Paracobitis, Bleeker, 1863

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 541-542

Paracobitis

A slender body and a high dorsal adipose crest on the caudal peduncle distinguish Paracobitis . All species lack a suborbital flap or groove, and there is no sexual dimorphism in the length of the pectoral. Additionally, other genera within the family contain crested species with prominent brown bars on the posterior part of the flank ( Paraschistura ) or a stout body with a markedly different general appearance and pronounced sexual dimorphism (male with enlarged pectoral fins in Oxynoemacheilus and Seminemacheilus ), a character state that absent in Paracobitis . Twelve species of Paracobitis are currently recognised, with eight of them being described after the year 2000. All species of Paracobitis , except subterranean, Central Asian P. starostini , are

found in West Asia. Slender loaches with a high adipose crest, identified as Paracobitis , also occur in China. They belong to a very different evolutionary lineage and are placed in the genus Homatula . Paracobitis smithi from Iran is placed in its own genus ( Eidinemacheilus ). The phylogenetic position of Paracobitis ghazniensis from the Afghan Helmand drainage still needs to be studied. However, the species is superficially very similar to P. rhadinaea ; thus, we treat both as conspecific. The species diversity of Paracobitis in West Asia is well understood, and only one additional species might await description. Further reading. Bănărescu & Nalbant 1966 ( N. ghazniensis ); Kottelat 2012 ( Homatula ); Freyhof et al. 2014b (revision of Paracobitis ); Thoni & Hart 2015 ( P. boutanensis ).

Paracobitis abrishamchianorum ; Kashpel, Iran; 95 mm SL.