Cobitis levantina, Krupp & Moubayed, 1992

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 453-454

Cobitis levantina

Common name. Orontes spined loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cobitis in Mediterranean basin east of Eşen by: ○ flank pattern well organised in four Gambetta zones / ○ Z4 formed by one series of distinct blotches, partly or completely fused into a stripe in some individuals / ○ black spot present at upper caudal base / ○ blotches in Z2 irregularly shaped, often ½ of size or as large as in Z3 / ○ often blotches in Z2 and Z3 about size of eye or pupil diameter / ○ Z2 and Z3 usually forming one marbled pattern / ○ many small, dark-brown spots or blotches on lower part of caudal–peduncle, reaching forward to pectoral base in some individuals / ○ interorbital distance 7–11 % HL in male / ○ external part of suborbital spine bifurcate / ○ mid-dorsal pigmentation consisting in a series of 7–12 dark-brown, roundish blotches / ○ two laminae circularis in male. Size up to 82 mm SL.

Distribution. Upper Orontes drainage in Syria and Lebanon, and Litani drainage in Lebanon.

Habitat. Running and standing waters with sandy or muddy bottoms, often with dense submerged vegetation.

Biology. No data.

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

Remarks. Cobitis levantina is found in southern, upper Orontes, but closely related C. anabelae inhabits the northern, lower part of Orontes drainage. The exact distribution of both species is unknown, and it cannot be excluded that they might form a hybrid zone at the border of their ranges.

Further reading. Krupp & Moubayed 1992 (description); Freyhof et al. 2018c (diagnosis, distribution).

Cobitis linea ; Kor, Iran; female, 89 mm SL.