Paraschistura kessleri (Günther, 1889)

Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash, Ghanavi, Hamid Reza & Doadrio, Ignacio, 2020, Fig. 4 in Fig. 4 in Fig. 3 in Fig. 21. Sesarmops mora n in Paralbunea dayriti, Zoological Studies 59 (21), pp. 1-303 : 198-199

Paraschistura kessleri (Günther, 1889) – Native

Nemachilus kessleri Günther [A.] 1889: 109; Type locality: Nushki, Pishin Lora River basin, Afghanistan [today Pakistan]. Syntypes: (8) BMNH 1886.9.21.177–180 (4), ZSI 11487–90 (now 3).

Nemacheilus sargadensis Nikolskii [A. M.] 1900: 415 [41]; Type locality: Sij-Rischan [Zia Rishan] near Kuh-i-Tuftan volcano, Sargado [Sarhad region], eastern Iran. Syntypes: ZIN 11700 (31).

Noemacheilus lindbergi haarlovi Bănărescu [P. M.] & Nalbant [T. T.] 1966: 176; Type locality: Pirzada, west of Kandahar, Helmand drainage, Afghanistan. Holotype: ZMUC P27111 [orig. 2811]. Paratypes: ZMUC P27112–13 [orig. 2812–2813] (2).

Common name: Pr: Loch-e Kessler, Sagmahi-e Kessler, En: Kessler loach.

Diagnosis: Absence of scales, 10–12 distinct, regularly shaped and set dark brown bars on the flank, absence of a suborbital flap, a blunt snout, absence of a dorsal adipose crest and procurrent caudal fin rays in the adipose crest, and an incomplete lateral line.

Meristic characters: D: 7, A: 5, P: 8–11, V: 7, LL: incomplete, not reaching mid-body, SC: naked, DP: well-developed, PA: present, SOG: absent.

Distribution: According to Freyhof et al. (2015) found in the Hamun-i-Lora and Hamun-e Mashkid basins in Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan ( Fig. 370). Its presence in Iran needs confirmation.

Taxonomy: Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) placed in Schistura and Prokofiev (2009) transferred to Paraschistura .

Conservation: IUCN: Not Evaluated, P: Data Deficient. We were unsuccessful in obtaining any sample from this species in our field works in its distribution range and there is very little known on its population size and distribution range in the other countries. Therefore, more information is needed to make a reliable conservation status assessment.