Seminemacheilus, Banarescu & Nalbant, 1995

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 569-570

Seminemacheilus

Seminemacheilus comprises six species endemic to Central and southern Anatolia. It is distinguished by a roundish or slightly emarginate caudal, a very stout body, a very long pectoral in male, and no or very few scales. Seminemacheilus

is related to Oxynoemacheilus , and some phylogenetic studies place Seminemacheilus as a sister genus to Oxynoemacheilus or nested within the basal clades of that genus. However, the phylogenetic relationships between these taxa remain uncertain, and we treat Seminemacheilus as a distinct genus. Seminemacheilus can be distinguished from similar stout and deep-bodied Oxynoemacheilus species, including O. panthera , O. seyhanensis , and O. frenatus , by the presence of a very long pectoral fin in males that extends beyond the pelvic origin when folded back. Seminemacheilus are stagnophilic loaches that are rarely found in flowing waters. They typically inhabit densely vegetated backwaters, springs, or slow-flowing streams. They exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males being smaller, more slender, and having a longer pectoral fin than females. Further reading. Yoğurtçuoğlu et al. 2020b (revision).

Seminemacheilus ahmeti ; spring Soysallı, Türkiye; female, 53 mm SL. Seminemacheilus ahmeti ; spring Soysallı, Türkiye; male; 51 mm SL.