Oxynoemacheilus eregliensis (Banarescu & Nalbant, 1978)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 501-502

Oxynoemacheilus eregliensis

Common name. Ereğli loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Central Anatolia and rivers flowing to Bay of Antalya by: ○ caudal slightly emarginate, shortest middle caudal ray 83–91 % of longest ray of upper caudal lobe / ○ belly without scales / ○ no prominent dorsal crest on caudal peduncle / ○ dorsal adipose crest reaching behind vertical of posterior anal base, absent in some individuals / ○ flank usually with irregularly set and shaped, distinct, large blotches forming a marbled pattern / ○ few isolated scales on flank in front of dorsal origin / ○ head length 24–26 % SL / ○ caudal–peduncle depth 1.5–1.9 times in its length. Size up to 90 mm SL.

Biology. No data.

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

Remarks. Nemacheilus pulsiz is a synonym.

Further reading. Erk’akan & Kuru 1986 (description); Krupp 1992a (description of Nemacheilus pulsiz ); Freyhof et al. 2019b (diagnosis, distribution); Akkuş et al. 2021 (habitat in Lake Van).

Distribution. Türkiye: Lake Beyşehir and Suğla basins, Yeşildere ( Karaman) in Central Anatolia, also in Göksu and Manavgat drainage in southern Anatolia.

Habitat. Small streams and springs with gravelly, sandy, or muddy bottoms and slow-flowing water.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. VU; appears to be declining within its small range. Extirpated in Ereğli, elsewhere often in very small water bodies.

Remarks. Oxynoemacheilus atili is a synonym.

Further reading. Bănărescu et al. 1978 (description); Yoğurtçuoğlu et al. 2022 (distribution); Innal 2019 (size); Kaya et al. 2025a (record in Göksu).

502 Family Nemacheilidae

Oxynoemacheilus euphraticus ; GÖksu, Euphrates drainage, Türkiye; 60 mm SL.

Oxynoemacheilus euphraticus ; Great Zab drainage, Iraq; 55 mm SL.