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The Glyptothorax species inhabiting the Euphrates and Tigris drainages are reviewed and six species are recognised, one of which is described herein as new species. Glyptothorax armeniacus is endemic to headwater streams in the Euphrates drainage. Glyptothorax kurdistanicus is endemic to the upper Tigris downstream to the Lesser Zab drainage. Glyptothorax cous and G. steindachneri are riverine species widespread in both the Euphrates and Tigris drainages. Glyptothorax silviae is endemic to Iran. Glyptothorax daemon, new species, from the Greater Zab and Yanarsu in the upper Tigris drainage, is distinguished by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated, 1.1–1.2 times longer than wide, without tubercles on the head, well developed anteromedial striae, the medial pit without striae, and a short adipose fin. Glyptothorax daemon is separated into two mitochondrial lineages, externally indistinguishable and separated by a minimum K2P distance of 2.0% in the DNA barcode region. These lineages are paraphyletic in our analysis indicating past introgressive hybridisation with G. cous. All six species are diagnosed and all, except unstudied G. steindachneri, form distinct mitochondrial clades with between 1.2% and 3.4% minimum K2P distance between them. Species from the Euphrates and Tigris form a monophyletic mitochondrial group separated from 53 other Glyptothorax species studied from India and areas further east.

Oxynoemacheilus phasicus, new species, is described from the Rioni and Enguri River drainages in Georgia. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the O. brandtii group by a mottled or marbled flank pattern in adults, a slightly emarginate caudal fin, and a deep caudal peduncle. Molecular data suggest that the new species is characterized by a minimum K2P distance of 7.5% from O. brandtii from the Kura drainage in the mtDNA COI barcode region. Oxynoemacheilus brandtii and O. elsae are re-diagnosed. A very slender Oxynoemacheilus from the Aras drainage clusters as sister to O. elsae in our molecular analysis and not with O. brandtii from the Kura River. However, it is identified as O. brandtii as it is indistinguishable from this species in morphological characters.

The nemacheilid genus Seminemacheilus is revised. Six species are recognised, three of them described herein as new. All species are endemic to Central Anatolia. Seminemacheilus lendlii from the Sakarya River drainage and the endorheic Lake Aksehir and Eber basins, S. ispartensis from Lake Eğirdir basin and S. ahmeti from Sultan Sazlığı are valid species. Although Seminemacheilus lendlii and S. ispartensis have almost identical COI sequences, they are distinguished by the shape of the caudal peduncle and the presence of scales on the caudal peduncle in S. ispartensis (vs. absent in S. lendlii). Seminemacheilus attalicus, new species, from Kırkgöz drainage, is distinguished by having a slightly emarginated caudal fin, a central pore in the supratemporal canal and a marbled flank pattern. Seminemacheilus ekmekciae, new species, from Lake Tuz basin is distinguished by having a roundish caudal fin, a short post-dorsal length and large brown blotches fused into stripes on the flank. Seminemacheilus tubae, new species, from Lake Beyşehir basin, is distinguished by having a truncate caudal fin and 2–5 (6) supraorbital head pores. Seminemacheilus dursunavsari from the Göksu River drainage is not a valid name and this population is identified as S. tubae.

The Oxynoemacheilus tigris species group is reviewed, resulting in the recognition of six species, of which two are described herein as new. Oxynoemacheilus tigris is known from the endorheic Qweik River and the Merziman River, which is a tributary of the western Euphrates. Oxynoemacheilus ercisianus is endemic to the endorheic Lake Van basin and O. hazarensis is endemic to Lake Hazar basin in the upper Tigris drainage. Oxynoemacheilus kaynaki is widespread in the Euphrates drainage. The two undescribed species occur in the Euphrates drainage. Oxynoemacheilus arsaniasus, new species, from the Murat River and the upper Karasu (Muş) River drainage, is distinguished from other species of the O. tigris group by having a bold, black, irregularly-shaped bar at the caudal-fin base, an incomplete lateral line and a scaleless body. Oxynoemacheilus muefiti, new species, from the upper Murat River drainage and a tributary to the Atatürk reservoir, is most similar to O. ercisianus, from which it is distinguished by a more slender body and a shallower dorsal adipose crest. According to our molecular data, the Qweik population of O. tigris is suspected to be introgressed by O. namiri from the Orontes drainage. Oxynoemacheilus erdali is identified as a synonym of O. bergianus as we were unable to find differences between the two species.

