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 ).

Key to species of Paracobitis in West Asia

1a - Posterior narial opening slit-shaped. ………………2

1b - Posterior narial opening roundish or ovoid. ………………3

2a - Back and flank densely covered by scales; flank with many, irregularly set, small blotches or bars not organised in rows. ……………… P. longicauda

2b - Back and flank with few embedded scales or without scales; flank posteriorly with one or two rows of large, irregularly set blotches. ……………… P. rhadinaea

3a - Body completely scaleless; isolated scales on dorsal adipose crest in few individuals. ………………4

3b - Body covered by scales; scales present at least on caudal peduncle. ………………5

4a - Caudal rays dark-brown or black with a hyaline base and a hyaline posterior margin; caudal clearly emarginate; axillary pelvic lobe well developed with free tip. ……………… P. hircanica

4b - Caudal rays hyaline with an irregular pattern of dark-brown or black spots and elongated blotches often organised in 1–3 wide, irregularly shaped bars; caudal truncate or very slightly emarginate; axillary pelvic lobe absent or fully attached. ……………… P. atrakensis

5a - Dorsal origin situated above, behind, or very slightly in front of vertical of pelvic origin. ………………6

5b - Dorsal origin situated clearly in front of vertical of pelvic origin. ………………9

6a - Flank cream yellowish with large, irregularly shaped brown blotches; dorsal origin situated about one eye diameter behind pelvic origin. ……………… P. basharensis

6b - Flank brown with a fine or wide, cream-yellowish reticulate or vermiculate pattern; dorsal origin situated above or very slightly in front of vertical of pelvic origin. ………………7

7a - Axillary pelvic lobe large and well developed, usually with free tip. ……………… P. abrishamchianorum

7b - Axillary pelvic lobe absent or very small and fully attached to body. ………………8

8a - Caudal slightly emarginate; predorsal length 49–56 % SL; prepelvic length 50–53 % DL; outer rostral barbel

16–24 % HL; maxillary barbel 19–27 % HL. ……………… P. zabgawraensis

8b - Caudal truncate; predorsal length 56–57 %; prepelvic length 54 % SL; outer rostral barbel 24–32 % HL; maxillary barbel 27–34 % HL. ……………… P. salihae

9a - Caudal truncate. ……………… P. molavii

9b - Caudal emarginate. ………………10

10a - Tube of anterior nostril reaching beyond posterior tip of posterior nostril when folded back; caudal adipose crest deep, its depth at highest point 3.3–3.8 % SL in individuals of 30–50 mm SL. ……………… P. malapterura

10b - Tube of anterior nostril not fully overlapping posterior nostril when folded back; caudal adipose crest shallow, its depth at highest point 2.1–3.2 % SL in individuals of 30–50 mm SL. ……………… P. persa