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Garra rezai, new species (Figs. 2–9) Holotype. GUIC 7979, 80 mm SL; Iran: Kurdistan prov.: stream Bouein-Sofla, near Bane, 35.9378N 45.9363E. Paratypes. IMNRF-UT 1245, 3, 53–67 mm SL; FSJF 4111, 1, 59 mm SL; VMFC GRE-P5216, 2, 28–34 mm SL; same data as holotype. Additional materials. FFR 1273, 6, 50–109 mm SL; Turkey: Bitlis prov.: stream Gümüşkanat about 3 km west of Taşboğaz, 38.4028N 41.7397E.—FFR 1302, 22, 74–117 mm SL; FFR 1344, 26, 69–114 mm SL; FFR 4019, 8, 88–119 mm SL; FFR 4023, 9, 90–127 mm SL; FSJF 3824, 7, 77–105 mm SL; Bitlis prov.: stream Çıratan at Üçadım, 38.3547N 41.7814E. Material for molecular genetic analysis. IMNRF-UT 1245 AC6, AC7; same data as holotype (Genbank accession numbers: OP184766, OP184767) — FSJF-DNA 2674; Turkey: Bitlis prov.: stream Gümüşkanat about 3 km west of Taşboğaz, 38.4028N 41.7397E (Genbank accession numbers: OP184768 and OP184769). Diagnosis. Garra rezai is distinguished from the other species of the Garra variabilis species-group by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from G. variabilis by having two pairs of barbels (vs. one), 15–19 scales on the predorsal midline between the dorsal-fin origin and the nape (vs. 11–15), and 11–16 total gill rakers on the first gill arch (vs. 20–26). The new species is distinguished from G. kemali and G. klatti from Central Anatolia by having a mental disc (vs. absent), and two pairs of barbels (vs. none). It is distinguished from G. nudiventris, G. roseae, and G. rossica by having two pairs of barbels (vs. no barbels in G. roseae, one pair in G.nudiventris, and most populations of G. rossica; two pairs in some populations of G. rossica), a well-developed mental disc (vs. reduced in G. rossica; Fig. 10), the predorsal mid-line fully covered by scales (vs. naked in G. nudiventris), the belly covered by scales (vs. naked in G. nudiventris). Garra rezai is further distinguished from G. roseae by having 35–40 scales on the lateral line (vs. 42–58), 5½–6½ transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. 7½–8½), 4½–5½ transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin (vs. 6½), axillary scale present at the pelvic-fin origin (vs. absent). Description. For general appearance, see Figs. 2–9; morphometric data are provided in Table 3–4. Body cylindrical, compressed laterally at caudal peduncle, body height almost equal to its width. Dorsal head profile rising gently, slightly convex. Predorsal contour slightly convex between nape and dorsal-fin origin. Ventral profile almost straight between pelvic and anal-fin origins. Body deepest at about dorsal-fin origin or about middle between nape and dorsal-fin origin, depth decreasing towards caudal-fin base. Greatest body width at about middle between pectoral- and pelvic-fin bases, decreasing towards caudal-fin base. Caudal peduncle 1.1–1.4 times longer than deep. Head moderately small, section roundish, flattened on ventral surface, slightly depressed, almost conical. Head slightly convex or flat in interorbital space. Height at nape shorter than head length. Width at nape greater than depth at nape. Head length 0.9–1.1 times in body depth. Snout length 1.0–1.3 times in postorbital length. Small tubercles scattered on transverse lobe, transverse lobe demarcated posteriorly by a shallow transverse groove. No tubercle on proboscis and lateral surface of snout. Depressed rostral surface with scattered, small tubercles, slightly or not separating transverse lobe from lateral surface. No groove between transverse lobe and lateral surface. Eyes large, its diameter 2.3–4.1 times in head depth at eye, 2.1–3.3 times in interorbital width. Two pairs of short barbels, rostral barbel antero-laterally located, shorter than eye diameter. Maxillary barbel at corner of mouth, same size as rostral barbel. Rostral cap well-developed, fimbriate, papillate on ventral surface. Upper lip present. Upper jaw usually covered by rostral cap. Gular disc elliptical, shorter than wide and narrower than head width. Papillae on anterior fold of gular disc of same size, regularly arranged. A deep and narrow groove between antero-median fold and central callous-pad. Latero-posterior flap present. Surface of central callous pad without or with sparsely arranged small papillae. Posterior margin of central callous pad extending vertically to anterior edge of eye. Nostril located immediately anterior to eye. Anterior nostril opening developed as a low, pointed and flap-like tube. Posterior nostril narrow, nostrils adjacent, posterior tip of anterior nostril reaching posterior nostril when folded down. Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 7½ (54), rarely 8½ (4), branched rays, last simple ray shorter than head length. Posterior dorsal-fin margin slightly concave. Dorsal-fin origin situated at about middle between caudal-fin base and snout tip. First branched dorsal-fin ray longest, tip of last branched dorsal-fin ray reaching vertical to, or a point slightly behind of anus when folded down. Pectoral fin with one simple and 11 (21) or 12 (11) branched rays. Pectoral fin reaching 51–83% of distance between pectoral-fin origin and pelvic-fin origin, its length equal to or slightly shorter than head length. Pelvic fin with one simple and 7 (27) or 8 (5) branched rays. Pelvic fin exceed anus, not reaching anal-fin base. Pelvic-fin origin closer to anal-fin origin than pectoral-fin origin, inserted below second or third branched dorsal-fin ray. Anal fin short, with 3 simple and 5½ (30) or 6½ (2) branched rays, first branched ray longest. Posterior anal-fin margin straight or slightly concave. Anal-fin origin at about middle between pelvic-fin origin and caudal-fin base, closer to pelvic-fin origin than to caudal-fin base in some individuals. Anal fin reaching approximately 1 / 2 to 4 / 5 of caudal peduncle when folded down. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes and 9+8 branched rays. Length of middle caudal-fin ray 52–66% of longest branched ray in upper lobe. Total gill rakers on first branchial arch 11–16 [11(1), 12(2), 13(2), 14(1), 15(3), 16(3)]. Lateral line complete, with 35–40 [35(4), 36(3), 37(15), 38(17), 39(9), 40(3)] scales, 1–3 of them were on caudal-fin base. Transverse scale rows above lateral line 4–6 [4(3), 5(43), 6(5)], between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin 3–4 [3(3), 4(22)], and 4–5 [4(33), 5(16)] between lateral line and anal-fin origin. Circumpeduncular scale rows 15–18 [15(2), 16(17), 17(3), 18(4)], 15–19 [15(2), 16(3), 17(10), 18(8), 19(2)] scales on predorsal midline between dorsal-fin origin and nape, 3–4 scales between anus and anal-fin origin. Scales on flank regularly arranged. Chest with embedded scales and belly covered by scales. A well-developed axillary scale present at pelvic-fin base. Largest known individual 127 mm SL. Coloration. In preserved individuals: background colour grey, pale- or dark-brown. Scales with a very narrow beige margin. Isolated individual or patches of dark-brown scales, darker than background, often arranged in horizontal rows. Flank above lateral line darker than below. Elongated, dark grey dots at base of dorsal-fin rays in some individuals. A blackish spot at lateral-line origin and a vertically elongated blotch at caudal-fin base in juveniles. Cheek pale plain yellowish or whitish. Mouth, chest and abdomen yellowish. All fins hyaline, grey or pale-brown, rays darker than membranes with irregularly set black spots on rays. In life: background colour pale- or dark-brown, fins beige or pale-brown, with a reddish hue in many individuals, rays darker than membranes. Isolated or patches of dark-brown scales, scale margins of some scales much darker than center of scales creating an irregular, mottled pattern. Elongated, dark grey dots at base of dorsal-fin rays. Head plain beige or greyish brown. A blackish spot at lateral-line origin and a vertically elongated blotch at caudal-fin base in juveniles. Iris silvery orange to golden with dark grey spots, internal ring without spots. Distribution. The species is currently only known from two areas in the Tigris drainage, a small stream in the Chooman drainage in Iran and the upper Yanarsu in Turkey. In the Chooman, it was found in a spring in the village Boein-e-Olia and the outflowing Boein-e-Sofla stream. The Chooman flows from Iran to Iraq and the species might also occur in this country. The Yanarsu is one of the tributaries of the Tigris in Turkey. Here, the species was found in three streams in the upper Yanarsu. Etymology. The species is named after Reza Mousavi-Sabet, father of the first author, who was injured by chemical weapons in the region of the type locality of this species. We named this taxon to respect and remember all Iranian and Iraqi victims of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). Notes on habitat. In Iran, G. rezai was found in the spring in Boein-e-Olia in April 2016. The spring (Fig. 11) was about 2–3 meters wide, and the outflowing stream had a low velocity and the bed was covered by gravel. Revisiting the place in June 2021, the species could not be found anymore in the spring. We were able to collect G. rezai from the stream Boein-e-Sofla (which is fed by the spring) in June 2021. At the type locality (Boein-eOlia spring and Boein-e-Sofla stream) no G. rufa was found, but G. rufa is widespread in the Lesser Zab drainage, including the Chooman River drainage. In Turkey, all three sampling sites were shallow, with clear and swiftly flowing water and cobbles and pebbles substrate. Among the three sampling sites, Çıratan (Fig. 12) was visited several times during different seasons and G. rezai is abundant in its Turkish distribution area. The stream hosts several regionally endemic species, such as Turcinoemacheilus kosswigi, Paracobitis zabgawraensis, Glyptothorax daemon, and G. kurdistanicus (Kaya et al. 2016, Freyhof et al. 2021). In Çıratan, two adult individuals of G. rufa were found, and one half-grown individual of G. rufa was found in the stream Büyük, both in syntopy with G. rezai. Remarks. The large direct distance of 450 km between both areas of occurrence of G. rezai is very surprising. We suspect that G. rezai might be much more widespread, at least in the Tigris drainage. Indeed, it is superficially not very different from the ubiquitous G. rufa and might be misidentified as this species at many places. Garra rufa and G. elegans are two other species of Garra known from the Lesser Zab drainage. Garra rezai is distinguished from G. elegans by having the mental disc fully developed with free edges (vs. a shallow mental disc completely fused with the chin). Garra rezai is distinguished from G. rufa by having 11–16 total gill rakers (vs. 20–29), 7½ (rarely 8½) branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. usually 8½, rarely 7½ or 9½), 15–18 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 11–13), 5½ (rarely 4½ and 6½) transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. 4½), and 15–19 scales on predorsal midline between dorsal-fin origin and nape (vs. 11–14). It is further distinguished from G. rufa by a minimum K2P distance of 14.9% in the mtDNA COI barcode region. We examined 11 syntypes of G. obtusa at NMW; all have 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays. We could count the gill rakers in two individuals of NMW 53257 (25, 25 total gill rakers) and one individual of NMW 53238 (26 total gill rakers). These syntypes are identified as G. rufa, and G. obtusa remains in the synonymy of G. rufa. Garra rezai is distinguished from its subterranean congeners in the Tigris and Euphrates drainage (i.e., G. lorestanensis, G. tashanensis, G. typhlops and G. widdowsoni) by having a brown or grey body (vs. whitish, orange or pink) and a fully developed eye (vs. eye externally invisible). Garra rezai is distinguished from G. amirhosseini (data based on Esmaeili et al. 2016) by having 35–40 total lateral line scales (vs. 33–36), 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 16– 20), and 15–18 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 13–14). Garra rezai is distinguished from G. gymnothorax by having 15–18 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 12–13), 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 16–21), and 15–19 scales along the predorsal midline (vs 10–12). It should be noted, that Esmaeili et al. (2016) diagnosed G. gymnothorax lacking scales on the breast, a character state confirmed in only a part of our materials and therefore not diagnostic to the species. Garra rezai is distinguished from G. hormuzensis by having 15–19 scales along the predorsal midline (vs 10–14), 5½ (rarely 4½ and 6½) transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. usually 4½), and 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 16–21). Garra rezai is distinguished from G. meymehensis by having 15–19 scales along the predorsal midline (vs. 11), 5½ (rarely 4½ and 6½) transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. usually 4½), and 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 16–21) (data on G. meymehensis are based on ZamaniFaradonbe et al. 2021a). Garra rezai is distinguished from G. mondica, by having 35–40 total lateral line scales (vs. 28–32), and 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 18–23). It should be noted that Sayyadzadeh et al. (2015) diagnosed G. mondica as lacking scales on the breast, the belly and the back in front of the dorsal-fin origin. However, in our materials, as the one examined by Zamani-Faradonbe et al. (2021b), the breast is covered by embedded scales, the belly is cover by non-embedded scales and there are 11–15 scales along the predorsal midline. Garra rezai is distinguished from G. persica by having 9+8 branched caudal-fin rays (vs. 8+8), and 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 17–19). Garra rezai is distinguished from G. tiam by having 35–40 total lateral line scales (vs 30–34), 11–16 gill rakers (vs. 18–22), 15–19 scales along predorsal midline (vs 9–11, or embedded), and 15–18 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 12–13) (data on G. tiam are based on Zamani-Faradonbe et al. 2021a)., Published as part of Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Saemi-Komsari, Maryam, Kaya, Cüneyt & Freyhof, Jörg, 2022, Garra rezai, a new species from two widely disjunct areas in the Tigris drainage (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), pp. 419-436 in Zootaxa 5195 (5) on pages 423-433, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5195.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7223689, {"references":["Kaya, C., Turan, D. & Unlu, E. (2016) The latest status and distribution of fishes in upper Tigris River and two new records for Turkish freshwaters. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 16, 545 - 562. https: // doi. org / 10.4194 / 1303 - 2712 - v 16 _ 3 _ 07","Freyhof, J., Kaya, C., Abdullah, Y. S. & Geiger, M. F. (2021) The Glyptothorax catfishes of the Euphrates and Tigris with the description of a new species (Teleostei: Sisoridae). Zootaxa, 4969 (3), 453 - 491. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4969.3.2","Esmaeili, H. R., Sayyadzadeh, G., Coad, B. W. & Eagderi, S. (2016) Review of the genus Garra Hamilton, 1822 in Iran with description of a new species: a morpho-molecular approach (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 3 (2), 82 - 121.","Sayyadzadeh, G., Esmaeili, H. R. & Freyhof, J. (2015) Garra mondica, a new species from the Mond River drainage with remarks on the genus Garra from the Persian Gulf basin in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa, 4048 (1), 075 - 089. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4048.1.4","Zamani-Faradonbe, M., Zhang, E. & Keivany, Y. (2021 b) Garra hormuzensis, a new species from the upper Kol River drainage in the Persian Gulf basin (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa, 5052 (3), 380 - 394. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 5052.3.4","Zamani-Faradonbe, M., Keivany, Y., Dorafshan, S. & Zhang, E. (2021 a) Two new species of Garra (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from western Iran. Ichthyological Exploration Freshwaters, 30 (3), 249 - 270. https: // doi. org / 10.23788 / IEF- 1137"]}

