Barbus lacerta, Heckel, 1843

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 103

Barbus lacerta

Common name. Lizard barbel.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Barbus in West Asia by: ○ 52−73+2−4 [56−77 total] lateral-line scales / ○ 39–44 total vertebrae / ○ postdorsal length 46–59 % SL / ○ dorsal base length 16–22 % SL / ○ anal length 6.0–9 % SL / ○ 25–32 scale around caudal peduncle / ○ 35–48 predorsal scales /○ lower lip with a median swollen pad / ○ dorsal origin at or slightly behind vertical of pelvic origin / ○ numerous irregular dark-brown blotches on back, flanks and head / ○ anal longer in female than in male. Size up to 186 mm SL.

Distribution. Qweiq, Euphrates, Tigris, and Karkheh drainages, also in Lake Van basin.

Habitat. Mountain and foothill areas, in streams and small rivers with fast, clear, well-oxygenated water and gravel

Barbus miliaris ; Jaj, Namak basin, Iran; ~ 110 mm SL.

substrate. In lowlands usually most common in small streams and absent from large rivers.

Biology. Lives up to 7 years. Matures at about 2−4 years, males one year earlier than females. A fractional spawner. Feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates and algae.

Conservation status. LC; one of the most common species in its range, extirpated from Qweiq.

Remarks. Rarely found syntopic with Luciobarbus species that occur in larger rivers and lowland habitats. Barbus kosswigi , described from the upper Greater Zab drainage in Anatolian Hakkari province, and B. ercisianus from the Lake Van basin are synonyms. Barbus lacerta can only be distinguished from B. cyri and B. karunensis based on molecular characters. Further reading. Khaefi et al. 2017a (review); Eagderi et al. 2019d (morphology); Coad 2021a (biology, morphology).