Article 16.4. of the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 1999) requires that the fixation of name-bearing types for a new species to be explicit: “Every new specific and subspecific name published after 1999, except a new replacement name…, must be accompanied in the original publication 16.4.1. by the explicit fixation of a holotype,…..and 16.4.2. where the holotype or syntypes are extant specimens, by a statement of intent that they will be (or are) deposited in a collection and a statement indicating the name and location of that collection.” That means that for species described after 1999, the holotype must be finally deposited in a collection and it is obligatory to indicate the name of the collection and where it is located.

Paracobitis abrishamchiani, new species, is described from the southern Caspian Sea basin, where it is found in the Babol, Haraz, Siah, Tajan, Talar and Kashpal River drainages. It is distinguished from P. hircanica and P. atrakensis, the two other Paracobitis species known from the Caspian Sea basin, by having scales on the flank posterior to the dorsal-fin origin and from its congeners in the Middle East by the position of its dorsal-fin origin, having a roundish posterior narial opening, and a colour pattern consisting of many widely spaced brown spots and blotches. It is further characterized by six diagnostic nucleotide substitutions and a minimum K2P distance of 4.3% to P. persa and 4.6% to P. malapterura in the mtDNA COI barcode region.

The diversity of Cobitis in the Middle East is reviewed, resulting in the recognition of 30 species, of which eight are described herein as new. Two species, C. amphilekta and C. kellei , seem to be extinct. Hypotheses on species-level diversity derived from distance and Poisson tree process analyses of DNA barcode data are tested against morphometric and morphological characters including colour patterns. For species pairs separated by small K2P distances in COI sequence data we follow a practitioner-oriented diagnostic species concept, in which we recognise species only if differentiated morphologically (including by colour pattern). For all 30 species we provide diagnoses and identification keys. Cobitis afifeae , new species, from the Buyuk Menderes River drainage in the Aegean Sea basin, is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, a row of blotches below Z4, a small, roundish or comma-shaped black spot at the upper caudal-fin base, and elevated mental lobes. Cobitis aliyeae , new species, from the lower Seyhan and Ceyhan River drainages, is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, the blotches in Z2 and Z4 anterior to the dorsal-fin origin usually well separated from each other, and the pigmentation in Z1 well distinguished from the pigmentation in Z2. Cobiti s anabelae , new species, from the lower Orontes River drainage, is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, the pigmentation in Z2 formed by small, brown spots, always much smaller than blotches in Z3, much smaller than the pupil diameter, Z2 and Z3 well separated, and no pigmentation below Z4. Cobitis erkakanae , new species, from the Golbasi Lakes, adjacent to the Ceyhan River drainage, is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, no blotches below Z4, the blotches in Z2 and Z4 being horizontally elongated and often fused with adjacent ones, and the caudal fin with 4 – 6 wide, regularly-shaped, brown bands . Cobitis emrei , new species, from the Lake Sapanca basin is distinguished by having one lamina circularis in the male, a large black spot at the upper caudal-fin base, and Z3 fully covered by very small spots forming a sand-like pattern. Cobitis joergbohleni , new species, from the Sultan marshes in Central Anatolia is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, and the flank colour pattern being completely disorganised, not following the Gambetta zones. Cobitis pirii, new species, from the endorheic Lake Egirdir basin and the Mediterranean Aksu and Kopru Rivers, is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, a simple external part of the suborbital spine and two distinct rows of small blotches in Z4, one along the lateral midline and one distinctly below. Cobitis troasensis, new species, from the Tuzla River drainage, is distinguished by having one lamina circularis in the male and 25–36 small, comma-shaped brown blotches in Z4. A lectotype is designated for Cobitis battalgilae . As First Revisers, priority is given to Cobitis fahireae over C. kurui . Cobitis damlae and C. kurui are treated as synonyms of C. fahireae . Cobitis strumicae and C. taenia are recorded for the first time from Anatolia and C. saniae is newly documented from the Black Sea basin in Georgia. The Poisson tree process analysis of COI data proposed 31 groups, most of which could be distinguished by morphological characters. Cobitis troasensis is described based on morphological data alone .

