Oxynoemacheilus zarzianus

Common name. Zarzianian loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Tigris drainage by: ● 8+8 branched caudal rays / ○ flank completely covered by scales / ○ caudal slightly emarginate / ○ dorsal profile convex / ○ colour pattern on flank behind dorsal base mottled or marmorated, without bars / ○ colour pattern on anterior part of flank not interrupted by unpigmented zone along lateral line / ○ one central and one lateral pore in supratemporal canal / ○ pelvic axillary lobe absent or a very shallow pad / ○ a median incision in upper lip / ○ suborbital groove absent in male / ○ lateral line complete, terminating behind vertical of anal base or at caudal base / ○ caudal–peduncle depth 1.0–1.2 times in caudal–peduncle length / ○ interorbital distance 1.1–1.4 times in snout length / ○ posterior process of bony air-bladder capsule directed laterally. Size up to 75 mm SL.

Distribution . Iran and Iraq: Lesser Zab, Qeshlaq, and upper Sirvan drainages.

Habitat. Moderately fast-flowing and standing waters of streams, backwaters, and springs with gravel bottoms.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. See remarks at O. chomanicus .

Further reading. Freyhof & Geiger 2017 (description); Sayyadzadeh & Esmaeili 2020 (discussion of Iranian and Anatolian populations of O. frenatus).