Oxynoemacheilus arsaniasus

Common name. Murat loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Euphrates drainage by: ○ scales absent / ○ supratemporal canal with one central pore / ○ lateral line incomplete, reaching to vertical through a point between about of one snout length in front of dorsal origin and middle of caudal peduncle / ○ suborbital groove absent in male / ○ caudal slightly emarginate / ○ pelvic axillary lobe absent / ○ no or a shallow dorsal and ventral adipose crest in individuals larger than 50 mm SL / ○ dark-brown bar or a vertically elongated blotch on caudal base or a bar fused with a roundish or vertically elongate, dark-brown blotch at vertical midline / ○ caudal usually with wide, bold, dark-brown bands / ○ caudal–peduncle length 1.3–1.6 times its depth / ○ prepelvic length 48–53 % SL. Size up to 97 mm SL.

Distribution . Türkiye: Murat drainage, a major tributary of Euphrates and in Güroymak spring near Bitlis. Potentially more widespread in Euphrates.

Habitat. Fast-flowing streams and rivers with gravel or rock substrate.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC. Extirpated from Syrian part of Qweiq.

Further reading. Freyhof et al. 2019b (description).