Glyptothorax silviae

Common name. Persian torrent catfish.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Glyptothorax in West Asia by: ○ thoracic adhesive apparatus with no or few, very short anteromedial striae, 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide, extending to base of last pectoral ray or to posterior limit of pectoral base / ○ thoracic adhesive apparatus elevated, completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped elevation / ○ medial pit open, without striae / ○ dorsal and lateral head, back and flank with or without small roundish warts / ○ adipose short, its length 0.8–1.0 times larger than distance between base of last dorsal ray and adipose origin / ○ caudal lobes pointed / ○ caudal moderately forked, its shortest middle caudal ray 61–65 % of longest ray of upper caudal lobe / ○ caudal-peduncle 1.3–1.6 times in its length / ○ inner mandibular barbel 45–48 % HL / ○ outer mandibular barbel 67–74 % HL / ○ maxillary barbel as long as head, 92–110 % HL / ○ 9–11 serrae on pectoral spine / ○ caudal deeply forked, shortest middle caudal ray 40–43 % of longest ray of upper caudal lobe / ○ fins usually with distinct yellow tips / ○ flank grey or brown with few or many spots and small blotches or only small blotches all smaller than eye diameter, without silvery-beige spots and blotches on life. Size up to 100 mm SL, likely to grow larger.

Distribution . Iran: Jarrahi drainage.

Habitat. Fast-flowing water in mountain streams, rapids, and riffles on rocky or gravelly bottoms.

Biology. Nocturnal, hiding under rocks during day. Feeds on benthic invertebrates.

Conservation status. VU; appears to be declining within its small range.

Further reading. Coad 1981a (description); Freyhof et al. 2021c (description); Mousavi - Sabet et al. 2021 (description); Sayyadzadeh et al. 2022 (morphology).