Mystus cyrusi, new species (Figs. 2���7) Holotype. Female, ZM-CBSU J2901, 94.2 mm SL, Iran: Fars prov.: Darab city, Forg region, Qalatooyeh (Ghalatooye) village, Qalatooyeh Spring, Kol River drainage, 28��10���16.8���N, 55��14���42.5���E. Paratypes. ZM-CBSU J2902, 4, 65���92 mm SL, same data as holotype. ���ZM-CBSU J2906, 3, 79���98 mm SL, Fars prov.: Darab city, Qalatooyeh region, Kol River drainage, 28��10���14.75���N, 55��14���59.90���E.��� ZM-CBSU J2909, 5, 68���98 mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Darab city, Forg region, Qalatooyeh village, Qalatooyeh Spring, Kol River drainage, 28��10���16.8���N, 55��14���42.5���E. ��� ZM-CBSU J2914, 2, 71���95 mm SL, Fars prov.: Darab city, Golabi spring, Kol River drainage, 28��47���14.72���N, 54��22���14.93���E. *ZFMK (Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig)-deposited COI sequences. Diagnosis. Mystus cyrusi belongs to a group of species having a long adipose-fin base and short maxillary barbel and lacking a caudal spot. Mystus cyrusi is distinguished from M. pelusius, the only other species of the genus in the Tigris-Euphrates River system in the Middle East, by a combination of characters: maxillary barbel short, not reaching to beyond of pelvic fin (vs. extends as far as anal fin in some females in M. pelusius), smaller adipose-fin base (30.8���37.4% SL), and with a steeper sloping at its origin (vs. longer, 37.6���45.6% SL and with a more gently sloping in M. pelusius), greater head depth (16.64���21.9% SL vs. 12.6���16.59% SL in M. pelusius), greater caudalpeduncle depth (10.3���12.5% SL vs. 8.7���10.5 in M. pelusius) and fewer total gill rakers (12���14 with a mode of 12 vs. 14���17 in M. pelusius). Description. See figures 2���4 for general appearance and Table 4 for morphometric data. Body short or moderately elongated, rounded anteriorly and compressed posteriorly, dorsal profile slightly convex, rising steeply from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, ventral profile almost straight. Head short and flattened. Snout obtuse. Mouth subterminal and transverse. Eyes anteriorly situated, not visible from below ventral surface of head, moderately large with free circular margins. Four pairs of barbels, one each of maxillary and nasal and two of mandibular. Nasal barbel extend back to eye, maxillary barbel short, not reaching to beyond of pelvic fins (extending to vertical through third or fourth dorsal-fin ray, in some specimens reaching to origin of pelvic fin). Inner mandibular barbel not reaching to pectoral-fin base, outer one reaching. Gill openings wide, extending from post temporal to beyond isthmus. Skin smooth. Lateral line complete, midlateral in position. Total gill rakers 12���14, (mode of 12). Dorsal fin with II���III, 7 rays and a convex margin, usually anterior branch of fin rays longer than other branches; dorsal-fin spine short, straight, and slender, posterior edge without serrations. Pectoral fin with I, 7���8 rays, pectoral-fin spine stout and stronger than the dorsal spine, serrated with 8���10 antrorse teeth on the inner margin, the number increasing with size. Pectoral-fin margin straight anteriorly and convex posteriorly. Pelvic-fin origin slightly posterior to vertical through posterior end of dorsal-fin base, with I, 5 rays and slightly convex margin; tip of appressed fin not reaching to anal-fin origin. Anal fin with rays difficult to separate into branched and unbranched (perhaps I���IV, 8���10 rays). Adipose-fin origin at end of dorsal fin when appressed and ended in origin of caudal fin with free end. Adipose-fin origin starts with a steeply sloping and terminate at its highest portion. Caudal fin deeply forked; upper lobe larger than lower lobe. Sexual dimorphism. Males with slightly long genital papilla. Females with rounded genital opening (Fig. 5). Coloration. Dorsal surface of head and body pale brown to olivaceous. Dark humeral spot and black spot at base of dorsal fin present. Ventral surfaces of head and body dirty white. Dorsal and anal fins with melanophores on rays and membranes and so these fins darker than other fins. Margin of adipose fin narrowly black. Caudal fin with black margin. Three (sometimes two), narrow, white stripes on flank, one along and one each above and below lateral line. Stripe below dorsal and adipose fins narrower than others. Barbels whitish, somewhat darker dorsally (Fig. 6). Distribution and Habitat. Mystus cyrusi is currently known from three localities (Fig. 7), Qalatooyeh (Fig. 8) and Golabi Springs (Fig. 9), and Shur River, Kol River drainage which flow to the Straits of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, in southern Iran. Golabi Spring has a high water temperature all year, 22.8��C was measured in August and 22.4��C in December. The water is typically clear with some green coloration. The spring pool is circular with a depth of less than 1.5 m. The bottom is pebbles, gravel or mud. Phragmitis sp. (Poaceae) and Juncus sp. (Juncaceae) are the dominant riparian vegetation. The spring run is short and has a moderately swift flow, emptying into cemented channels being used for agricultural purposes. Conservation. Mystus cyrusi occurs in low numbers. Hence, care should be taken to conserve the populations. Drought and introductions of alien fishes, particularly Gambusia holbrooki and Neotropical convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata (see Esmaeili et al. 2013), are major threats to this endemic fish species. Etymology. The species is named for Cyrus the Great, king of Persia., Published as part of Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Sayyadzadeh, Golnaz, Zarei, Fatah, Eagderi, Soheil & Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, 2022, Mystus cyrusi, a new species of bagrid catfish (Teleostei: Bagridae) from Middle East, pp. 325-343 in Zootaxa 5099 (3) on pages 327-334, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5099.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/6078415, {"references":["Khedkar, G. 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(2018) DNA barcode based delineation of freshwater fishes from northern Western Ghats of India, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27 (13), 3349 - 3371. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10531 - 018 - 1604 - 0","Barathkumar, T. R. & Thangaraj, M. (2020) Phylogenetic observation in Ariidae, Bagridae and Plotosidae catfishes by COI gene sequence analysis. Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 12 (4), 781 - 793. https: // doi. org / 10.15835 / nsb 12410822","Lakra, W. S., Singh, M., Goswami, M., Gopalakrishnan, A., Lal, K. K., Mohindra, V., Sarkar, U. K., Punia, P. P., Singh, K. V., Bhatt, J. P. & Ayyappan, S. (2016) DNA barcoding Indian freshwater fishes. Mitochondrial DNA Part A, 27 (6), 4510 - 4517. https: // doi. org / 10.3109 / 19401736.2015.1101540","Barman, A. S., Singh, M., Singh, S. K., Saha, H., Singh, Y. J., Laishram, M. & Pandey, P. K. (2018) DNA barcoding of freshwater fishes of Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot. Scientific Reports, 8 (1), 1 - 12. https: // doi. org / 10.1038 / s 41598 - 018 - 26976 - 3","Dahruddin, H., Hutama, A., Busson, F., Sauri, S., Hanner, R., Keith, P., Hadiaty, R. & Hubert, N. (2017) Revisiting the ichthyodiversity of Java and Bali through DNA barcodes: taxonomic coverage, identification accuracy, cryptic diversity and identification of exotic species. Molecular Ecology Resources, 17 (2), 288 - 299. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / 1755 - 0998.12528","Geiger, M. F., Herder, F., Monaghan, M. T., Almada, V., Barbieri, R., Bariche, M., Berrebi, P., Bohlen, J., Casal-Lopez, M., Delmastro, G. B. & Denys, G. P. (2014) Spatial heterogeneity in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot affects barcoding accuracy of its freshwater fishes. Molecular Ecology Resources, 14 (6), 1210 - 1221. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / 1755 - 0998.12257","Duan, S., Pan, H. & Peng, Z. (2019) The complete mitochondrial genome of Mystus rhegma (Teleostei: Siluriformes) and its phylogenetic position. Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 4 (1), 1788 - 1789. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 23802359.2019.1612291","Thapliyal, M., Pokhriyal, H., Sati, B. K., Nagpure, N. S., Singh, M. & Thapliyal, A. (2015) Molecular characterization of coldwater fishes of district Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand using DNA barcoding. Environment Conservation Journal, 16 (3), 109 - 116. https: // doi. org / 10.36953 / ECJ. 2015.16316","Pandey, P. K., Singh, Y. S., Tripathy, P. S., Kumar, R., Abujam, S. K. & Parhi, J. (2020) DNA barcoding and phylogenetics of freshwater fish fauna of Ranganadi River, Arunachal Pradesh. Gene, 754, 144860. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. gene. 2020.144860","Ariyanti, Y., Rini, I. A., Oktaviani, I. & Leksikowati, S. S. (2021) DNA barcoding for selected mangrove-based estuary fishes from Way Kambas National Park, Lampung Province, Indonesia. Journal of Tropical Life Science, 11 (2), 151 - 160. https: // doi. org / 10.11594 / jtls. 11.02.04","Khan, M. Q., Anjum, M. Z., Adnan, M., Khan, A., Zahid, H., Nawab, J., Safi, S. Z., Shah, M. I. A., Kamil, A. & Ali, A. (2021) Genetic diversity of Schizothorax, Tor, and Mystus spp. in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: species of economic importance. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 53 (3), 1099. https: // doi. org / 10.17582 / journal. pjz / 20190906180937","Esmaeili, H. R., Gholamifard, A., Sayyadzadeh, G., Parsi, B., Mirghiyasi, S., & Ghasemian, S. (2013) New record of the convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata (Gunther, 1867), from the Middle East (Actinopterygii: Cichlidae). Aqua International Journal of Ichthyology, 19, 225 - 229."]}

Eagderi, Soheil, Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed (2021): Capoeta raghazensis, a new species of algae-scraping cyprinid from the Raghaz Canyon in Hormuz basin, southern Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). FishTaxa 22: 37-44, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7818261, {"references":["Alwan N. 2011. Systematics, taxonomy, phylogeny and zoogeography of the Capoeta damascina species complex (Pisces: Teleostei: Cyprinidae) inferred from comparative morphology and molecular markers. PhD thesis, Goethe Universitat, Frankfurt a.m., Germany.","Alwan N., Zareian H., Esmaeili H.R. 2016. Capoeta coadi, a new species of cyprinid fish from the Karun River drainage, Iran based on morphological and molecular evidences (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). ZooKeys 57: 155-180.","Armbruster, J.W. 2012. Standardized measurements, landmarks, and meristic counts for cypriniform fishes. Zootaxa 3586(1): 8-16.","Cicek E., Eagderi S., Sungur S. 2021a. Schizothorax prophylax (Pietschmann, 1933) and Capoeta mauricii Kucuk, Turan, Sahin & Gulle, 2009, junior synonyms of Capoeta pestai (Pietschmann, 1933) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). Spixiana 44(2): 203-208.","Cicek E., Eagderi S., Secer B., Sungur S. 2021b. Capoeta kosswigi Karaman, 1969 a junior synonym of Capoeta damascina (Valenciennes, 1842) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Journal of Fish Taxonomy 45: 235-240.","Cicek E., Eagderi S., Secer B., Sungur S. 2021c. Capoeta baliki Turan, Kottelat, Ekmekci & Imamoglu, 2006 a junior synonym of Capoeta tinca (Heckel, 1843) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). International Journal of Aquatic Biology 9(1): 33- 40.","Esmaeili H.R., Zareian H., Eagderi S., Alwan N. 2016. Review on the taxonomy of Tigris scraper, Capoeta umbla (Heckel, 1843) and its confirmation record from the Iranian part of Tigris River, Persian Gulf basin (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Journal of Fish Taxonomy 1(1): 35-44.","Esmaeili H.R., Sayyadzadeh G., Eagderi S., Abbas K. 2018. Checklist of freshwater fishes of Iran. Journal of Fish Taxonomy 3: 1-95","Ghanavi H.R., Gonzalez E.G., Doadrio I. 2016. Phylogenetic relationships of freshwater fishes of the genus Capoeta (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae) in Iran. Ecology and Evolution 6(22): 8205-8222.","Jouladeh-Roudbar A., Eagderi S., Murillo-Ramos L., Ghanavi H.R., Doadrio I. 2017. Three new species of algae-scraping cyprinid from Tigris River drainage in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Journal of Fish Taxonomy 2(3): 134-155.","van der Laan, R. (2021). Freshwater fish list. 31th. edition. Almere, the Netherlands.","Zareian H., Esmaeili H., Freyhof J. 2016. Capoeta anamisensis, a new species from the Minab and Hasan Langhi River drainages in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa 4083: 126-142.","Zareian H., Esmaeili H.R. 2017. Mitochondrial phylogeny and taxonomic status of the Capoeta damascina species group (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) in Iran with description of a new species. Iranian Journal of Ichthyology 4(3): 231-269."]}

