Capoeta coadi

Common name. Karun scraper.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other species of Capoeta in Karkheh, Karun, Zohreh and endorheic Zayandeh drainages by: ○ usually 9½ branched dorsal rays / ○ one pair of barbels / ○ flank beige, golden or brown without small black spots, juveniles and some adults individuals with large black blotches / ○ last unbranched dorsal ray weakly ossified and serrated / ○ 14–18 gill rakers, 10–13 gill rakers on lower limb / ○ 65–84 total scales along lateral line / ○ 12–17 scales between lateral line and dorsal origin / ○ 9–11 scales between lateral line and pelvic origin / ○ 25–32 circumpeduncular scales / ○ a deep groove in front of nares. Size up to 280 mm SL.

Distribution . Iran: Karun drainage and Esfahan basin.

Habitat. Moderate or fast-flowing rivers, usually with gravel substrate and clear water.

Biology. Lives up to 10 years. Males mature at 2 years, females at 3−6 years. Spawns May−June. Feeds on periphyton.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Capoeta birunii from the Zayandeh drainage is a synonym.

Further reading. Alwan 2010 (morphology, phylogeny); Alwan et al. 2016a (description); Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2016a (phylogeny); Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2017b (phylogeny, morphology); Zareian & Esmaeili 2017 (description of C. birunii); Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2020 (distribution, C. birunii as a synonym of C. coadi); Coad 2021a (biology, morphology); Jouladeh-Roudbar 2022 ( C. birunii as a synonym of C. coadi).