Oxynoemacheilus anatolicus, Erk'akan, Ozeren & Nalbant, 2008

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 483-484

Oxynoemacheilus anatolicus

Common name. Burdur loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Oxynoemacheilus in Aegean basin and Central Anatolia by: ○ caudal emarginate, shortest middle caudal ray 84–98 % of longest ray of upper caudal lobe / ○ no prominent dorsal crest on caudal peduncle / ○ pre-dorsal back usually with 3–4 saddles / ○ flank completely covered by scales / ○ belly

without scales / ○ head length 24–27 % SL / ○ suborbital groove present in male / ○ caudal–peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length. Size up to 86 mm SL.

Distribution. Türkiye: Dalaman drainage and four spring-fed streams in Central Anatolia: Düger, Ereçay at Elmacık near Kemer, Karamanlı reservoir, and Pınarbaşı.

Habitat. Slow-flowing streams with dense vegetation and sand, mud, or gravel substrate.

Biology. Lives up to 5 years. Spawns after first winter. First spawn recorded in March.

Conservation status. VU; appears to be declining within its small range.

Remarks. Superficially similar loaches in Lake Salda basin may also belong to this species.

Further reading. Erk’akan et al. 2008b (description); Geiger et al. 2014 (molecular data); Innal 2019 (biology, distribution).

Oxynoemacheilus angorae ; Bayındır, Sakarya drainage, Türkiye; ~ 60 mm SL.

Oxynoemacheilus angorae ; Porsuk subdrainage, Sakarya drainage, Türkiye; ~ 60 mm SL