Cobitis kellei, Erk'akan, Atalay-Ekmekci & Nalbant, 1998

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 452-453

Cobitis kellei

Common name. Diyarbakır spined loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cobitis in Persian Gulf basin by: ○ one lamina circularis in male / ○ Z4 consisting of indistinct minute, dark-grey, roundish dots. Size up to 58 mm SL, likely to grow larger.

Distribution. Türkiye: Göksu in upper Tigris drainage.

Habitat. Described from a small lowland stream.

Biology. No data.

slightly rounded / ○ prepelvic length 58–59 % SL / ○ preanal distance 81–82 % SL in female. Size up to 70 mm SL.

Distribution. Türkiye: Sultan marshes in Develi depression.

Habitat. Springs, streams, and canals, usually on sand or fine gravel in slow or moderate fast-flowing waters.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. CR; see comments under Pseudophoxinus elizavetae .

Remarks. Cobitis fusunae is a synonym.

Further reading. Freyhof et al. 2018c (description); Özdemir 2019 ( C. fusunae ).

Conservation status. Extinct; only known occurrence of this species was in lower Göksu. It has not been found again in the region despite intensive fieldwork. Habitat conditions in Göksu had been good and it remains unclear why it might have disappeared. In recent years, however, Göksu has almost completely dried out.

Further reading. Erk’akan et al. 1998 (description); Freyhof et al. 2018c (identification, extinction).

Cobitis levantina ; Litani drainage; Lebanon; female, 65 mm SL. © M. Bariche.