Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843)

Kaya, Cueneyt, Imre, Haydar Birol & Kurtul, Irmak, 2024, Is Garra rezai (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) a species known only from two widely disjunct areas in the Tigris drainage?, Zoosystematics and Evolution 100 (2), pp. 349-356 : 349

Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843)

Fig. 3

Common names.

Doctor fish.

Diagnosis.

Garra rufa is distinguished from all the species of Garra in adjacent waters in having a combination of the following characters: Breast and belly covered by scales, scales embedded in skin, rarely absent, mid-dorsal area in front of dorsal origin covered by (8)9-12(13-14) scales, 32-38 total lateral-line scales, usually 4½ transverse scale rows between lateral line and dorsal origin, 11-13 circumpeduncular scales, 20-29 total gill rakers, usually 8½ branched dorsal rays, eye fully developed.

Distribution in Türkiye.

Extirpated in Qweik, does not occur in Lakes Van and Hazar. Very widespread in Euphrates. Widespread also in Tigris, but no specimens could be observed from the Great Zap, Hezil Stream and the eastern part of the Botan in FFR and EFSM.

IUCN Status.

Least Concern ( Freyhof 2014).

Figures

Figure 3. Upper one, G. rufa, not preserved, about 110 mm SL, from Merzimen Stream, Euphrates drainage: Lower one, G. rezai, FSJF 3824, 104 mm SL; Tuerkiye: Ciratan Stream, upper Yanarsu drainage, Tigris (Retrieved from Mousavi-Sabet et al. (2022)).