Capoeta sieboldii (Steindachner, 1864)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 141-142

Capoeta sieboldii

Common name. Nipple-lip scraper.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Capoeta in Black Sea basin by: ● lower and upper lips pleated, well developed and fleshy / ○ lower jaw without cornified edge / ○ one pair of barbels / ○ 52–60 total lateral-line scales / ● 28–35 gill rakers / ○ last unbranched dorsal ray ossified, its

Capoeta svanetica ; Rioni, Georgia; ~ 100 mm SL. © G. Epitashvili.

posterior edge of with many serrae / ○ usually 8½ branched dorsal rays / ○ 9–11 scales between lateral line and dorsal origin / ○ 8–10 scales between lateral line and pelvic origin. Size up to 400 mm SL.

Distribution. Türkiye and Georgia: Sakarya drainage east to northern coastal streams in Georgia.

Habitat. A wide range of streams and rivers with moderate to fast-flowing water and sand, gravel and rock substrate. In reservoirs, it migrates upstream to spawn.

Biology. Lives up to 8–10 years. Feeds on detritus, periphyton, and occasionally small invertebrates.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Bektaş et al. 2017 (phylogeny).