Shirin (34º24'N, 45º37'E);
CMNFI 1979-0293, 8, 92.1-101.3 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River at Kavar (29º11'N, 52º41'E);
CMNFI 1979-0304, 2, 41.6-43.0 mm standard length, Fars, Lake Famur (ca. 29º31'N, ca. 51º50'E);
CMNFI 1979-0350, 4, 28.1-33.5 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Marun River near Marun (30º39'30"N, 50º02'E);
CMNFI 1979-0364, 4, 36.0-50.6 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Karkheh River branch at Abdolkhan (31º52'30"N, 48º20'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0365, 2, 32.1-32.8 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Doveyrich River drainage (32º25'N, 47º36'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0366, 2, 22.7-29.2 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream 17 km west of Dehloran (32º45'30"N, 47º05'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0367, 1, 38.0 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Meymeh River 11 km north of Dehloran (32º44'30"N, 47º09'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0368, 4, 25.3-47.7 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Karkheh River (32º24'30"N, 48º09'E);
CMNFI 1979-0369, 4, 24.9-37.7 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Shush River at Shush (32º12'N, 48º14'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0371, 1, 37.3 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Karkheh River drainage (32º05'N, 48º19'E);
CMNFI 1979-0374, 1, 62.2 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream tributary to Bala River (32º40'N, 48º15'E);
CMNFI 1979-0375, 10, 37.9-71.1 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream tributary to Bala River (ca. 32º45'N, ca. 48º14'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0378, 1, 49.3 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream tributary to Karkheh River (ca. 32º48'N, ca. 48º04'E);
CMNFI 1979-0379, 1, 63.1 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Dez River (32º12'N, 48º27'E);
CMNFI 1979-0382, 3, 34.7-38.0 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Karun River at Shushtar (32º03'N, 48º51'E);
CMNFI 1979-0383, 5, 31.9-53.0 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Ab-e Shur drainage (31º59'30"N, 49º06'E);
CMNFI 1979-0384, 1, 63.3 mm standard length, Khuzestan, river in Ab-e Shur drainage (32º00'N, 49º07'E);
CMNFI 1979-0385, 2, 44.9-46.8 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Ab-e Shur drainage (ca. 32º01'N, ca. 49º07'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0387, 2, 48.2-64.5 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Jarrahi River drainage (31º25'N, 49º38'E);
CMNFI 1979-0388, 1, 55.2 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Zard River 21 km north of Ramhormoz (31º19'N, 49º44'E);
CMNFI 1979-0389, 2, 43.8-57.7 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Zard River at Bagh-e Malek (31º31'N, 49º53'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0390B, 10, 33.8-69.7 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream tributary to Zard River (31º29'N, 49º54'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0391, 1, 39.7 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream in Marun River drainage (31º28'N, 49º51'E);
CMNFI 1979-0392, 1, 42.6 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Zard River 25 km north of Ramhormoz (ca. 31º32'N, ca. 49º48'E);
CMNFI 1979-0396, 3, 22.7-35.1 mm standard length, Kheyrabad River 20 km from Behbehan (30º32'N, 50º23'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0397, 2, 52.4-59.5 mm standard length, Khuzestan, stream tributary to Kheyrabad River (30º30'N, 50º28'E);
CMNFI 1979-0398, 1, 37.6 mm standard length, Boyer Ahmadi-ye Sardsir va Kohkiluyeh, stream in Zohreh River drainage (30º24'30"N, 50º37'30"E);
CMNFI 1979-0399, 1, 41.0 mm standard length, Fars, stream near Basht in Zohreh River drainage (30º19'30"N, 51º15'E);
CMNFI 1979-0497, 2, 52.4-60.3 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River at Band-e Bahman (29º11'N, 52º40'E);
CMNFI 1979-0501, 8, 24.7-48.9 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River at Kavar (29º11'N, 52º41'E);
CMNFI 1987-0217, 5, 35.8-55.6 mm standard length, Khuzestan, Karun River at Kut Abdollah (31º13'N, 48º39'E);
CMNFI 2007-0063, 5, 40.1-65.9 mm standard length, Fars, Mand River tributary near Jahrom (28º36'N, 53º37'E);
CMNFI 2007-0065, 1, 81.2 mm standard length, Fars, Barm-e Dalak (ca. 29º35'N, ca. 52º38'E);
CMNFI 2007-0066, 2, 47.1-55.3 mm standard length, Fars, qanat under Sa'di's Tomb, Shiraz (29º37'N, 52º35'E);
CMNFI 2007-0100, 2, 48.4-54.8 mm standard length, Azarbaijan-e Gharbi, Kalwi Chay near Piranshahr (ca. 36º44'N, ca. 45º10'E);
CMNFI 2007-0109, 10, 54.7-78.3 mm standard length, Kordestan, Qeshlaq River basin (ca. 35º16'N, ca. 47º01'E);
CMNFI 2007-0110, 1, 84.9 mm standard length, Kordestan, Yuzidar River basin (ca. 35º05'N, ca. 46º56'E);
CMNFI 2007-0111, 11, 26.5-64.5 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Alvand River near Sar-e Pol-e Zahab (ca. 34º36'N, ca. 45º56'E);
CMNFI 2007-0112, 19, 43.1-54.3 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Kerend River basin near Shahabad-e Gharb (ca. 34º06'N, ca. 46º30'E);
CMNFI 2007-0116, 4, 25.8-31.7 mm standard length, Kermanshahan, Gav Masiab River basin west of Sahneh (ca. 34º28'N, ca. 47º36'E).