Capoeta raghazensis, new species (Figs. 1-3, Tables 1-2) Holotype: IMNRF-UT-1105-4, holotype, 111.8 mm SL. Iran: Hormuzgan prov., Hormuz basin, near Darab City, Raghaz Canyon, 28°49'32"N 54°18'02"E, July 2017. Paratypes: IMNRF-UT-1105, 4, 67.7–231.3 mm SL; VMFC CR22006, 2, 71.2–113.0 mm SL; data same as holotype. Diagnosis: Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is a member of C. damascina species group. It is distinguished from C. capoeta species group (C. aculeate, C. alborzensis, C. capoeta, C. fusca, C. gracilis, C. heratensis, C. macrolepis and C. razii) by having smaller scales, including 69–77 total lateral line scales (vs. 32–58), 11– 13 scales between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line (vs. 6–10), and 9–10 scales between anal-fin origin and lateral line (vs. 5–7). Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is further distinguished from C. capoeta by having 11–14 total gill rakers (vs. 17–29), and from C. heratensis by having one set (vs. two) barbel. Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is distinguished from C. buhsei and C. umbla by having 69–77 lateral line scales (vs. 80–102) and 9–10 scales between anal-fin origin and lateral line (vs. 11–14). Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is further distinguished from C. umbla by 11–14 total gill rakers (vs. 18–20). It is distinguished from C. saadi by having shorter barbels (7–13 vs. 13–24% HL), shorter head (20–24 vs. 24–30% SL), smaller pectoral fin (10– 15 vs. 16–19% SL), and 25-29 circum-pendicular scales (vs. 23-24). Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is distinguished from C. coadi, C. damascina, C. ferdowsii, C. pyragyi, C. shajariani and C. umbla by having 11–14 total gill rakers (vs. 15-20). It is further distinguished from C. coadi by having shorter pectoral fin (10-15 vs. 17-20% SL) and shallow dorsal fin depth (9–15 vs. 18–21% SL). It is distinguished from C. biruni, C. ferdowsii, C. pyragyi and C. shajariani by having 7-10 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch (vs. 10-13, 12-14, 13-15 and 12-14, respectively), Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is distinguished from the members of C. trutta species group (C. anamisensis, C. mandica and C. trutta) by having a moderately ossified last unbranched dorsal-fin ray which usually smaller than head length (vs. strongly ossified and thick) and having 11–14 total gill rakers (vs. 17–29). Description: See Figures 1-4 for general appearance and Tables 1-2 for morphometric and meristic data. Body moderately deep and compressed laterally. Greatest body depth at middle of pectoral-pelvic distance. Head dorsal profile slightly convex. Predorsal length slightly longer than post-dorsal length. Dorsal profile of body convex without any keel in front of dorsal-fin origin. Snout rounded with a semi-circular view in ventral. Mouth arcuate in males and straight in females (Fig. 3). Upper and lower lips adnate to jaws. Lower jaw with a strong keratinized edge. Rostral cap well-developed in semi-circular form and overlapping with upper lip. One set of maxillary barbels, short, smaller than eye’s horizontal diameter and never reaching to posterior margin of orbit. Intranasal length slightly shorter than snout length. Pelvic axillary well-developed, pointed, triangular in shape covering by scales. Dorsal fin depth (9–15% SL) with 4 unbranched and 7–8 branched rays, its outer margin straight in sinuate shape. Last unbranched dorsal-fin ray thickened and serrated, distally flexible, with 16–20 serrae on its posterior margin, with serrations along 60–70% of its posterior margin, denticles in moderate size and narrowly spaced. Last unbranched dorsal-fin ray slightly shorter than first branched ray, and its tip soft. Pelvic fin inserted below a vertical of posterior margin of first branched dorsal-fin. Caudal fin short, emarginate with round and equal size of lobes. Pectoral fin depth short (10–15% SL) with15–17 branched rays. Pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 8 branched rays. Anal fin with 3 unbranched rays, 5 branched rays and its outer margin rounded. 11–14 gill rakers on outer side of first arch. 25–29 circum-peduncular scales. Lateral line complete with 69–77 scales. 11– 13 scales between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line and 9–10 between anal-fin origin and lateral line. Coloration: In live specimens, dorsum olive, a dark pigmentation present on scales above lateral line giving impression of stripes in males but faded in female. A mid-flank stripe is evident, darkest on the anterior part of the body. Below the lateral line and belly beige. Dorsal and caudal fins with melanophores on the membranes, fade in margins. Pectoral and pelvic fins orange-cream with melanophores on the membranes. Anal fin beige. In preserved specimens, dorsum, upper side of mid-flank and head brown. Below the lateral line and belly beige. Peritoneum black. Distribution and habitat: Based on our knowledge, Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is only found in the Raghaz Canyon, Hormuz basin, Iran. The Raghaz Canyon, with an approximate length of four kilometres, 64 cascade and more than 100 natural ponds Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. was captured in a pond with about 2 m depth, 6 m 2 surface area. Water was clear with low current (Fig. 4). Etymology: The species name raghazensis refers to Raghaz Canyon, the type locality of Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. An adjective. Remark: Based on our unpublished data, Capoeta raghazensis sp. n. is distinguished from C. saadi, its closest relative, by an uncorrected-pairwise distance of 6.0% based on the Cytochrome b sequences. Comparative Materials: — Capoeta anamisensis: ZM-CBSU Z126-130, 5, 134–139 mm SL; Iran: Hormuzgan prov.: Minab River drainage, Moradabad River at Ziarat Ali, 27°45'47.6"N 57°14'31.8"E. Capoeta birunii: ZM-CBSU Z651-660, 10, 90-165 mm SL; Iran: Esfahan prov.: Zayandeh River basin, Daran River near Daran, 32˚49′25.8″N 50˚25′47.4″E. 16 Aug 201. Capoeta alborzensis: IMNRF-1063, 7, 50-153 mm SL, Iran: Tehran prov.: Nam River, tributary of Hableh River, near Arjomand village, 35°48'00"N 52°30'57"E. — IMNRF-UT-2063, 23, 46-163 mm SL, Iran: Tehran prov.: Dasht-e Kavir basin, Nam River, tributary of Hableh River, near Harandeh village, 35°42'41"N 52°40'19"E, September 2014. Capoeta buhsei: IMNRF-UT-1075, 12, 103.9- 211.8 mm SL, Iran: Markazi prov.: Namak Lake basin, Tafresh Town, at Khalife Kandy village, Mazlaghan-Chay River, 34°45'34"N 49°56'50"E, Novembre 2016. Capoeta capoeta: IMNRF-UT-1067, 15, 66-157 mm SL, Iran: Eastern Azarbaijan prov.: Urmia Lake basin, Near Ajab Shir City, Ghale-Chay River, 37°29'25"N 45°59'57"E, Novembre 2016. Capoeta coadi: IMNRF-UT-1108, 18, 91-163 mm SL, Iran: Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad prov.: Tigris basin, near Ghalat village, Beshar River, 30°27'47"N 51°45'10"E, July 2017. Capoeta damascina: NUIC-1519. 20. 104.8–218.1 mm SL; Turkey: Malatya prov.: Persian Gulf basin, Sürgü Stream, 38°02’34’’N 37°51’21’’E. Capoeta ferdowsii: IMNRF-UT-1111 61, 121.6 mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Persian Gulf basin, Tang-e Shiv River at Bekr Sofla village, Zohre River drainage, 30°25'26"N 51°21'55"E. July 2017. — IMNRF-UT-1111, 8, 63.8-138.4 mm SL; data same as IMNRF-UT-1111 61. Capoeta fusca: IMNRF-UT-1065, 8, 46-121 mm SL, Iran: North Khorasan prov.: Hari River basin, near Farooj Town, at Segonbadan village, Qanat-e Segonbadan, 37°14'46"N 58°08'01"E. Capoeta heratensis: IMNRF-UT-1064, 15, 116-161 mm SL, Iran: Khorasan-e Razavi prov.: Hari River basin, near Sarakhs, at Pole-e Khaton, Hari River, 35°56'51"N 61°08'51"E, June 2016. Capoeta pyragyi: IMNRF-UT-1109 141, 118.1 mm SL; Iran: Lorestan prov.: Tigris River drainage, Tire River at Kaghe village (Fig. 13), Sezar River drainage, 33°37'06"N 48°58'13"E. July 2017. — IMNRF-UT- 1109, 16, 79.6–155.8 mm SL; data same as IMNRF-UT-1109 141. Capoeta macrolepis: IMNRF-UT-1058, 9, 53-116 mm SL, Iran: Fars prov.: Kor River basin, Tange Boragh village, Kor River, 37°14'46"N 58°08'01"E. Capoeta mandica: ZM-CBSU Z212 -217, 6, 83–118 mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Qareh Aghaj River at Kavar, 29°10'55.10"N 52°41'32.80"E. — ZM-CBSU Z235 -245, 11, 82–130 mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Qareh Aghaj River at Kuohmareh Sorkhi, 29°23'39.8"N 52°09'49.1"E. Capoeta saadii: ZM-CBSU 2524 -2528, 5, 113-231mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Ghadamgah spring, Doroodzan, 30°15'11"N 54°25'32"E. Capoeta razii: IMNRF-UT-1072, 14 specimens, 90.7–184.2 mm SL; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Caspian Sea basin, Chalus City, Kheyroud River, 36°36'35"N, 51°33'45"E Capoeta shajariani: IMNRF-UT-1107 21, 162.4 mm SL; Iran: Hamedan prov.: Tigris River drainage, Gamasiab River near Doab Village, 34°22'13"N 47°54'26"E, S. July 2017. — IMNRF-UT-1107, 10, 93.5– 173.0 mm SL; data same as IMNRF-UT-1109 141. — IMNRF-UT-1106, 10, 93.9-203.2 mm SL; Iran: Hamedan prov.: Gamasiab River at Saad-e Vaghas Village, Tigris River drainage, 34°16'54"N 48°14'29"E. July 2017. Capoeta trutta: IMNRF-UT- 1073, 15, 54.1-165.2 mm SL, Iran: Kermanshah prov.: Tigris basin, Songhor to Satar road, Tape-Esmail village, Gaveh River, 34°56'01"N 47°12'49"E, August 2016. Capoeta umbla: IMNRF-UT-1077, 15, 107.3- 175.9 mm SL, Iran: Kurdistan prov.: Tigris River basin, Little Zab River, near Sardasht Town, Barisu village, 36°08'48"N 45°32'17"E, May 2016., Published as part of Eagderi, Soheil & Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, 2021, Capoeta raghazensis, a new species of algae-scraping cyprinid from the Raghaz Canyon in Hormuz basin, southern Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), pp. 37-44 in FishTaxa 22 on pages 38-43, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7818261

Glyptothorax alidaeii, new species (Fig. 7–10) Holotype. GUIC GTA-H, 128 mm SL; Iran: Lorestan prov.: Seimare River at Zirkhaki, 33.6880 47.0639. Paratypes. FSJF 4111, 2, 35–78 mm SL; IMNRF-UT- 1222, 4, 27–42 mm SL; VMFC GTA-P, 2, 83– 99 mm SL; same data as holotype. Material used in molecular genetic analysis. IMNRF-UT-1222; same data as holotype (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959036, MZ959037). Diagnosis. Glyptothorax alidaeii is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from the other congeners in the Persian Gulf basin with the exception of G. steindachneri, by having a pointed and short head, HL 21–24% SL (vs. blunt and spade-shaped, 24–33). Glyptothorax alidaeii is distinguished from G. silviae by having a less deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray is 57–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 40–43), shorter barbels (maxillary barbel 76–90% HL vs. 92–110, inner mandibular barbel 30–33% HL vs. 45–48, outer mandibular barbel 43–49% HL vs. 67–74), and many silvery-beige spots and blotches on head and flank in life (vs. absent). Glyptothorax alidaeii is distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated) without or with very short anteromedial striae (vs. with numerous and long), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), and head, back and flank with many, irregular shaped and set brown blotches smaller than the eye diameter (vs. as large as the eye diameter or slightly larger). It is distinguished from G. hosseinpanahii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus without or with short anteromedial striae (vs. many and long), 1.3 – 1.6 times longer than wide (vs. 1.0–1.2), a pointed (vs. blunt and roundish) short head (head length 21–24% SL vs. 24–28), and the shortest middle caudal-fin ray 57–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 42–49). The new species is distinguished from G. pallens by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), 1.3–1.6 times longer than wide (vs. 1.1–1.2), a pointed head (HL 21–24% SL vs. blunt and roundish, 25–28), a moderately deep forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 57–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 47–53). Glyptothorax alidaeii is distinguished from G. shapuri by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (strongly elevated), 1.3 – 1.6 times longer than wide (vs. 1.0–1.2), a pointed (vs. blunt and roundish) head (HL 21–24 % SL vs. 24–26), caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.1–1.3), and a moderately deep forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 57–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 46–49). The new species is further distinguished from G. armeniacus and G. daemon by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), with few, very short or no anteromedial striae (vs. numerous and long), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded); the head, back and flank with many silvery-beige spots and blotches in life (vs. absent);and the thoracic adhesive apparatus 1.3–1.6 times longer than wide (vs. 1.1 – 1.3 in G. daemon). Description. Morphometric data as in Table 3. Head depressed; body sub-cylindrical. Dorsal head profile straight, predorsal profile slightly convex: rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then straight to adipose-fin origin, sloping gently ventrally from origin of adipose-fin origin to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle, slightly convex at belly. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of back, flank and belly with roundish warts, densely set on head and anterior half of body, sparsely set on posterior half body. Lateral line complete and mid-lateral. Head pointed and short, 21–24% SL. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth with warts. Eye ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 128 mm SL. Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, extending to or beyond pectoral-fin base, velum at proximal part of barbel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, many warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, not reaching to anterior orbital margin. Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel extending to end of gill cover, not reaching pectoral-fin origin. Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline. Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus almost to base of the third branched pectoral-fin ray or posterior limit of pectoral-fin base in some specimens (Fig. 9); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus strongly convex; its width 1.3–1.6 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, without warts at its edges. Anteromedial striae short or absent. Narrow medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 8–9 branched rays; fin margin straight or slightly concave; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly concave and posterior margin roundish; its origin at vertical through or very slightly in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin with pointed lobes, lower lobe slightly longer than upper lobe in some individuals, and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with slightly convex anterior margin and slightly concave posterior margin; with 7–8 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical in front of tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with slightly convex anterior and posterior margins, and I,5 rays; tip of adpressed fin reaching anal-fin origin in some individuals. Pectoral fin with I,8–9 rays; posterior fin margin straight; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honeycomp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 10–12 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, with a shallow keel in some individuals, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps. Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colouration of head, back and flank pale-grey to greyish brown, fading to pale-grey or beige on ventral surfaces of head, anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back, flank and fins with many or few, scattered, dark-brown spots and/or small blotches and many small, palebeige blotches and spots, absent in some long-preserved individuals. Dark-brown spots and blotches smaller than eye diameter in two colours, some darker than background coloration and some lighter than background. Spots and blotches smaller than eye diameter. Latero-sensory pores pale-yellow in posterior half of body, visible as a line lighter in colour compared with surrounding tissue. A pale-grey blotch at dorsal fin origin in most individuals and dorsal fin with a brown base and a brown median band, often incomplete. Adipose fin with a pale-grey blotch behind origin, a brown median band and a pale-grey posterior margin. All other fins with a proximal pale-grey to dark-grey (blackish in caudal fin) base, followed by a yellow band, a dark-grey band and a hyaline or yellow margin; yellow/whitish margin in caudal fin often absent or reduced to a large or small blotch on each lobe. Maxillary and nasal barbels grey or blackish dorsally, pale-grey ventrally, velum pale-grey or beige. Mandibular barbels beige or pale-grey. In life: background colour of head, back and flank pale-grey to greyish yellow, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with few, small irregular black and many silvery-beige spots and / or small blotches on fins, head, back and flank. Silvery-beige pattern ranging in size from minute spots to blotches larger than eye-diameter. Etymology. The species name alidaeii is in honor of “Ali Daei”, due to his humanitarian activities after the 2018 earthquake in region, where the Seimareh River (type locality of G. alidaeii) is located. Distribution. Until now, the species was only found in headwater streams in the upper Karkheh drainage. Remarks. Freyhof et al. (2021) also reported G. cous from the Seimare River. Glyptothorax cous and G. alidaeii are expected to occur in sympatry. Both are placed in separate molecular clades with a minimum K2P distance of 2.6% between G. cous and G. alidaeii in their DNA barcode sequence.

