Turcinoemacheilus, Banarescu & Nalbant, 1964

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 576-577

Turcinoemacheilus

Turcinoemacheilus are small fishes that can be readily distinguished from all other nemacheilids in West Asia by their very slender body and the position of the anus, which is notably situated in front of the anal origin. Before 2013, only one species was known in the genus, but subsequent research revealed 11 species. Turcinoemacheilus are commonly found in the headwater streams and small rivers of the Euphrates, Tigris, and Zayandeh drainage, an endorheic basin in Iran. One species was described from

the Himalayas, suggesting a much wider distribution range for the genus. Several small South Asian loaches exhibit superficial similarities to Turcinoemacheilus , and their phylogenetic relationships require further investigation. Turcinoemacheilus may represent a relatively common genus in the Himalayas, or these fishes may belong to different genera.

Further reading. Conway et al. 2011 ( T. himalaya ); Esmaeili et al. 2014c (revision); Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2023c (revision Iran, phylogeny).

Turcinoemacheilus ansari ; Beshar, Iran; 50 mm SL.