Alburnus goekhani, new species, is described from the Yeşilırmak and Kızılırmak River drainages. It belongs to the A. alburnus species group and is distinguished from other species in this group in Anatolia by having 48–56 + 2–3 scales in the lateral-line, 12–15 gill rakers, a distinct dark lateral stripe along the flank on live and preserved specimens and the anal-fin origin situated below the branched dorsal-fin ray 6–8. Alburnus goekhani is also well distinguished from other Alburnus species by its DNA barcode sequence.

The generic position of Leuciscus kurui Bogutskaya, 1995 is reviewed through a comparison of morphological and molecular characters (COI). The molecular data place L. kurui in Alburnus , close to Alburnus timarensis from the Lake Van basin. Alburnus kurui (Bogutskaya) is distinguished from this species by lacking a ventral keel and possessing both a very low number of gill rakers and midlateral scales. Alburnus selcuklui , from the upper Tigris drainage, cannot be distinguished from the widespread A. sellal and is therefore treated as a synonym of this species. Alburnus kurui Mangit & Yerli, 2018 is a junior secondary homonym of A. kurui (Bogutskaya, 1995) and A. carianorum is proposed as its replacement name. Several specimens of Alburnus caeruleus and Alburnus heckeli shared the same haplotypes as some A. sellal and therefore these species cannot always be distinguished by mitochondrial molecular characters. Alburnus caeruleus and A. heckeli are treated as valid species. Other individuals of A. caeruleus have haplotypes very different from A. sellal , and A. heckeli is well distinguished from A. sellal by having more gill rakers. The Lake Van basin as a separate freshwater ecoregion and the treatment of several species of Alburnus in synonymy of A. mento are discussed.

Squalius namak , new species, from the endorheic Lake Namak and Kavir basins in Iran, is distinguished from the species of the genus Squalius in the Persian Gulf and the southern Caspian Sea basins by having a wide and thick symphysial knob on the lower jaw, a convex posterior anal-fin margin, a bold, dark-grey or brown, roundish or crescent-shaped blotch at the posterior tip of each flank scale and orange caudal-, anal- and pelvic-fin rays in life. Squalius namak is also characterized by four fixed, diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region.

Garra sindhi , new species, is described from Wadi Andhur in the Dhofar province of the Sultanate of Oman. It is closely related to G . dunsirei and G. smarti , two other species from the same Omani province. It differs from these species by the following combination of characters: breast covered by scales, a shallow hump on back, eyes normally developed and 8–12 gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch.

Gobio nigrescens, from the Hari River drainage, is redescribed. It represents a valid species distinguished from congeners in the adjacent Caspian and Aral Sea basins by a combination of characters: a naked breast, 16 circumpeduncular scales and 6-7 irregularly shaped, black or brown blotches on back behind dorsal-fin base.

Sasanidus, new genus, is described for Noemacheilus kermanshahensis BănărescuNalbant, endemic to the Karkheh and Karun drainages in Iran. Sasanidus kermanshahensis was initially identified as a species in Oxynoemacheilus, from which it is distinguished by the absence of an external sexual dimorphism (i.e. longer pectoral fin, and nuptial tubercles on fins, head and back in males). Sasanidus is distinguished from all other genera of Nemacheilidae in the Middle East by a combination of the following character states: pelvic-fin origin behind of a vertical of the dorsal-fin origin, anus about one eye diameter in front of the anal-fin origin, dorsal adipose keel absent, a high crest on the bony capsule of the swim bladder present and colour pattern marbled or mottled or with an irregularly shaped midlateral stripe. Ilamnemacheilus longipinnis was examined and no difference could be found between Ilamnemacheilus and Oxynoemacheilus. Therefore, Ilamnemacheilus is treated as a synonym of Oxynoemacheilus. COI barcode sequences from all nemacheilid loach genera occurring in the Middle East and western India are analysed jointly for the first time. The view that Schistura is a paraphyletic assemblage is supported by the clustering of DNA sequences from 45 specimens placed in at least 20 species in the genus Schistura analysed here.

Cobitis avicennae, new species, from the Karkheh and Karun sub-drainages in the Tigris catchment is distinguished from other Cobitis species in the Persian Gulf, Kor and the southern Caspian Sea basins by having a single lamina circularis in males, a small comma-shaped black spot on the upper caudal-fin base, 5½ branched anal-fin rays, 5-6 rows of dark spots on the dorsal and caudal fins, scales below the dorsal-fin base with a small focal zone and pigmentation zone Z4 with 12-17 large, partly fused blotches. It is also distinguished from other Cobitis species in the comparison group by six fixed, diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region.