Glyptothorax shapuri, new species (Fig. 23–26) Holotype. GUIC GTS-H, 64 mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Shapur River at Eslamabad, 29.7618 51.5507. Paratypes. FSJF 4115, 1, 57 mm SL; IMNRF-UT- 1230, 3, 20–59 mm SL; VMFC GTS-P, 1, 33 mm SL; same data as holotype. Material used in molecular genetic analysis. IMNRF-UT-1230; Iran: Fars prov.: Shapur River at Eslamabad, 29.7618 51.5507 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959031, MZ959032). Diagnosis. Glyptothorax shapuri is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from G. silviae by having a deeper body (body depth 19–20% SL vs. 16–18), shorter barbels (maxillary barbel 81–84% HL vs. 92–110, inner mandibular barbel 18–22% HL vs. 45–48), outer mandibular barbel 42–44% HL vs. 67–74), and a deeper caudal-peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length vs. 1.3–1.6). The new species is distinguished from G. alidaeii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (moderately elevated), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.6), a blunt and roundish (vs. pointed) head (HL 24–26% SL vs. 21–24), caudal-peduncle depth times in its length 1.1–1.3 (vs. 1.3–1.6), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 57–65). Glyptothorax shapuri is distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with very few and short anteromedial striae (vs. numerous and long), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.5), a blunt and roundish (vs. pointed) head (HL 24–26% SL (vs. 21–23), larger eyes (eye diameter 16–18% HL vs. 10–14), a deeper caudal-peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length vs. 1.6–2.1), a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 61–65), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and head, back and flank with few, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as eye diameter or larger, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter (vs. many, irregular shaped and set blotches smaller than eye-diameter, no points). It is distinguished from G. hosseinpanahii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (moderately elevated), with very short and few anteromedial striae (vs. long and numerous), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.3–1.6), and head, back and flank with few, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as the eye diameter or larger (vs. irregular dark spots or small blotches smaller than eye diameter). Glyptothorax shapuri is distinguished from G. pallens by having a deeper and wider head (head depth 58–61% HL vs. 53–57, maximum head width 86–90% HL vs. 73–80), shorter barbels (maxillary barbel 81–84% HL vs. 90–95, inner mandibular barbel 18–22% HL vs. 38–42, outer mandibular barbel 42–44% HL vs. 52–59), and few, irregular shaped, dark-brown blotches on the head, back and flank (vs. without distinct spot or blotches). The new species is distinguished from G. armeniacus and G. daemon by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with few, very short anteromedial striae (vs. numerous and well developed), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 62–69 in G. armeniacus, 55–59 in G. daemon). Description. Morphometric data in Table 5. Head depressed; body subcylindrical. Dorsal head and predorsal profile straight: Profile rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then almost straight to posterior margin of dorsal fin base, sloping gently dorsally from posterior margin of dorsal fin base to adipose fin origin, almost straight to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below tip of adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of back and flank with many shallow minute warts on head, body and belly. Lateral line complete and midlateral. Head broad, spade-shaped when viewed laterally. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth, without tubercles, with many warts. Eye ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 64 mm SL. Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, extending to, slightly in front of pectoral-fin base, velum at proximal part of babel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, small minute warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, extending almost to anterior orbital margin. Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel extending to end of gill cover, not reaching pectoral-fin origin. Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline. Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus to base of the third branched pectoral-fin ray (Fig. 25); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus strongly convex; its width 1.0–1.2 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, without warts at its lateral and posterior edge. Anteromedial striae present and well developed. Narrow, triangle shaped medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 6 branched rays; fin margin straight; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly concave and posterior margin roundish; its origin at vertical in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin deeply forked, with pointed lobes, and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with slightly convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin; with 8 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin slightly in front of or behind tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with convex anterior margin and I,5 rays; tip of adpressed fin reaching anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with I,7 rays; posterior fin margin straight or slightly concave; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honey-comp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 9–11 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, with a shallow keep in some individuals, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps. Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colour greyish- or yellowish-brown, fading to cream or beige on ventral surfaces of head and anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back and flank with few or many, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as eye or larger, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter. Latero-sensory pores appear as a dark line on lateral view, clearly darker than background coloration. A beige blotch at dorsal and adipose fins origin. Adipose fin dark-brown, with a cream to hyaline posterior margin. Dorsal fin with a median, dark brown or blackish band, reduced in some individuals. Caudal and dorsal fins with dark-brown to blackish base, other fins with a pale-brown or beige base, a median, dark-brown band, and a hyaline margin; appearing as whitish fins with a dark-grey or blackish band in middle (with exception of caudal fin). Whitish margin in caudal fin reduced to a small blotch on each lobe in some individuals. Maxillary and nasal barbels grey or pale-brown dorsally, beige ventrally and velum beige or hyaline. Mandibular barbels beige or cream. In long-time formaldehyde-preserved individuals (as paratypes), colour pattern almost lost due. In life: Head, back and flank pale-brown to golden, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with few, irregular shaped, pale or dark-brown blotches as large as eye or larger, many small, silvery-beige blotches and spots as large as eye or smaller, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter. Etymology. The species name shapuri, is in honour of the “Shapur I”, the second Sasanian King of Iran, who ruled from 240 to 270. A noun in genitive, indeclinable. Distribution. Headwater streams in the Helleh drainage. Remarks. The description of G. shapuri is potentially based on juvenile individuals, as these are quite small compared to other species, and the morphometric and colour pattern characters might be different in adults. But we cannot exclude that this is a real dwarf species

Glyptothorax silviae Coad, 1981 (Fig. 3–6) Glyptothorax silviae Coad, 1981:291 Material examined. CMNFI 1979-0390A, 67.6 mm SL, holotype; CMNFI 1979-0390B, 2, paratypes, 44–51 mm SL; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: stream 3 km south of Bagh`e Malek, a tributary to Rud-e Zard or Ab-e Ala, 31.483 49.908 (photographs only).— FSJF 4116, 5, 45–95 mm SL; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Maroun River at Garab-e-Lodab, 30.9455 50.9042.— MNRF-UT-1221, 10, 49–91 mm SL; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Maroun River at Garab-e-Lodab, 30.9455 50.9042.— VMFC GTSI, 10, 83– 99 mm SL; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: stream Rud-e Zard at Rudzard, 31.3680 49.7258. Material used in molecular genetic analysis. IMNRF-UT-1221; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Maroun River at Garab-e-Lodab, 30.9455 50.9042 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959028, MZ959029).— VMFC GTSI; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Maroun River at Qale-Gol, 30.9586 50.6152 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959030). Diagnosis. Glyptothorax silviae is distinguished from G. armeniacus, G. cous, G. daemon and G. kurdistanicus by having an elevated (vs. not elevated in G. cous) thoracic adhesive apparatus, 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. as wide as long, 0.8 – 1.1 in G. cous; wider than long, 0.7 – 0.9 in G. kurdistanicus). There are no or few, very short anteromedial striae on the thoracic adhesive apparatus in G. silviae (vs. many and long in G. armeniacus, G. cous and G. daemon), and the thoracic adhesive apparatus is extending from the isthmus to the base of last pectoralfin ray or to the posterior limit of the pectoral-fin base (vs. to base of first or third branched pectoral-fin ray in G. kurdistanicus). It is well delineated at its posterior margin (poorly delineated in G. cous), completely situated on the horseshoe shaped swelling (vs. extending beyond the swelling, usually onto the pectoral-fin base in G. cous). In G. silviae, the head and body lack tubercles (vs. presence in G. armeniacus, G. cous and G. steindachneri), the caudal-peduncle depth, 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.3 in G. cous and G. daemon), the caudal fin lobes are pointed (vs. rounded in G. armeniacus, G. kurdistanicus and G. daemon), the caudal fin is deeply forked, the shortest middle caudal-fin ray is 40–43% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe (vs. moderately forked, 58–69% in G. armeniacus, G. kurdistanicus and G. daemon). Glyptothorax silviae has distinct yellow tips on the fins (vs. with very indistinct or no yellow tips in G. daemon). It is further distinguished from G. steindachneri by having a short adipose-fin, its length 0.8–1.0 times (vs. 1.5–3.0) larger than the distance between the base of last dorsal-fin ray and the adipose-fin origin, the medial pit without striae (with striae), and 9–11 serrae on the inner margin of the pectoral fin-spine (vs. 13–17). Glyptothorax silviae is distinguished from G. alidaeii by having a more deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray is 40–43% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 57–65), longer barbels (maxillary barbel 92–110% HL vs. 76–90, inner mandibular barbel 45–48% HL vs. 30–33, outer mandibular barbel 67–74% HL vs. 43–49), and no silvery-beige spots and blotches on head and flank in life (vs. many). It is distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus without or few, very short anteromedial striae (vs. numerous and long), longer barbels (maxillary barbel 92–110% HL vs. 77–91, inner mandibular barbel 45–48% HL vs. 26–33, outer mandibular barbel 67–74% HL vs. 56–58), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), a more deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray is 40–43% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 61–65), and the flank with few spots and small blotches or only small blotches all smaller than eye diameter (vs. many, irregular shaped and set dark-brown blotches on flank, as large as the eye-diameter or slightly larger). Glyptothorax silviae is distinguished from G. hosseinpanahii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (vs. moderately elevated), without or few short anteromedial striae (vs. many and long), and longer mandibular barbels (inner mandibular barbel 45–48% HL vs. 25–35, outer mandibular barbel 67–74% HL vs. 46–61). It is distinguished from G. pallens by having a more slender caudal-peduncle (1.3–1.6 times in its length vs. 1.1– 1.3), and longer mandibular barbels (inner mandibular barbel 45–48% HL vs. 38–42, outer mandibular barbel 67–74% HL vs. 52–59). Glyptothorax silviae is distinguished from G. shapuri by having a more shallow body (body depth 16–18% SL vs. 19–20), longer barbels (maxillary barbel 92–110% HL vs. 81–84, inner mandibular barbel 45–48% HL vs. 18–22), outer mandibular barbel 67–74% HL vs. 42–44), and a more narrow caudal-peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length vs. 1.1–1.3). Distribution. Only found in the Jarrahi River drainage, where it might be endemic. Remarks. Coad (1981) diagnosed this species as lacking tubercles and warts on the head and body. Fresh materials examined from the type locality well-agree with the description by Coad (1981) but these fish have many small warts (= papilla, in the original description) on the head, back and flank. Potentially the warts have been scraped off in the type materials., Published as part of Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Vatandoust, Saber & Freyhof, Jörg, 2021, Five new species of the sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax from Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae), pp. 451-484 in Zootaxa 5067 (4) on pages 455-458, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5067.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5683323, {"references":["Coad, B. W. (1981) Glyptothorax silviae, a new species of sisorid catfish from southwestern Iran. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology, 27 (4), 291 - 295."]}

Key to species of Glyptothorax in the Persian Gulf basin (expanded from Freyhof et al. 2001) 1a Adipose-fin length 1.5–3.0 times longer than distance between base of last dorsal-fin ray and adipose-fin origin; 13–17 serrae on pectoral-fin spine, medial pit of thoracic adhesive apparatus with striae............................. G. steindachneri 1b Adipose-fin length 0.6–1.2 times of distance between base of last dorsal-fin ray and adipose-fin origin; 7–14 serrae on pectoralfin spine; medial pit of thoracic adhesive apparatus without striae................................................ 2 2a Head and flank with tubercles (rarely absent in some individuals)................................................ 3 2b Head and flank without tubercles, with roundish or elongate warts.............................................. 4 3a Thoracic adhesive apparatus longer than wide, well delineated at its posterior margin, situated completely on a horse-shoe shaped elevation; head, back and flank with many minute tubercles and few roundish warts................ G. armeniacus 3b Thoracic adhesive apparatus as wide as long, poorly delineated at its posterior margin, only partly situated on shallow, horseshoe shaped elevation, elevation absent in many adult individuals; head, back and flank usually with large, bony, striated and elongated tubercles (absent in some individuals). ....................................................... G. cous 4a Upper head, back and flank without brown or black spots or blotches...................................... G. pallens 4b Upper head, back and flank with few or many, dark-brown spots and, or blotches (potentially faded in poorly-preserved individuals)............................................................................................. 5 5a Thoracic adhesive apparatus wider than long, as wide as long in juveniles (0.7 – 0.9 times longer than wide)...................................................................................................... G. kurdistanicus 5b Thoracic adhesive apparatus as wide as long or longer, 1.0–1.6 times longer than wide............................... 6 6a Anteromedial striae in thoracic adhesive apparatus long and numerous........................................... 7 6b Anteromedial striae in thoracic adhesive apparatus short or absent............................................... 9 7a Caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.6 times in its length; shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of longest ray of upper caudal-fin lobe; caudal fin with pointed lobes; maxillary barbel as long as head (95–108% HL).................... G. hosseinpanahii 7b Caudal-peduncle depth 1.6–2.5 times in its length; shortest middle caudal-fin ray 58–65% of longest ray of upper caudal-fin lobe; caudal fin with rounded lobes; maxillary barbel shorter than head (72–91% HL)............................... 8 8a Fins with a distinct yellow tip; thoracic adhesive apparatus 1.3–1.5 times as long as wide; adipose-fin length 0.5–0.8 of distance between base of last dorsal-fin ray and adipose-fin origin.............................................. G. galaxias 8b Fins without or with a very indistinct yellow tip; thoracic adhesive apparatus 1.1–1.3 times as long as wide; adipose-fin length 0.7–1.1 of distance between base of last dorsal-fin ray and adipose-fin origin.............................. G. daemon 9a Maxillary barbel as long as head (90–110% HL); inner mandibular barbel 45–48% HL; outer mandibular barbel 67–74% HL............................................................................................. G. silviae 9b Maxillary barbel shorter than head (76–89% HL); inner mandibular barbel 19–33% HL; outer mandibular barbel 42–49% HL................................................................................................ 10 10a Shortest middle caudal-fin ray 57–65% of longest ray of upper caudal-fin lobe; caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length........................................................................................ G. alidaeii 10b Shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of longest ray of upper caudal-fin lobe; caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length........................................................................................ G. shapuri, Published as part of Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Vatandoust, Saber & Freyhof, Jörg, 2021, Five new species of the sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax from Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae), pp. 451-484 in Zootaxa 5067 (4) on page 455, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5067.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5683323

