Oxynoemacheilus euphraticus (Banarescu & Nalbant, 1964)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 502-503

Oxynoemacheilus euphraticus

Common name. Fırat loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Euphrates and Tigris drainages by: ○ two distinct and prominent black blotches at posteriormost caudal base, often overlaid by a dark-brown or black chevron-shaped bar / ○ lateral line complete / ○ juveniles larger than 20 but smaller than 45 mm SL with poorly

developed mottling between midlateral blotches on flank / ○ last bars on caudal peduncle as wide or wider than interspaces / ○ upper lip with well-developed median incision / ○ flank covered by scales / ○ caudal forked / ○ caudal peduncle without high adipose crest or ridge / ○ suborbital groove present in male / ○ caudal peduncle, and in some individuals also flank, with bars / ○ caudal–peduncle depth 2.0–2.8 times in caudal–peduncle length. Size up to 70 mm SL.

Distribution. Euphrates, Tigris, and Karun drainages.

Habitat. Streams and rivers with gravel substrate and fast to very fast-flowing water.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. The distribution of this species is still incompletely known and it is not recorded from Lesser Zab and

Oxynoemacheilus evreni ; Ceyhan drainage, Türkiye; 60 mm SL.