Cobitis saniae, Eagderi, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Jalili, Sayyadzadeh & Esmaeili, 2017

Cobitis saniae View in CoL View Figure

Common name. Western Caspian spined loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cobitis in Caspian and Black Sea basin by: ○ subdorsal scales with a small focal zone, about or less than ⅒ of maximum scale diameter / ○ blotches in Z4 horizontally elongate, often very densely set and fused into short or longer stripes anterior to dorsal origin / ○ dark-brown spot at upper caudal base well developed / ○ one lamina circularis in male / ○ plate of lamina circularis reaching to or beyond end of third segment of attached pectoral ray / ○ base of lamina circularis widely connected to pectoral ray / ○ cheek between eye and opercle strongly pigmented. Size up to 85 mm SL.

Distribution View Figure . Sefid ( Iran) north-west to Kura and Aras in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Türkiye and Zarrineh drainage in Lake Urmia basin.

Habitat. Streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, usually on sand or fine gravel in slow or moderate fast-flowing waters.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. A record from middle Rioni in Georgian Black Sea basin may be a lapsus.

Further reading. Eagderi et al. 2017b (description); Vasil’eva et al. 2020 (distribution in Caucasus).