Paraschistura cristata (Berg, 1898)

Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash, Ghanavi, Hamid Reza & Doadrio, Ignacio, 2020, Fig. 4 in Fig. 4 in Fig. 3 in Fig. 21. Sesarmops mora n in Paralbunea dayriti, Zoological Studies 59 (21), pp. 1-303 : 192-193

Paraschistura cristata (Berg, 1898) – Native ( Figs. 360, 361)

Nemacheilus cristatus Berg [L. S.] 1898: 19; Type locality: Tedzhen

River near Ashgabat [Askhabad], Turkmenistan. Syntypes: (many) ISBR 996 (2), ZIN 11055 (1), ZMMU P–2555 (59).

Common name: Pr: Loch-e tajdare Torkaman, Sagmahi-e tajdare Torkaman, En: Torkaman crested loach.

Diagnosis: Prominent dorsal adipose crest supported by 22–25 procurrent rays of the caudal fin, a complete lateral line, the large size of adults, 9–13 brown bars usually faded or absent on side of the body in front of dorsal fin origin, regularly shaped and wider than interspaces or separated into blotches and irregularly shaped bars, lack of suborbital groove or flap in males.

Meristic characters: D: 7–5, A: 5, P: 9–10, V: 6–7, LL: complete, SC: scales present at least on caudal peduncle, DP: weakly developed, PA: present, SOG: absent.

Distribution: Hari, Kavir and Bejestan basins ( Fig. 362). Found in Kalat, Hari, Akhlamad and Nobarhar rivers.

Taxonomy: Berg (1949) placed in Nemacheilus, Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) in Schistura, Prokofiev (2009) in Metaschistura and Freyhof et al. (2015) in Paraschistura .

Conservation: IUCN: Not Evaluated, PC: Least Concern. It is a widespread species which occurs in high numbers in numerous localities across its whole distribution range. Therefore, we classified it as Least Concern.