Garra barreimiae, Fowler & Steinitz, 1956

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 181-182

Garra barreimiae

Common name. Orange-ear garra.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Garra in Hajar Mountains by: ● 15–18 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch / ● a pale- or deeply orange spot at upper opercle / ○ strongly mottled flank pattern with individual or series of orange midlateral scales / ○ middle caudal rays bold black, membranes white / ○ dorsal tip white / ○ anal and paired fins usually orange. Size up to 70 mm SL.

Distribution. United Arab Emirates and Oman : Wadis on both flanks of northern Hajar Mountains, extending south from southern edge of Ru’us al-Jibal range ( Musandam Peninsula) to at least Wadi Hawasina on coast of Gulf of Oman and Wadi al-Kabir and its tributaries on inner flank.

Habitat. Streams, falaj systems, and springs with fresh or brackish water and gravel or rock bottoms. Typically found in small rock or gravel pools, shallow sections of larger slow-flowing pools, springs, and fast-flowing perennial sections of wadis. In small pools, juveniles occupy shallow

sections, while larger adults are usually found at greater depths near hiding places.

Biology. Believed to spawn in anticipation of wadi flooding, but exact triggers remain unknown. Often explores upstream against current, dispersing when wadis flow. Can travel short distances out of water, including climbing steep, damp rock surfaces (e.g., near waterfalls or during rain). Can survive almost complete disappearance of surface water from their habitat; it has been speculated that juveniles may be able to survive in fossorial aquatic environments within wadi gravels. Accumulations of dead garra have been found in gravel under boulders at low points in wadis, apparently retreated as water levels have dropped below surface. In shallow pools, movements may be frantic on first encounter. Adults swim and feed close to substrate. Feeds mainly on periphyton but opportunistically on other food if available, e.g., dead insects floating on surface or decaying fruit or plant material. Seen to defend small feeding territories and “gardening” of algae fields might occur.

Garra buettikeri ; Wadi Shumrukh, Saudi Arabia; 170 mm SL. © N.A. Hamidan.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Fowler & Steinitz 1956 (description); Banister & Clarke 1977 (subspecies); Krupp 1983 (morphology); Feulner 1998 (distribution, biology); Khalaf 2009 ( G. b. wurayahi); Kruckenhauser et al. 2011 (molecular data; as G. barreimiae clade 1); Hamidan et al. 2014 (molecular data); Lyon et al. 2016 (phylogeny); Kirchner et al. 2020 (distribution, identification).

Further reading. Krupp 1983 (description); Hamidan et al. 2014 (phylogeny); Lyon et al. 2016 (phylogeny); Freyhof et al. 2020 (distribution, identification).