Comparative material: BM(NH) 1931.12.21:9-10, 2, 94.9-95.5 mm standard length,
Iraq, Mosul (36º20'N, 43º08'E); BM(NH) 1973.5.21:187-188, 2, 67.6-73.1 mm standard length,
Iraq, Tigris
River at Jadriyah (no other locality data); BM(NH) 1974.2.22:1418, 1, 67.4 mm standard length,
Iraq, Khalis
(33º49'N, 44º32'E); BM(NH) 1974.2.22:1441-1444, 4, 48.9-86.3 mm standard length,
Iraq, Baghdad (33º21'N,
44º25'E); BM(NH) 1986.2.14:2-3, 2, 64.8-91.8 mm standard length, Iraq, Baghdad (33º21'N,
44º25'E); NMW 91123, 5, ?, Turkey, Cheilani bei Cizre,
Tigris basin (ca. 37º20'N, ca. 42º10'E). Garra variabilis Common names
See under genus account.
[karkoor mit-la'oon, gassur diseileki or gassur isivid (gassur =
colour of strawberries, isivid referring to the spotted, almost black
fish according to Heckel (1843b), all in Arabic; variable garra].
Systematics
Menon (1964) considers this species to be the most primitive in the
genus. It has been placed in the genus Discognathichthys
Bleeker, 1860, e.g. by Berg (1949).
Heckel (1843b) gave the type localities as "Mossul" and
"Aleppo". The syntypes of Discognathus variabilis are
in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien under NMW 53239, 8 specimens,
38-112 mm standard length and in the Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt
under SMF 403 (formerly NMW), 4, 72-86 mm standard length, all from
Aleppo (Krupp, 1985c). In Vienna I made counts on types as listed below under Sources.
Material under NMW 53238 (3) from Aleppo may also be types. Eschmeyer et al.
(1996) list NMW 532339 (= an error for 53239) (8), NMW 53260-69 (1, 2,
2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2), NMW 53272 (4), SMF 403 (4) (formerly NMW) and
in the Museum für Naturkunde, Universität Humboldt, Berlin, ZMB 3301 (3)
(formerly NMW; 82.6-99.2 mm standard length measured in February 2006).
Key characters
The single pair of maxillary barbels, absence of a free anterior
margin to a weakly developed adhesive disc on the lower head surface
without papillae on the rear part, scaled back, chest and belly, gill
raker count and distribution distinguishes this species. It is
separated from the closely related but geographically separated G. rossica by larger size,
head length shorter than caudal peduncle length and pectoral fin
length, slightly emarginate caudal fin, and dorsal fin origin closer
to snout tip than the caudal fin base (Berg, 1949).
Morphology
Dorsal fin with 2-3, usually 3, unbranched and 6-8, modally 7,
branched rays, anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 5 branched rays.
Pectoral fin branched rays 11-14, pelvic fin branched rays 7-8.
Lateral line scales 32-40, scale from the dorsal fin origin to the
lateral line 4-6, scales below the lateral line to the pelvic fin
origin 3-4, scales around the caudal peduncle usually 16, and
predorsal scales in mid-line 12-14. The chest and belly are scaled.
The upper lip is not fimbriate. There may be 2 pairs of barbels in
some larger fish. Pharyngeal tooth formula 2,4,5-5,4,2 (2,3,5-5,3,2 in Berg (1949),
3,3,5-5,3,3 in Heckel (1843b)) and the short gill rakers number 13-20,
on the lower arm of the gill arch only. Gut very elongate and coiled.
