Oxynoemacheilus elsae, Eagderi, Jalili & Cicek, 2018

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 500

Oxynoemacheilus elsae

Common name. Urmia loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Caspian basin by: ○ caudal emarginate, usually with 3–6, narrow, pale-brown band / ○ an upper and a lower bold, black or dark-brown blotch on caudal base, often fused into a bar, it’s colour distinctly darker than bars on caudal peduncle / ○ flank with irregularly shaped and spaced, dark-brown bars, often split in middle, more narrow than interspaces, or flank is almost plain brown / ○ bars on caudal peduncle not interrupted in size and shape at or above lateral midline / ○ suborbital groove present in male / ○ caudal–peduncle depth 2.3–2.9 times in its length. Size up to 68 mm SL.

Distribution. Iran and Türkiye: Zarrineh, Simineh, Mahabad, Barandoz, Nazlo, and Soufi drainages in Lake Urmia basin.

Habitat. Rivers and streams with fast-flowing water and gravel or boulder substrate.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Oxynoemacheilus brandtii from Aras shares mitochondrial DNA with this species, but these fish can be identified as O. brandtii and not as O. elsae .

Further reading. Eagderi et al. 2018b (description); Kaya 2020b (distribution in Türkiye); Freyhof et al. 2021b (diagnosis).

Oxynoemacheilus ercisianus ; Zilan, Lake Van basin, Türkiye; ~ 60 mm SL. © M. Özuluğ.