Lampetra soljani , new species, is described from the lower Neretva River in the Adriatic Sea basin. Previously it was identified as L. zanandreai . Based on morphological similarity and mitochondrial genetic data, it is related to L. lanceolata and L. ninae from the Black Sea basin. Lampetra soljani is distinguished from all other species of Lampetra by having a marmorate flank pattern in live, fully grown ammocoetes, and in some adults (vs. plain colour pattern). Lampetra soljani is distinguished from other Lampetra species by having three velar tentacles, 54–57 trunk myomeres between the last branchial opening and the anus, no posterial teeth and a bicuspid middle endolateral tooth. Lampetra soljani is also well distinguished by COI barcode data from its congeners. The new species is widespread in the Neretva River drainage and lampreys from Lake Skadar basin are likely to belong to this species also.

Gobio nigrescens, from the Hari River drainage, is redescribed. It represents a valid species distinguished from congeners in the adjacent Caspian and Aral Sea basins by a combination of characters: a naked breast, 16 circumpeduncular scales and 6-7 irregularly shaped, black or brown blotches on back behind dorsal-fin base.

Sasanidus , new genus, is described for Noemacheilus kermanshahensis Banarescu & Nalbant, endemic to the Karkheh and Karun drainages in Iran. Sasanidus kermanshahensis was initially identified as a species in Oxynoemacheilus , from which it is distinguished by the absence of an external sexual dimorphism (i.e. longer pectoral fin, and nuptial tubercles on fins, head and back in males). Sasanidus is distinguished from all other genera of Nemacheilidae in the Middle East by a combination of the following character states: pelvic-fin origin behind of a vertical of the dorsal-fin origin, anus about one eye diameter in front of the anal-fin origin, dorsal adipose keel absent, a high crest on the bony capsule of the swim bladder present and colour pattern marbled or mottled or with an irregularly shaped midlateral stripe. Ilamnemacheilus longipinnis was examined and no difference could be found between Ilamnemacheilus and Oxynoemacheilus. Therefore, Ilamnemacheilus is treated as a synonym of Oxynoemacheilus . COI barcode sequences from all nemacheilid loach genera occurring in the Middle East and western India are analysed jointly for the first time. The view that Schistura is a paraphyletic assemblage is supported by the clustering of DNA sequences from 45 specimens placed in at least 20 species in the genus Schistura analysed here.

6 Corresponding author Abstract Cobitis avicennae, new species, from the Karkheh and Karun sub-drainages in the Tigris catchment is distinguished from other Cobitis species in the Persian Gulf, Kor and the southern Caspian Sea basins by having a single lamina circularis in males, a small comma-shaped black spot on the upper caudal-fin base, 5½ branched anal-fin rays, 5-6 rows of dark spots on the dorsal and caudal fins, scales below the dorsal-fin base with a small focal zone and pigmentation zone Z4 with 12-17 large, partly fused blotches. It is also distinguished from other Cobitis species in the comparison group by six fixed, diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region.

Aphanius marassantensis , new species, is described from the Kizilirmak River drainage in northern Anatolia based on colouration, meristic and morphometric characters, and the mtDNA COI barcode region . It is distinguished from other Anatolian Aphanius by one or several of the following characters: a stout body shape (BD/SL 28.2–39.6%), complete scale cover, and 25–28 scales along the lateral line. Males have 8–13 dark-brown lateral bars, of which the antepenultimate bar anterior to the caudal-fin base is 0.9–1.8 times wider than the anterior white interspace, 2–3 vertical rows of spots on the caudal fin, a black dorsal fin, sometimes with a narrow whitish-grey base, a white anal fin with 1–3 rows of black spots, in some individuals with a black margin, and hyaline pelvic fins. Females do not have vertical rows of dark-brown spots on caudal or anal fins, but numerous dark-brown spots on the flanks, arranged in 1–3 lateral rows behind a vertical from the dorsal-fin base. Their dorsal fin is hyaline with tiny dark-brown spots on rays and membranes; pectoral fins, caudal and anal fins are hyaline, and one prominent large dark-brown blotch is situated in mid-lateral position on the hypural plate. The new species is also distinguished by 11 fixed, diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region. The description of this new species, which brings the number of Anatolian Aphanius species to 12, underlines the character of Anatolia as a region of extraordinarily high biodiversity.