Sexual dimorphism
Specimens from NMW 91121 had the top and sides of the head finely tuberculate
and scales on the back before the dorsal fin with fine tubercles lining the
scale margins. The upper lip, lip sides and sucker (except for a naked central
area) have keratinised tubercles. Tubercles line the dorsal surface of pectoral
fin rays, fading medially and following the ray branching in single rows.
Colour
Overall colour is olivaceous brown or greyish with darker mottlings.
The flanks may have large, irregularly-arranged dark spots. The upper
corner of the operculum may have a black spot. The belly is
reddish-yellow. The middle 3-4 rays of the dorsal fin each have a
small, black spot at their bases. There is a black spot at the caudal
fin base. The lateral line may occasionally have a double row of black
spots as in Alburnoides bipunctatus. Young fish may have a dark
lateral stripe. Peritoneum black.
Size
Reaches 15.5 cm or according to Heckel (1843b) 5 Zoll (= about 21 cm).
Distribution
Found in the Quwayq (= Kueik), Orontes (= Asi) and Nahr al-Kabir rivers of
the Levant and the Tigris-Euphrates basin (Menon, 1964; Krupp, 1985c). In Iran,
this species is found in the Tigris River basin. Abdoli (2000) maps the
Jarrahi, middle Karun, lower Dez, Karkheh, lower Simarreh, and lower Kashkan rivers.
Keyserling (1861) recorded this species from Sistan but this is a
misidentification. Records of this species (as Discognathus variabilis) from Sistan
by Nikolskii (1899) and Regan (1906) are G. rossica (Menon, 1964).
Zoogeography
This species is related to Garra rossica of eastern Iran.
See also under Garra persica. Krupp (1985c) considers this
species to belong to the indo-asiatic line of Garra.
Habitat
Garra rufa and this species seem to exclude each other, variabilis
being more common in faster water (F. Krupp).
Age and growth
Unknown.
Food
Unknown.
Reproduction
Unknown.
Parasites and predators
None reported from Iran.
Economic importance
None.
Conservation
This species appears to be very rare in Iran and if specific localities are found they should be protected.
Further work
The presence of this species in Iranian waters and its biology there need study.
Sources
Type material: See above, Discognathus variabilis (NMW 53239, SMF 403 and ZMB 3301) and see comments also on other possible types.
Iranian material:- None.
Type material used for counts: NMW 53260, 1, 40.6 mm standard length,
NMW 53261, 2, 87.6-97.8 mm standard length,
NMW 53262, 2, 51.4-52.1 mm standard length,
NMW 53263, 2, 101.8-103.1 mm standard length,
NMW 53264, 3, 52.3-54.2 mm standard length,
NMW 53266, 2, 87.6-92.7 mm standard length,
NMW 53267, 2, 61.5-68.3 mm standard length,
NMW 53268, 7, 43.9- 71.4 mm standard length (dried at some point),
NMW 53269, 2, 100.3-109.1 mm standard length,
NMW 53272, 4, 84.9-92.1 mm standard length, all previous Tigris at Mosul;
NMW 53239, 8 36.9-111.0 mm standard length, Aleppo.
Comparative material: BM(NH) 1935.9.12:27-40, 5, 60.8-69.1 mm standard length, Iraq, Karasu (no other locality data);
BM(NH) 1935.9.12:53, 1, 76.0 mm standard length, Iraq, Tchaiy Su (no other locality data);
BM(NH) 1986.2.14:2-5, 2, Iraq, Baghdad (33º21'N, 44º25'E);
BM(NH) 1968.12.13:290-297, 8, 30.7-71.6 mm standard length, Syria, Tigris River at `Ayn Diwar (37º17'N, 42º11'E);
BM(NH) 1968.12.13:298-304, 7, 44.4-66.7 mm standard length, Syria, Quweiq River at Masslemiyeh (no other locality data);
NMW 91121, 10, 71.9-115.4 mm standard length, Turkey, Wadi Mahmedian Tschai (ca. 38°20'N, ca. 40°45'E).
© Brian W. Coad (www.briancoad.com)
Basin/Total vertebrae
Hormozgan
7
24
7
3
34.2
0.78
Lake Maharlu
6
38
21
3
34.3
0.70
Sa`di's Tomb
14
9
34.4
0.50
Gulf
2
15
36
34
9
34.3
0.93
Tigris River
23
52
76
17
2
34.5
0.92
(Heckel, 1843)