Glyptothorax pallens, new species (Fig. 19–22) Holotype. GUIC GTI-H, 67 mm SL; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: stream Zemkan 3 km north of Zamkan-e Olya, 34.6452 46.2856. Paratypes. FSJF 4114, 1, 65 mm SL; IMNRF-UT-1227, 3, 21–69 mm SL; same data as holotype.— IMNRF-UT-1228, 1, 57 mm SL; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: stream Golain at Sare-Baghe-Golain, 34.2280 46.0035.— IMNRF-UT-1229, 1, 50 mm SL; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: stream Alvand near Qasr-e-Shirin, 34.4809 45.7556.— VMFC GTI-P, 1, 56 mm SL; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: Sirvan River at Hajij (now under Daryan reservoir), 35.1602 46.3391. Material used in molecular genetic analysis. IMNRF-UT-1227; same data as holotype (GenBank accession number: MZ959038, MZ959040).— IMNRF-UT-1228; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: stream Golain at Sare-Baghe-Golain, 34.2280 46.0035 (GenBank accession number: MZ959041).— IMNRF-UT-1229; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: stream Alvand near Qasr-e-Shirin, 34.4809 45.7556 (GenBank accession number: MZ959042),— VMFC GTI-11; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: Sirvan River at Hajij, 35.1602 46.3391 (GenBank accession number: MZ959039). Diagnosis. Glyptothorax pallens is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by lacking black, brown or silvery-beige spots or blotches on the head, back and flank (vs. with spots and blotches or only spots), and having a longer maxillary barbel (90–95% HL vs. 57–92 in all others congeners with exceptions of G. hosseinpanahii, and G. silviae). It is further distinguished from G. silviae by having a deeper caudal-peduncle (1.1–1.3 times in its length vs. 1.3–1.6), and shorter mandibular barbels (inner mandibular barbel 38–42% HL vs. 45–48, outer mandibular barbel 52–59% HL vs. 67–74). The new species is further distinguished from G. alidaeii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (vs. moderately elevated), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3–1.6), a blunt and roundish head (HL 25–28% SL vs. pointed, 21–24), a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 47–53% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 57–65). Glyptothorax pallens is further distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus 1.0– 1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3–1.5), without or with very short anteromedial striae (vs. many and long), a blunt and roundish (vs. pointed) and long head (HL 25–28% SL vs. 21–23), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 47–53% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 61–65). It is further distinguished from G. hosseinpanahii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (vs. moderately elevated), without or with very short anteromedial striae (vs. many and long), and the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.3–1.6). Glyptothorax pallens is distinguished from G. shapuri by having a more shallow and slender head (head depth 53–57% HL vs. 58–61, maximum head width 73–80% HL vs. 86–90), longer barbels (maxillary barbel 90–95% HL vs. 81–84, inner mandibular barbel 38–42% HL vs. 18–22, outer mandibular barbel 52–59% HL vs. 42–44), and no distinct spot or blotches on the head, back and flank (vs. few, irregular shaped, dark-brown blotches). The new species is further distinguished from G. armeniacus and G. daemon by having no or very short anteromedial striae (vs. many and long), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 47–53% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 62–69% in G. armeniacus, 55–59 in G. daemon). Description. Morphometric data in Table 4. Head depressed; body subcylindrical. Dorsal head profile straight, predorsal profile slightly convex: Profile rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then almost straight, sloping gently ventrally from origin of adipose fin to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below tip of adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of head, body and belly many small shallow warts. Lateral line complete and midlateral. Head broad, spade-shaped when viewed laterally. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth, without tubercles, with warts. Eye ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 69 mm SL. Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, reaching posterior margin of pectoral-fin base, velum at proximal part of babel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, extending to anterior orbital margin, reaching mid eyes in some individuals. Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel extending to end of gill cover, reaching second pectoral-fin ray. Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline. Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus to base of the third branched pectoral-fin ray (Fig. 21); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus almost straight or slightly concave; its width 1.0–1.2 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, without warts at its lateral and posterior edge. Anteromedial striae absent or slightly developed. Spear-blade shaped medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 6 branched rays; fin margin straight or slightly concave; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly convex and posterior margin roundish; its origin in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin with pointed lobes, lower lobe slightly longer than upper lobe and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with slightly convex anterior margin and straight or slightly concave posterior margin; with 6 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical slightly in front of or behind tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with slightly convex anterior margin and I,5 rays; tip of adpressed fin not reaching anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with I,7–8 rays; posterior fin margin straight; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honey-comp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 10–11 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, with a shallow keep in some individuals, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps. Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colour dark- to pale-brown, fading to cream or beige on ventral surfaces of head and anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back and flank without black or darkbrown spots or blotches, with many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter. Latero-sensory pores same colour as surrounding tissue. A beige blotch at dorsal and adipose fins origin. Adipose fin dark-brown with a beige posterior margin. All other fins with a dark-brown base, followed by a hyaline or whitish median band, a dark-brown band and a hyaline or whitish margin, often reduced to hyaline or whitish tips in caudal fin. Maxillary and nasal barbels brown or blackish dorsally, pale-brown ventrally and velum pale-brown or beige. Mandibular barbels beige or cream. In life: head, back and flank greyish brown, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with minute black points, much smaller than eye diameter. Etymology. This species is named for its pale colour, an adjective, indeclinable. Distribution. Glyptothorax pallens was found in the tributaries of the Sirvan in Iran, including the Sirvan itself and the tributaries Zemkan, Golain and Alvand. As the Sirvan flows to Iraq to meet the Tigris, it is expected that this species also occurs in that country. A noun in genitive, indeclinable., Published as part of Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Vatandoust, Saber & Freyhof, Jörg, 2021, Five new species of the sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax from Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae), pp. 451-484 in Zootaxa 5067 (4) on pages 472-476, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5067.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5683323

Glyptothorax galaxias, new species (Fig. 11–14) Holotype. GUIC GTB-H, 113 mm SL; Iran: Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari prov.: stream Afsarabad at Afsarabad, 32.1645 50.4232. Paratypes. FSJF 4112, 2, 47–52mm SL; VMFC GTB-P2, 5, 65–83 mm SL; Iran: Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari prov.: stream Beheshtabad at Beheshtabad, 32.0287 50.6265.— IMNRF-UT-1223, 3, 75–108 mm SL; VMFC GTB-P1, 4, 93–114 mm SL; same data as holotype.— IMNRF-UT-1224, 2, 51–60 mm SL; Iran: Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari prov.: stream Mal-e-Khalife at Mal-e-Khalife, 31.2800 51.2659. Material used in molecular genetic analysis. FSJF-DNA 2611; Iran: stream Behesht Abad north of Ardal, 75 km south-west of Shahr-e-kord, 32.0343 50.6327 (GenBank accession numbers: MW770721).— IMNRF-UT-1225; Iran: Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari prov.: stream Beheshtabad at Beheshtabad, 32.0287 50.6265 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959025).— IMNRF-UT-1223; Iran: same data as holotype (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959026).— IMNRF-UT-1224; Iran: Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari prov.: stream Mal-e-Khalife at Mal-e-Khalife, 31.2800 51.2659 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959027). Diagnosis. Glyptothorax galaxias is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from the other congeners in the Persian Gulf basin with the exceptions of G. alidaeii, and G. steindachneri, by having a pointed and short head, 21–24% SL (vs. blunt and spade-shaped, 24–33). The new species is distinguished from G. silviae by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with numerous and long anteromedial striae (vs. absent or very short), shorter barbels (maxillary barbel 77–91% HL vs. 92–110, inner mandibular barbel 26–33% HL vs. 45–48, outer mandibular barbel 56–58% HL vs. 67–74), rounded caudal fin lobes (vs. pointed), a less deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray is 61–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 40–43), and many, irregular shaped and set dark-brown blotches on flank, as large as the eye-diameter or slightly larger (vs. flank with few spots and small blotches or only small blotches all smaller than eye diameter). It is distinguished from G. alidaeii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (vs. moderately elevated) with numerous and long anteromedial striae (vs. absent or very short), rounded caudal fin lobes (vs. pointed), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.6–2.1 times in its length (vs. 1.3–1.6), and head, back and flank with many, irregular shaped and set brown blotches as large as the eye diameter or slightly larger (vs. smaller than eye diameter). Glyptothorax galaxias is distinguished from G. hosseinpanahii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (vs. moderately elevated), 1.3 – 1.5 times longer than wide (vs. 1.0–1.2), a pointed head (its length 21–23% SL vs. blunt and roundish, 24–28), a smaller eye (eye diameter 10-14% HL vs. 14–17), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.6–2.1 times in its length (vs. 1.3–1.6), rounded caudal fin lobes (vs. pointed), a moderately forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 61–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. deeply forked, 42–49), and brown spots and blotches on head, back and flank as large as the eye diameter or slightly larger (vs. smaller than eye diameter). It is distinguished from G. pallens by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus 1.3–1.5 times longer than wide (vs. 1.0–1.2), many and long anteromedial striae (vs. without or with very short), a pointed (vs. blunt and roundish) and short head (HL 21–23% SL vs. 25–28), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.6–2.1 times in its length (vs. 1.1–1.3), rounded caudal fin lobes (vs. pointed), the shortest middle caudal-fin ray 61–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 47–53). The new species is distinguished from G. shapuri by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with numerous and long anteromedial striae (vs. very few and short), 1.3 – 1.5 times longer than wide (vs. 1.0–1.2), a pointed (vs. blunt and roundish) head (HL 21–23% SL vs. 24–26), a smaller eye (eye diameter 10–14% HL vs. 16–18), a more narrow caudal-peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.6–2.1 times in its length vs. 1.1–1.3), a moderately forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 61–65% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 46–49), rounded caudal fin lobes (vs. pointed), and head, back and flank with many, irregular shaped and set blotches smaller than eye-diameter, without points (vs. with few, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as eye diameter or larger, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter). Glyptothorax galaxias also differs from G. daemon by having a thoracic adhesive apparatus 1.3 – 1.5 times longer than wide (vs. 1.1–1.3), and from G. kurdistanicus by the thoracic adhesive apparatus extending from the isthmus to the base of last pectoral-fin ray or to the posterior limit of the pectoral-fin base (vs. to base of first or third branched pectoral-fin ray in G. kurdistanicus). Description. Morphometric data as in Table 3. Head depressed; body subcylindrical.Dorsal head profile straight, predorsal profile straight or slightly convex: Profile rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then almost straight to adipose fin origin, sloping gently ventrally from origin of adipose fin to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.6–2.1 times in its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below tip of adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of back and flank with many roundish warts, often elongated on lateral body and head, sparsely set on head, densely set on flank and belly. Lateral line complete and midlateral. Head is pointed and short, 21–23% SL. Head is square-shaped from dorsal view. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth, without tubercles, with many warts, slightly elongated on gill cover. Eyes small (10–14% HL); ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 114 mm SL. Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, not reaching to pectoral-fin base (reaching in small individuals), velum at proximal part of babel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, thick warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, not reaching to anterior orbital margin (reaching in small individuals). Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel extending to end of gill cover, not reaching pectoral-fin origin (reaching in small individuals). Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline. Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus to posterior end of pectoral-fin base, reaching beyond in some individuals (Fig. 13); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus slightly convex, often almost straight; its width 1.3–1.5 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, associated with few, small warts at its posterior edge and without warts at its lateral edge. Anteromedial striae present, but slightly developed. Narrow medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 6 branched rays; fin margin straight or slightly concave; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly convex and posterior margin roundish; its origin at vertical through or very slightly in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin with rounded lobes, lower lobe slightly longer than upper lobe and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with slightly convex anterior margin and straight or slightly concave posterior margin; with 7 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical through or slightly in front of or behind tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with slightly convex anterior margin and I,6 rays; tip of adpressed fin reaching anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with I,9 rays; posterior fin margin straight; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honey-comp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 9–12 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, with a shallow keep in some individuals, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps. Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colour greyish brown, fading to pale-brown or beige on ventral surfaces of head and anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back, flank and fins with many, irregular shaped and set, dark-brown blotches as large as eye diameter or slightly larger, absent or almost absent in some individuals. Latero-sensory pores same colour as surrounding tissue. A pale-brown blotch at dorsal fin origin, usually arc-shape. Dorsal-fin with a brown base and a brown median band. Adipose fin with a pale-brown blotch at origin, a pale-brown posterior margin in some individuals, very narrow or absent in others. All other fins with pale- to dark-brown base, a brown median band and hyaline or yellow margin. Patter often darkened and hyaline or yellowish elements reduced to blotches. Caudal fin with a dark-brown base, a W-shaped, pale-brown or yellowish median band, often reduced to two, median, yellowish blotches, and a whitish margin, often absent or reduced to whitish tips. Maxillary and nasal barbels dark-brown dorsally with hyaline tips, pale-brown ventrally, velum pale-brown or beige. Mandibular barbels beige or pale-brown. In life: head, back and flank dark-grey to greyish olive, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with many, small, dark-brown, irregular shaped and set blotches as large as eye diameter or slightly larger. Bands and blotches on fins whitish, yellowish or orange. Many minutes, star-like, silvery-beige spots much smaller than eyediameter. Etymology. This species is named for the star-like silvery blotches. A noun in genitive, indeclinable. Distribution. Headwater streams in the upper Karun drainage., Published as part of Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Vatandoust, Saber & Freyhof, Jörg, 2021, Five new species of the sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax from Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae), pp. 451-484 in Zootaxa 5067 (4) on pages 462-468, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5067.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5683323

Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii, new species (Fig. 15–18) Holotype. GUIC GTH-H, 90 mm SL; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Zohreh River at Tange-Shiv, 30.4612 51.3527. Paratypes. FSJF 4113, 1, 36 mm SL; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: Zohreh River at Kheirabad, 30.5295 50.4156.— IMNRF-UT-1226, 1, 75 mm SL; same data as holotype.— VMFC GTH-P1, 1, 58 mm SL; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Zohreh River at Shah-Bahram, 30.5961 50.8776.— VMFC GTH-P2, 1, 34 mm SL; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: Zohreh River at Kheirabad, 30.5295 50.4156. Material used in molecular genetic analysis. FSJF-DNA-4113; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: Zohreh River at Kheirabad, 30.5295 50.4156 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959034).— IMNRF-UT-1226; same data as holotype (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959033, MZ959035). Diagnosis. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from all other Iranian Glyptothorax except G. silviae by having a very long maxillary barbel (as long as the head, 95–108% HL vs. shorter than head, 57–95). It is distinguished from G. silviae by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), with many and long anteromedial striae (vs. short or absent), and shorter mandibular barbels (inner mandibular barbel 25–35% HL vs. 45–48, outer mandibular barbel 46–61% HL vs. 67–74). The new species is further distinguished from G. alidaeii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with many and long anteromedial striae (vs. short or absent), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.6), a blunt and roundish head (head length 24–28% SL vs. pointed, 21–24), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 57–65). Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii is further distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.5), a blunt and roundish head (its length 24–28% SL vs. pointed, 21–23), larger eyes (eye diameter 14–17% HL vs. 10-14), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 61–65), and brown spots and blotches on head, back and flank smaller than eye diameter (vs. as large as the eye diameter or slightly larger). It is distinguished from G. shapuri by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (strongly elevated), with long and numerous anteromedial striae (vs. very short and few), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.1–1.3), and head, back and flank with irregular dark spots or small blotches smaller than eye diameter (vs. irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as the eye diameter or larger). Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii is distinguished from G. pallens by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), with many and long (vs. without or with very short) anteromedial striae, and the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.1–1.3). The new species is further distinguished from G. armeniacus and G. daemon by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 62–69 in G. armeniacus, 55–59 in G. daemon). Description. Morphometric data as in Table 4. Head depressed; body subcylindrical. Dorsal head profile straight, predorsal profile slightly convex: Profile rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then almost straight, sloping gently ventrally from origin of dorsal fin to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below tip of adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of back and flank with small, roundish warts, densely set on head, sparsely set on body. Lateral line complete and midlateral. Head broad, spade-shaped when viewed laterally. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth, without tubercles, with many warts. Eye ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 90 mm SL. Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, reaching to second pectoral-fin ray, velum at proximal part of babel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, passing anterior orbital margin and reaching to mid eyes in some individuals. Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel reaching pectoral-fin origin. Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline. Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus almost to posterior-most pectoral-fin base (Fig. 17); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus slightly convex, often almost straight; its width 1.0–1.2 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, without warts at its lateral and posterior edge. Anteromedial striae present and well developed. Narrow, spear-blade shaped medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 6 branched rays; fin margin straight; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly concave and posterior margin roundish; its origin at vertical through or very slightly in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin deeply forked (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of longest ray of upper caudal-fin lobe), with pointed lobes, and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with straight or slightly convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin; with 7 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical through or slightly in front of or behind tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with slightly convex anterior margin and I,5 rays; tip of adpressed fin not reaching anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with I,7–8 rays; posterior fin margin straight; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honey-comp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 9–11 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps. Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colour pale-brown, grey or beige, fading to beige or cream on ventral surfaces of head and anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back, flank and fins with irregular set and shaped, dark-brown and silvery-beige spots or small blotches smaller than eye diameter. Latero-sensory pores same colour as surrounding tissue. A beige blotch at dorsal fin origin, triangle-shaped. A beige blotch at adipose fin origin, and a whitish posterior margin. Dorsal fin hyaline with a dark-brown base and median band and a whitish tip. Caudal fin with a dark-brown base, followed by a wide, hyaline band, a dark-brown band and hyaline tips. All other fins hyaline with beige or brown base, usually with a brown, median band. Maxillary and nasal barbels pale-brown to beige dorsally, beige or cream ventrally and velum beige or cream. Mandibular barbels beige or cream. In life: background colour brown or greyish olive, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with few, small irregular black and many silvery-beige spots and / or small blotches on fins, head, back and flank, black spots smaller than eye diameter, silvery-beige spots and blotches often larger than eye-diameter. Etymology. The species is named for Hossein Panahi-Dezhkooh (1956–2004), the Iranian actor and poet. He born was in Dezhkooh, close to the type locality of G. hosseinpanahii. A noun in genitive, indeclinable. Distribution. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii was only found in headwater streams in the upper Zohreh drainage in Iran.

Barbus urmianus from the Mahabad-Chai River in Urmia Lake basin, is distinguished from its congeners in the B. lacerta group by a well-developed middle pad of the lower lip, a shorter postdorsal length (25.2–42.0 vs. 46.4–60.7% SL), long anal fin (11.0–23.0 vs. 6.0–10.4% SL), short dorsal-fin base (9.2–15.6 vs. 16.1–22.6% SL), less scales in the caudal peduncle (14–23 vs. 25–35), and 64–85 scales on the lateral line (vs. 52–70).

Geometric morphometric method was used to examine the body shape variations among the six populations of Garra rufa, in Iranian part of Tigris basin. A total of 15 landmark-points was used for 170 specimens to hypothesize population differentiation of G. rufa in the six rivers and reservoir. In discriminant function analysis, 85.9% of original grouped cases correctly classified.Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical variates analysis (CVA) confirmed the significant difference between the populations. The results revealed that the studied populations are divided into three clades based on differences in body depth, caudal peduncle length, backward moving of anal fin. Caudal peduncle showed shortening trend in five populations. Narrower body shape was dominated among specimens of four regions. Studies on body shape provide supporting data on fisheries, stock management, and conservative programs.

Leuciscus is a genus of fish belonging to subfamily Leuciscinae. While, it is widely distributed throughout Eurasia, our perception of the phylogenetic relationships among its members is mainly based on morphological characters. In this study, two mitochondrial (CYTB and COX1) and one nuclear (RAG1) genomic markers were used in order to assess the taxonomic relationships between two Iranian Leuciscus morpho-species. Analysis of the combined dataset using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) resulted in well-resolved trees, where most clades were supported by high statistical values. The trees revealed two clades corresponding with the Caspian Asp, Leuciscus aspius, and the Mesopotamian Asp, L. vorax. The mean intraspecific and interspecific genetic distance between Leuciscus species was 0.5% and 10.6%, respectively. The genetic distance between L. aspius sequences of Iran and Europe was 1.1% and the genetic distance between L. vorax sequences from Iran and those of Turkey and Syria was 0.8%. This confirmed that the morpho-species Leuciscus from the Caspian basin belongs to L. aspius, while those from the Tigris basin belong to L. vorax. Due to very small genetic distances between some Leuciscus members, specific species delimitation analyses are required to clarify genus taxonomy throughout its distribution range.

