Mystus pelusius (Solander, 1794)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 591

Mystus pelusius

Common name. Zugzug catfish.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Mystus in West Asia by: ○ maxillary barbel reaching to or beyond pelvic origin, to anal-base in some individuals / ○ adipose base length 38–46 % SL, with a gentle slope at its origin / ○ dorsal fin margin straight or very slightly convex / ○ 11–16 serra on inner pectoral spine / ○ eye situated at or slightly above, usually protruding dorsal head profile / ○ head pointed / ○ usually a wide, brown, mid-lateral stripe, followed by a wide silvery stripe above and below mid-lateral stripe, and a silvery line along lateral midline in life and preserved individuals / ○ dorsal spine as long or longer than head width at eye, often longer than maximal head width. Size up to 178 mm SL.

Distribution. Qweiq, Euphrates, Tigris, Karun, Jarrahi, and Zohreh drainages.

Habitat. Larger rivers, marshes, reservoirs, and lakes.

Biology. Lives up to 7 years. Spawns first time in one year, in May and June, males with about 70 mm SL and females

Mystus gulio is a coastal species known from Pakistan adjacent to Iran.

with about 50 mm SL. Feeds on invertebrates and small fishes.

Conservation status. LC; extirpated from Qweiq.

Further reading. Coad 2010a (identification, distribution, biology); Esmaeili et al. 2022 (diagnosis).