Schizothorax pelzami, Kessler, 1870

Schizothorax pelzami View in CoL View Figure

Common name. Kavir snow barbel.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of snow barbels in Iran by: ○ two pairs of barbels / ○ 9–18 gill rakers. Size up to 480 mm SL and 3 kg.

Distribution View Figure . Iran: Jam, Sharak, Akhlamad, Kashaf, and small water bodies in Khorasan, upper Kal Shur, Jajarm, and Jovein in Eastern and Western Kavir basins. Also, in Cheshmeh Ali ( Iran) and Hari drainage in Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan, as well as in Morghab drainage in Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

Habitat. All types of permanent waterbodies such as springs, streams, rivers, and qanats. Migrates to seasonal rivers and streams at high water to spawn.

Biology. Lives more than 7 years. Feeds on invertebrates, larger individuals mainly on small fish.

Conservation status. LC; situation outside Iran unknown.

Remarks. Occasionally hybridised with Capoeta heratensis . This is the westernmost species of snow barbel, and the Cheshmeh Ali spring is its westernmost record. Schizothorax iranicus may be a separate species based on molecular data, but no morphological diagnosis has been made.

Further reading. Aliev et al. 1988 (distribution); Abdoli et al. 2007 (ecology); Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2020 (distribution); Coad 2021a (biology, morphology).