Rhodeus caspius, new species (Figs. 2–11) Holotype. ZM-CBSU H1005, 46 mm SL; Iran: Guilan prov.: Shakhraz (=Shakhazar or Siahdarvishan) River, the Anzali Lagoon drainage, the Caspian Sea basin, at Tolamshahr, 37°16’3.98”N 49°21’53.82”E. Paratypes. ZM-CBSU H1001, 4, 42–46 mm SL; VMFC RC4, 4, 35–42 mm SL; same as holotype. ZM- CBSU H1010, 1, 34 mm SL; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Siah River, near Qaemshahr, 36°26’6.13”N 52°56’58.91”E). ZM-CBSU H1011, 2, 36–44 mm SL; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Tajan River at Goharbaran, the Caspian Sea basin, 36°42’44.3’’N 53°07’51.8’’E. ZM-CBSU H1013, 2, 31–34 mm SL; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Babol River, the Caspian Sea basin, 36°30’50.2’’N 52°40’36.2’’E. ZM-CBSU D193, 1, 37 mm SL; ZM-CBSU D196, 1, 35 mm SL; –ZM-CBSU D199, 1, 28 mm SL; ZM-CBSU D203, 1, 35 mm SL; ZM-CBSU D205, 1, 35 mm SL; Iran: Kordestan prov.: Zarrineh River at Adinan village, Urmia Lake basin, 36°12’13.7’’N 46°25’44.9’’E. Material used in the molecular genetic analysis. Rhodeus caspius: ZM-CBSU M 526; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: Razavar River at Qazanchi village, Tigris basin, 34°26’40.5’’N 47°01’30.1’’E (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878140). ZM-CBSU M527; Iran: Kermanshah prov.: Kamiaran River at Kamiaran, the Tigris basin, 34°48’00.34’’N 46°56’27.65’’E (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878141). ZM-CBSU M1303; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Babolrud River, Caspian Sea basin, 36°30’50.2’’N 52°40’36.2’’E. (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878142). IMNRFI-UT 24A; Iran: Guilan prov.: Anzali Lagoon, the Caspian Sea basin, 37°26’21”N 49°27’21”E (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878143). IMNRFI-UT 22B; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Babol River, Caspian Sea basin, 36°30’50.2’’N 52°40’36.2’’E (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878144). IMNRFI-UT 23 T; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: Tajan River, Caspian Sea basin, 36°42’44.3’’N 53°07’51.8’’E (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878145). Rhodeus colchicus: ZM-CBSU M2487, M2490, M2491, M2492; Georgia: Samegrelo: Khobi River, Black Sea basin, 42° 15’ 50.7708’’ N 41° 46’ 4.242’’ E (GenBank accession numbers: MT 878146, MT 878147, MT 878148, MT 878149). Diagnosis. Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished morphologically from its closest species, R. amarus by having short post-dorsal distance (28–30 vs. 31–34% SL); and from R. colchicus by having long caudal peduncle length (26–30 vs. 23–25% SL) and head length (27–30 vs. 25–26% SL). It is also characterized by one fixed diagnostic nucleotide substitutions and a K2P nearest neighbor distance of 1% to R. amarus and R. colchicus in the mtDNA COI barcode region (Table 2). Based on Bogutskaya & Komlev (2001), Rhodeus colchicus is distinguished from congeners by a suite of characters which includes large scales (34 to 37, commonly 35, in the lateral row), commonly 9 branched rays in both the dorsal and anal fins, a low number of vertebrae (33 to 36, commonly 35, total, and 16 to 18, commonly 17, in the abdominal region), a deep shortened second infraorbital, a broad fourth infraorbital and a well-developed fifth one with a widened lamellate portion. Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from R. meridionalis by having a subinferior mouth (vs. terminal), upper lip covered completely or more than half (vs. rostral cap covering upper part of upper lip (according to Kottelat & Freyhof 2007)) and low number of pored scales in lateral line (3–8, usually 6 vs. 11 (according to Karaman (1924)). In the R. sericeus group, R. caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from R. sericeus by having low number of scales in lateral series (34–37 vs. 36–40 according to Holcik & Jedlicka 1994). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from Rhodeus sinensis which was formerly placed in R. sericeus as a subspecies, by having low number of branched dorsal fin rays 9–10, usually 9 (vs. 12–13, based on Bogutskaya & Komlev 2001), low number of branched anal fin rays 8–9, usually 9 (vs. 10, based on Bogutskaya & Komlev 2001), higher number of gill rakers 10-13 vs. 6–7, based on Arai et al. 2001), and low range of maximum body depth (35–39 vs. 32–55, based on Arai et al. 2001). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from R. pseudosericeus, another species in the Rhodeus sericeus group, by low number of anal fin branched ray (8–9 usually 9 vs. 9–11, mode 10 based on Arai et al. 2001), iris color of males (bright red vs. blackish). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. differs from the R. smithii complex including R. smithii (Regan, 1908), R. notatus Nichols, 1929, R. suigensis (Mori, 1935), R. atremius (Jordan & Thompson, 1914) and R. fangi (Miao, 1934), distributed in China, Korea, and Japan, in the gill raker number on the outer side of the first gill arch (10-13, vs. 4–8, based on Arai et al. 2001). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from R. ocellatus by having lower number of branched dorsal fin ray [(9–10, usually 9 vs. 10-12 (according to Kottelat & Fryhof (2007))], and females and juveniles with a black blotch in anterior part of dorsal (vs. no blotch). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is also distinguished from East Asian Rhodeus species. Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from R. albomarginatus Li & Arai, 2014 from the Lvjiang River, a tributary flowing into Poyang Lake of Yang-tze River basin, in Anhui Province, China by branched anal-fin rays 9–10, usually 9 (vs. modally10–11 based on Li & Arai 2014); and colour pattern of adult males (dorsal and anal fins of males edged with black margin vs. white margin, according to Li & Arai (2014)). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is also distinguished from R. shitaiensis Li & Arai, 2011 by usually low number of pored scale (3–8 vs. 6–12) and transverse scale 10-12 (vs. 10 according to Li & Arai (2011)). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is distinguished from R. haradai Arai, Suzuki & Shen, 1990, R. spinalis Oshima, 1926, from southern China (Arai et al. 1990), and R. laoensis Kottelat, Doi & Musikasinthorn in Kottelat (1998) from Laos, in having fewer anal fin branched rays (8–9 usually 9, vs. more than 11, based on Arai et al. 2001). Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. differs from R. rheinardti (Tirant, 1883) from Vietnam in having fewer dorsal (9–10, usually 9, vs. 12–13) and anal fin branched rays (8–9 usually 9, vs. 13–14, based on Arai et al. (2001)). Description. For general appearance and morphometric data see Figures 2–4 and Table 3–4. Small sized and deep and compressed body species with short head. Head length 27–30% SL, considerably less than the maximum body depth, 34–42% SL. The greatest body depth at dorsal-fin origin and shallowest near caudal-fin base. Dorsal body surface profile convex and ventral body surface profile rounded. Snout usually shorter than eye diameter (22–30 and 28–35% HL, respectively). Mouth sub-inferior. Lower lip well developed but not thick, not interrupted in the middle. Barbels absent. Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 9–10 (usually 9) branched rays. Anal fin with 2–4 (usually 3) simple and 8–9 (usually 9) branched rays. Pectoral fin with 10-12 (usually 12) rays. Pelvic fin with 7–8 (usually 8) rays. Caudal fin forked with 9 + 8 branched rays; its lobes rounded distally; lobes nearly equal in length. First simple rays of dorsal and anal fins very small, embedded under scales at base. Longest simple ray of dorsal fin strong and stiff, distally segmented; width of basal part about twice that of first branched dorsal-fin ray base. Body covered with large cycloid scales. Lateral line incomplete: pored scales 3–8, usually 6. Longitudinal scale series 34–37. Transverse scale rows 10-12. Predorsal scale rows 14–16 including one deeply notched in front of first dorsal fin ray. Scale rows around caudal peduncle 12–14. Cephalic sensory canals (Fig. 4) categorized as Type II with incomplete infraorbital canal (IOC). Supraorbital canal pores (SOC) 6–8; infraorbital + temporal canal pores (IOC+TC) 10-15; preopercular + mandibular canal pores (PC+MC) 8–11 and supratemporal canal pores (STC) 0-4 (Table 4). Dark spot on scales behind gill cleft. Total vertebrae 35–36. Gill rakers on external side of first gill arch 10-13. Pharyngeal teeth in one row, 0.0.5–5.0.0. A developed ovipositor in females during breeding season. Osteological characteristics (Figs. 5–11). In ethmoid region of neurocranium, supraethmoid with two horizontal and vertical portions; horizontal part wider possessing three posterior lobes; presence of two small processes in vertical part of supraethmoid-ethmoid with two small nasals positioned on its lateral sides; lateral ethmoid blade-shaped; vomer V-shaped anteriorly and pointed posteriorly; two cartilaginous preethmoid I in antero-lateral part of vomer; In in orbital region, frontal wide posteriorly with two lateral pointed process; two oval supraorbitals located on antero-lateral part of frontal; orbitosphenoid blade-shaped; ptersphenoid situated between orbitosphenoid and sphenotic; anterior and posterior half of parasphenoid elongated with two central wings bended dorsally; circumorbital series with four infraorbital, one supraorbital and lachrymal elements. In otic region, epiotic almost circular in shape; pterotic oval in shape the parietal tetragonal with its edges overlaping frontal, pterotic, epiotic and supraoccipital; sphenotic with an anteroventral pointed process fused to posterolateral process of frontal; ventral edge of prootics connected to each other. In occipital region, supraoccipital with a triangular crest. In ventral view, exoccipital almost L-shaped; lateral margin of basioccipital reclined dorsally having a pharyngeal process with a ventral process. Upper jaw with two paired maxillaries and premaxillaries; anterior part of maxillary broader having a developed mid-dorsal ascending process; anterior part of premaxillae possessing rostral ascending process with posterior narrower part. In suspensorium, dorsal part of hyomandibular wider; dorsal process of metapterygoid triangular and bended medially; endopterygoid with a pointed process just above its facet; ectopterygoid under anteroventral side of endopterygoid; quadrate with two dorsal and ventral portions; symplectic elongated and narrow and anterior part of palatine pointed bearing two dorsal and one ventral processes. In opercular series, anterior part of subopercle wider bearing an anterodorsal small process; interopercle with a knife-like shape overlapping with ventral part of crescent shaped interopecle. In hyoid arch, narrow basihyal with a ventral blade-shaped process; urohyal with two horizontal and vertical parts; posterior part of ceratohyal wider and epihyal triangular in shape and a small interhyal bone located on its posterior part; hypohyal with two paired dorsal and ventral elements. Three pairs of branchiostegal rays, branchial apparatus with four pairs of ceratobranchial, four pairs of epibranchial, three pairs of hypobranchial, two pairs of oval shaped pharyngobranchial and three unpaired basibranchial bones. Pharyngeal teeth in a row with a dental formula of 5-5. Pectoral girdle with an almost L-shaped cleithrum having a large and narrow postcleithrum in its rear; coracoid triangular in shape connecting to cleithrum with a spiral mesocoracoid; scapula broadened ventrally and pointed dorsally with a large foramen in its middle part; supracleithrum narrow, attached to a triangular-shaped posttemporal dorsally; four radials in pectoral fin. In pelvic girdle, paired anteriorly bifurcated basipterygium attached to each other; L-shape paired lateral-pterygium positioned in lateral side of basipterygium and three pairs of meta-pterygium located behind it. Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 9½ branched rays, 10 pterygiophores and one stay; first dorsal pterygiophore adjacent to 11 th or12 th vertebra; 7–8 supraneurals in front of dorsal fin; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 9½ branched rays (10½ found in one species), 10 pterygiophores and a small stay, first pterygoid is next to 18 th or 19 th vertebra. 35–36 vertebrae in axial skeleton. Caudal fin forked, and its skeletal structure including epural, parahypural, pleurostyle, uroneural and six hypurals bones. Caudal fin with 19 branched rays and various numbers of procurrent rays. Sexual dimorphism. The female has an ovipositor near the genital opening; males develop tubercle-bearing scales on the snout, mature males are colorful during the spawning season. Coloration. Adult males are especially colorful in the spawning season: Dorsal surface of head and back olive to bright green, reddish or dark violet, iris bright red, flanks iridescent with violet and steel-blue colors most evident, throat and belly orange to red, anal fin bright red and margined with black, a well-pronounced bright red spot on the first four rays of dorsal fin, caudal fin bright green at the base and yellow distally, pectoral and pelvic fins yellowish with dark pigments specially on pelvic fin membranes, females more yellowish and less iridescent than males in the spawning season, both sexes similar in color with a grey-green back, silvery flanks and yellowish belly outside the breeding season, a grey-green to greenish-blue stripe originates under the dorsal fin and extends back to the tail base, broadening posteriorly being broader in males, the dorsal fin blackish and other fins reddish to yellowish, the dorsal, and sometimes the anal fin, with a dark interrupted stripe, the iris silvery or yellowish. Distribution. Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. is originally known from the Caspian Sea basin but it has been translocated to two the Tigris River drainage and Urmia Lake basin (Fig. 12). Habitat. Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. favors heavily vegetated areas of lakes, ponds and slow-running rivers, rarely in the faster waters. It is found in the lower reaches of rivers on the Caspian Sea coast, Urmia Lake and Tigris River drainage of Iran (Fig. 13). Biology. Reproductive season in the Siah River from March to June, peaking in April, average absolute fecundity 329.74 eggs and average relative fecundity 187.4 eggs/g based on Patimar et al. (2010). Average number of eggs 78.8 for examined fishes from the Sefid River (Norouzi & Abbasi 2015). Ovipositor length up to 126.5% of standard length in the Anzali Lagoon in April (Holcik in Bănărescu 1999). Maximum life span 8–9 years (Norouzi et al. 2014, Norouzi & Abbasi 2015). Mirhashemi Nasab et al. (2017) reported a trematode worm Diplostomum spathaceum in fish from the Anzali Lagoon with a prevalence of 18.18% and a range of 1–4 worms per fish. Etymology. The species is named for the Caspian Sea basin where the type materials were collected., Published as part of Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Sayyadzadeh, Golnaz, Japoshvili, Bella, Eagderi, Soheil, Abbasi, Keivan & Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, 2020, Rhodeus caspius, a new bitterling from Iran (Teleostei: Cypriniformes Acheilognathidae), pp. 319-337 in Zootaxa 4851 (2) on pages 322-334, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4851.2.6, http://zenodo.org/record/4407661, {"references":["Bogutskaya, N. G. & Komlev, A. M. (2001) Some new data to morphology of Rhodeus sericeus (Cyprinidae: Acheilognathinae) and a description of a new species, Rhodeus colchicus, from West Transcaucasia. New Contributions to Freshwater Fish Research. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute, Academy of Sciences, St. - Petersburg. 287, 81 - 97.","Kottelat, M. & Freyhof, J. (2007) Handbook of European Freshwater Fishes. Kottelat, Cornol, Switzerland and Freyhof, Berlin, 646 pp.","Karaman, S. (1924) Pisces Macedoniae. Split, Hrvatska Stampaija, 89 pp.","Holcik, J. & Jedlicka, L. (1994) Geographical variation of some taxonomically important characters in fishes: the case of the bitterling Rhodeus sericeus. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 41, 147 - 170. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / BF 02197842","Arai, R., Jeon, S. R. & Ueda, T. 2001 Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov., a new bitterling from South Korea (Cyprinidae: Acheilognathinae). Ichthyological Research, 48, 275 - 282.","Li, F. & Arai, R. (2014) Rhodeus albomarginatus, a new bitterling (Teleostei: Cyprinidae: Acheilognathinae) from China. Zootaxa, 3790 (1), 165 - 176. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3790.1.7","Li, F. & Arai, R. 2011 Rhodeus shitaiensis, a new bitterling from China (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 21, 303 - 312.","Arai, R., Suzuki, N. & Shen, S. C. 1990 Rhodeus haradai, a new bitterling from Hainan Island, China, with notes on the synonymy of Rhodeus spinalis (Pisces, Cyprinidae). Bulletin of the National Science Museum Series A (Zoology), 16, 141 - 154.","Kottelat, M. (1998) Fishes of the Nam Theun and Xe Bangfai basins, Laos, with diagnoses of twenty-two new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae, Balitoridae, Cobitidae, Coiidae and Odontobutidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 9, 1 - 128.","Patimar, R., Seifi, T., Farahi, A. & Ezzati, M. (2010) Life history pattern of the bitterling Rhodeus amarus (Bloch, 1782) in Siahroud River (southern Caspian Sea-Iran). Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology, 10, 87 - 95. https: // doi. org / 10.2478 / v 10104 - 009 - 000044 - 6","Norouzi, M. & Abbasi, K. (2015) Study of some biological parameters and reproduction of bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) in Sefidrood River, Guilan Province. Journal of Aquatic Ecology, Hormozgan University, 5, 88 - 94.","Banarescu, P. M. (1999) The Freshwater Fishes of Europe. Vol. 5. Cyprinidae 2. Part I: Rhodeus to Capoeta. AULA-Verlag, Wiebelsheim, 427 pp.","Norouzi, E. M., Patimar, R., Abbasi, K., Golzariyanpour, K. & Bahalkeh, A. (2014) Comparative investigation of some growth characteristics of the bitterling (Rhodeus amarus Bloch, 1782) in aquatic ecosystems of Anzali lagoon and Siyahrood River. Journal of Applied Ichthyological Research, 2, 11 - 22.","Mirhashemi Nasab, S. F., Omidvar, S., Nosrati, M., Daghigh Roohi, J., Faeed, M., Ghasemi, M. & Ramezani Aghele, B. (2017) Prevalence of Diplostomum parasite in some fish of the Anzali Wetland. The Fifth Iranian Conference of Ichthyology, Islamic Azad University of Babol, 13 - 14 December 2017, abstract."]}

To describe the osteological structure of the Garra rossica, ten specimens were collected from the Mashkid Basin, Iran. After fixation into 10% buffered formalin, they were cleared and stained for osteological examination. Then its detailed osteological description was provided and compared with the available congeners in the genus Garra and other cyprinids. Based on the results, some differences have been found in different bones, including neurocranium, upper and lower jaws, pectoral and pelvic girdles, dorsal, anal and caudal fins skeleton, and circumorbital series.

Paracobitis abrishamchiani, new species (Figs. 3���7) Holotype. VMFC PCAB-H, 95 mm SL; Iran: Mazandaran prov.: a tributary of Babol River, upstream of Lafour reservoir, near Galeshkola, 36��12'33"N 052��46'16"E; S. Vatandoust & H. Mousavi-Sabet. Paratypes. All from Iran: Mazandaran prov.: VMFC PCAB-P1, 5, 43���68 mm SL; VMFC PCAB-P2, 16, 46��� 85 mm SL; VMFC PCAB-P3, 7, 48���89 mm SL; same data as holotype. Additional materials. All from Iran: Mazandaran prov.: VMFC PCAB-P 4, 13, 34���84 mm SL; a tributary of Siah River at Seyed-Abu-Saleh, 36��25'0.22"N 53��1'5.81"E; H. Mousavi-Sabet & S. Vatandoust.��� FSJF 4058, 2, 86���92 mm SL; VMFC PCAB-P 5, 3, 89���110 mm SL; VMFC PCAB-P 6, 14, 46���94 mm SL; VMFC PCAB-P 7, 5, 68���97 mm SL; stream Shirin at Ali-Abad, at the road from Sari to Damghan, a tributary of Tajan River, 36��27'28"N 053��07'35"E; H. Mousavi-Sabet & S. Vatandoust.��� VMFC PCAB-P 8, 2, 96���97 mm SL; stream Kashpal, near Chamestan, 36��28'22.05"N 52��5'46.08"E; H. Mousavi-Sabet & S. Alavi-Yeganeh.��� VMFC PCAB-P 9, 3, 78���90 mm SL; a tributary of Talar River, at Zirab, 36��11'74"N 053��00'92"E; H. Mousavi-Sabet & S. Vatandoust. Material for molecular genetic analysis. FSJF DNA-2754, FSJF-DNA2755; Tajan River at Ali-Abad, 36��27'28"N 053��07'35"E (GenBank accession numbers: MK238773, MK238774).��� FSJF DNA-2756; Babol River at Galeshkola, 36��12'33"N 052��46'16"E (GenBank accession numbers: MK238770, MK238771). ��� FSJF DNA-2757; stream Kashpal, at Chamestan, 36��28'22.05"N 52�� 5'46.08"E (GenBank accession number: MK 238772). Diagnosis. Paracobitis abrishamchiani is distinguished from the other species of Paracobitis in the Middle East by a combination of characters, none of them unique. It is distinguished from P. hircanica and P. atrakensis, two other species found in rivers of the eastern Caspian Sea basin, by having scales on the flank posterior to the dorsal-fin origin, sparsely set on the flank between the dorsal-fin origin and the anal-fin base, densely set on the caudal peduncle (vs. scales absent) and the caudal-fin rays hyaline with an irregular pattern of dark-brown or black spots and elongated blotches often organised in 1���2 wide, irregularly-shaped bars (vs. caudal-fin rays dark-brown or black, having a hyaline base and a hyaline posterior margin in P. hircanica). The base and posterior caudal-fin margin is also hyaline in P. abrishamchiani. Paracobitis abrishamchiani is further distinguished from P. hircanica by having many, pale- or dark-brown blotches and spots on the body. In individuals larger than 60 mm SL, the blotches are usually roundish or vertically elongated, some are fused to each-other. The blotches are commashaped along the lateral midline in smaller individuals forming a densely-set row (vs. a mid-lateral row of spots and small blotches, fused to an incomplete, irregularly shaped stripe along the lateral line in most individuals in P. hircanica). Paracobitis abrishamchiani is further distinguished from P. atrakensis by having a well-developed axillary pelvic lobe (vs. absent). It is distinguished from P. basharensis by having an emarginate caudal fin (vs. truncate or slightly emarginate), the dorsal-fin origin usually slightly behind a vertical through the pelvic-fin origin, rarely above or in front (vs. about one eye diameter behind a vertical through the pelvic-fin origin in P. basharensis) and a mid-lateral series of comma-shaped, pale-brown blotches in individuals smaller than 60 mm SL (vs. many brown, medium sized, widely spaced and irregularly shaped blotches forming a mottled pattern on predorsal back and on flank). In individuals larger than 60 mm SL, P. abrishamchiani is distinguished from P. malapterura and P. persa by having many, pale- or dark-brown, roundish or vertically elongated, widely spaced blotches and spots on the body, some fused to each-other (vs. a densely set pattern of dark-brown vermiculations on flank in P. malapterura, coarse brown marbling and a prominent lateral series of blotches or a midlateral stripe in P. persa). In individuals smaller than 60 mm SL, P. abrishamchiani is distinguished from P. malapterura and P. persa by having a mid-lateral series of comma-shaped, pale-brown blotches (vs. a mid-lateral row of spots, small and large blotches fused to an incomplete, irregularly shaped, stripe along the lateral line in most individuals). Paracobitis abrishamchiani is further distinguished from P. malapterura and P. persa by having 77���85 lateral line pores (vs. 87���96 pores in P. malapterura and 85-91 pores in P. persa). Paracobitis abrishamchiani is further distinguished from P. malapterura by a deeper head, its depth at eye being 48���52% HL (vs. 46���48% in P. malapterura). Paracobitis abrishamchiani is further distinguished from P. persa by a deeper caudal adipose crest, its depth at the highest point being 3.2��� 3.6% SL (vs. 2.1���3.2% in P. persa of same size), and the tube of the anterior nostril fully overlapping the posterior nostril when folded back (vs. not reaching beyond the posterior tip of the posterior nostril when folded back in P. persa). The new species is distinguished from P. molavii by having an emarginate caudal fin (vs. truncate), and a colour pattern of many, widely spaced, brown spots and blotches, organised in a midlateral series of comma-shaped spots in individuals smaller than 60 mm SL (vs. small, irregularly shaped and closely set brown blotches often forming a dense mottled pattern on the predorsal back and on flank). Paracobitis abrishamchiani is distinguished from P. zabgawraensis by having a colour pattern of many widely spaced brown spots and blotches in individuals larger than 60 mm SL, organised in a midlateral series of commashaped spots in individuals smaller than 60 mm SL (vs. almost plain brown with a yellowish, narrow reticulate pattern). It is distinguished from P. longicauda, P. rhadinaea and P. vignai by having a roundish posterior narial opening (vs. slit-like) and the scales on the flank present posterior to the dorsal-fin origin, sparsely set on the flank between the dorsal-fin origin and the anal-fin base, densely set on the caudal peduncle (vs. flank fully covered by scales in P. longicauda, the flank without scales in P. vignai). The new species is further distinguished from the other species discussed above (with the exception of P. basharensis) by the position of the dorsal-fin origin, which is usually situated behind a vertical through the pelvicfin origin (vs. in front of the vertical through the pelvic-fin origin). While this is the case in most individuals of P. abrishamchiani, some individuals have the dorsal-fin origin above the pelvic-fin or in front of the pelvic-fin origin. This character is therefore helpful to identify larger series of P. abrishamchiani, but not fully diagnostic for the species. Description. For general appearance see Figs. 3���7; morphometric data are provided in Table 2. Medium sized and elongate species with laterally compressed caudal peduncle. Predorsal profile convex, prepelvic profile straight. Body deepest at about dorsal-fin origin or slightly anterior to it, depth decreasing towards caudal-fin base. No hump at nape, or only a slight hump at nape in some individuals (in population from Tajan River). Greatest body width at pectoral-fin base, body almost uniformly wide until dorsal-fin origin, tapering towards caudal-fin base. Section of head roundish, flattened on ventral surface; slightly depressed, almost conical. Head length 1.5��� 1.8 times in body depth. Snout rounded, its length 0.9���1.0 times in postorbital head length. Eye relatively small, eye diameter 3.1���5.0 times in head depth at eye, 1.6���3.1 times in interorbital width. Eye located on anterior half of head or at mid-head. No suborbital flap or groove in male. Nares rounded, located just anterior to eye. Anterior narial opening developed as a low, pointed, flap-like tube. Posterior naris narrow; nares adjacent, posterior tip of anterior naris reaching to posterior naris when folded down. Mouth small, distinctly arched (Fig. 8). Lips moderately thick, well furrowed. Lower lip interrupted medially (Fig. 8). No median notch in lower jaw. Upper lip without median incision. Processus dentiformis large, blunt (Fig. 8). Maxillary barbel long, reaching to posterior margin of eye or beyond. Outer rostral barbel reaching beyond vertical through posterior nostril, to vertical through anterior eye margin in some individuals. Inner rostral barbel not reaching origin of maxillary barbel. Caudal peduncle 1.6���2.8 times longer than deep (crest not included). Dorsal adipose crest on caudal peduncle welldeveloped, not reaching posterior part of dorsal-fin base, reaching to caudal-fin base. Flank behind dorsal-fin origin covered by minute scales with an eccentric, relatively small focal zone; scales sparsely set on flank between dorsalfin origin and anal-fin base, densely set on caudal peduncle. Lateral line straight, complete, with 77���85 pores, reaching to, or almost to caudal-fin base, pores often irregularly set. One central and one lateral pore in supratemporal canal, 10 pores in anterior infraorbital canal, four pores in posterior infraorbital canal, 8���9 pores in supraorbital canal and 9���11 pores in preoperculo-mandibular canal. No external sexual dimorphism observed. Largest known individual 110 mm SL. Dorsal fin with 6�����7�� branched rays. First unbranched rays deeply hidden in skin. Dorsal-fin origin usually slightly behind vertical through pelvic-fin origin, rarely above or in front. Margin of dorsal fin straight or slightly convex. Dorsal fin reaches to or slightly beyond anterior-most tip of adipose crest when folded backwards. Anal fin with 5�� branched rays. First unbranched rays deeply hidden in skin. Anal fin not reaching caudal-fin base. Anus about one eye diameter in front of anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with one simple and 8 (10), 9 (10) or 10 (8) branched rays. Pectoral fin reaching approximately 50���70% of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin. Pelvic fin with one simple and 7 (20) or 8 (8) branched rays. Pelvic fin not reaching anus. A distinct axillary lobe at pelvic-fin base, its posterior part free from body in large individuals, fully attached in small individuals. Caudal fin emarginated (length of middle ray 79���88% of longest branched ray in upper lobe), with 9+8 (7), 9+9 (19) and 10+9 (2) branched rays. Coloration. In preserved individuals, background colour on head and body pale yellow to whitish with brown pattern. Dorsal surface of head pale yellowish with a fine marbled or vermiculate, brown pattern. Cheeks pale yellowish or whitish. Anterior part of flank and back with many pale- or dark-brown blotches and spots, often forming a marmorate pattern. Flank pattern denser and blotches smaller on flank anterior to dorsal-fin base, coarser posterior to dorsal-fin base, pattern extending onto adipose crest. In individuals larger than 60 mm SL, blotches usually small and roundish, irregularly shaped or vertically elongated, some fused to each-other. Blotches usually comma-shaped along lateral midline in smaller individuals, forming a densely set row. Adipose crest with a darkbrown or black margin in few individuals, pale creamy in others. Belly yellowish-beige, in some individuals with little dark-brown dots, small dark-brown dots also around anal-fin base and on caudal peduncle. Lateral line beige, in contrast to colour pattern on mid-lateral flank. A faint brown stripe from eye to snout. A bold and wide darkbrown or black, irregularly shaped bar at caudal-fin base. A bold black or dark-brown blotch at base of unbranched and branched dorsal-fin rays, base of branched rays 2���3 beige and base of rays 4���7 black or dark brown. Darkbrown or black spots or blotches on dorsal-fin rays, membrane hyaline. Caudal-fin rays hyaline with an irregular pattern of dark-brown or black spots and elongated blotches often organised in 1���2 wide, irregularly shaped bars. Anal, pectoral and pelvic fins usually hyaline, with dark-brown spots (anal and pelvic fins without pigmentation in some individuals). Mental lobes of mouth with dark grey pigmentation. Rostral barbel and bases of maxillary barbels with dark brown pigments, maxillary immaculate. Distribution. Paracobitis abrishamchiani is endemic to Iran where it is known from the rivers Tajan, Siah, Talar, Babol, Haraz and Kashpal in the southern Caspian Sea basin. Etymology. The species is named in honour of Mir-Jafar Abrishamchian (1930���2018) and his son Ali Abrishamchian (1954���2007), the great benefactors in Guilan Province, to respect their developmental services in support of the University of Guilan and its students. Notes on habitat and conservation. Paracobitis abrishamchiani was collected in streams with clear water and swift current at 317���566 m altitude (Fig. 9). Similar to its congeners, it was found to be rare at the type locality and other sites. Comparative material. See Freyhof et al. (2014), Esmaeili et al. (2014) and Mousavi-Sabet et al. (2015) for materials of other Paracobitis species examined for this study. New material used in the molecular genetic analysis: Paracobitis atrakensis, FSJF DNA-2759; Iran: Atrak River south of Baba Aman park, 37��28'41.13"N 57��25'58.98"E. (GenBank accession numbers: MK 238762, MK 238763). Paracobitis hircanica, FSJF DNA-1984; Iran: stream flowing to Gorgan River south of Galikesh, 37��14'58.91"N 55��28'54.14"E. (GenBank accession numbers: MK 238764, MK 238765). Paracobitis rhadinaea, FSJF DNA-2486; Iran: Chah-Nimeh reservoir south of Zahak, (GenBank accession number: MK238768, MK238769).��� FSJF DNA-2615; Iran: Chah-Nimeh reservoir about 50 km south of Zabol, 30��48'02.52''N 61��41'14.35''E. (GenBank accession number: MK 238766).��� FSJF DNA-2749; Chah-Nimeh reservoir south of Zahak, 30��50'30.53"N 61��42'22.13"E. (GenBank accession number: MK 238767). Paracobitis zabgawraensis, FSJF DNA-2679; Turkey: stream ��ıratan about 5 km east of G��m��skanat, 38.38463 41.781780. (GenBank accession number: MK 238776).��� FSJF DNA-2640; Iraq: stream Choman at Qubay Galala, 36��36'38"N 44��50'17"E. (GenBank accession number: MK 238775). Paraschistura kessleri, FSJF DNA-2780; Iran: stream Dahizva north of Gaxu, 28��30'49.89"N 61��31'29.77"E. (GenBank accession number: MK 238777). Site-scale records shown in Figure 1. Previous records (based on Esmaeili et al. 2014, Mousavi-Sabet et al. 2015): 1: 37��29'37.88"N 57��26'25.63"E; 2: 37��28'41.13"N 57��25'58.98"E; 3: 37��40'38.67"N 56��58'12.17"E; 4: 37��23'28.92"N 55��45'11.86"E; 5: 37��14'59.03"N 55��28'53.87"E; 6: 36��53'0.34"N 54��57'31.68"E; 7: 36��50'47.31"N 54��58'54.15"E. New records: 8: 36��27���28"N 053��07'35"E; 9: 36��11���74"N 053��00'92"E; 10: 36��25'0.22"N 53��1'5.81"E; 11: 36��12���33"N 052��46'16"E; 12: 36�� 8'54.60"N 52��21'42.96"E; 13: 36��28'22.05"N 52�� 5'46.08"E., Published as part of Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Vatandoust, Saber, Geiger, Matthias F. & Freyhof, J��rg, 2019, Paracobitis abrishamchiani, a new crested loach from the southern Caspian Sea basin (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae), pp. 375-388 in Zootaxa 4545 (3) on pages 377-387, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4545.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2618930, {"references":["Freyhof, J., Esmaeili, H. R., Sayyadzadeh, G. & Geiger, M. (2014) Review of the crested loaches of the genus Paracobitis from Iran and Iraq with the description of four new species (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 25, 11 - 38.","https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / nar / gkh 340 Esmaeili, H. R., Mousavi-Sabet, H., Sayyadzadeh, G., Vatandoust, S. & Freyhof, J. (2014) Paracobitis atrakensis, a new crested loach from northeast Iran (Teleostei: Nemacheiliidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 25, 237 - 242."]}

Traditionally, Capoeta populations from the southern Caspian Sea basin have been considered as Capoeta capoeta gracilis. Study on the phylogenetic relationship of Capoeta species using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences show that Capoeta population from the southern Caspian Sea basin is distinct species and receive well support (posterior probability of 100%). Based on the tree topologies obtained from Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods, three main groups for the studied Capoeta were detected: Clade I) Capoeta trutta group (the Mesopotamian Capoeta group) including closely related taxa (e.g. trutta, turani, barroisi) characterized by having numerous irregular black spots on the dorsal half of the body. This clade was the sister group to all other Capoeta species and its separation occurred very early in evolution possess, so we considered it as O ld Evolutionary Group. Clade II) comprises highly diversified and widespread group, Capoeta damascina complex group (small scale capoeta group), the Anatolian-Iranian group (e.g. banarescui, buhsei, damascina, saadii), characterized by small scales and plain body (absence of irregular black spots on the dorsal half of the body, except in some juveniles) with significantly later speciation event so called Young Evolutionary Group. Clade III) Capoeta capoeta complex group (large scale capoeta group, the Aralo-Caspian group) comprises very closely related taxa characterized by large scales and plain body (absence of irregular black spots on the dorsal half of the body) distributed in Aralo-Caspian water bodies (capoeta, ekmekciae, heratensis, gracilis, sevangi) that has been recently diverged and could be considered as Very Young Evolutionary Group.

The electric yellow cichlid Labidochromis caeruleus is a mouth-brooding haplochromine cichlid from Lake Malawi and one of the most popular cichlids in the ornamental fish industry. To investigate the early development of L. caeruleus from hatching until the juvenile stage, we studied its morphological development and allometric growth patterns. In newly-hatched larvae, most organs and body parts were not yet differentiated and continued to develop until 15 days post hatching (dph). The yolk sac was depleted at 13 dph. There was allometric growth, primarily in the anterior and posterior regions of the body, and inflection points when trajectories of allometric growth changed. Head and tail growth was prioritized, suggesting that body parts linked to feeding and swimming behaviour mature earlier than the rest of the body. Additionally, growth patterns revealed that development of organs related to vital functions such as branchial respiration, sensation, exogenous feeding and swimming was prioritized. Comparisons with other African and Neotropical cichlids revealed differences in ontogenetic processes and allometric growth along the anterior-posterior axis as well as variation in developmental timing. These results indicate how early morphological development and ontogenic processes might respond to the distinctive parental care observed in mouth-brooding cichlids. published

Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Ganjbakhsh, Babak, Geiger, Matthias F., Freyhof, Jörg (2016): Redescription of Gobio nigrescens from the Hari River drainage (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa 4114 (1): 71-80, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4114.1.4