Cyprinion acinaces, Banister & Clarke, 1977

Cyprinion acinaces View in CoL View Figure

Common name. Arabian lotak.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cyprinion in Arabian Peninsula by: ● 16−18 circumpeduncular scales / ○ last unbranched dorsal ray long, thick, serrated along almost entire length in large individuals / ○ 37−41, usually 38−40, total lateral-line scales / ○ 6−7 scales between lateral line and dorsal origin. Size up to 110 mm SL.

Distribution View Figure . Yemen: Wadi Hadhramaut drainage. Saudi Arabia: Coastal wadis of Hijaz mountains such as Hediyah, Sulayma, and wadis near Jeddah.

Habitat. Wadis with high seasonal fluctuations in discharge, usually over bare rock or gravel, rarely over soft substrate.

Biology. Feeds on periphyton.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Cyprinion acinaces hijazi from northern Saudi Arabia is treated as a synonym, but further study is encouraged to determine whether it may be a separate species.

Further reading. Banister & Clarke 1977 (description); Krupp 1983 (subspecies); Freyhof et al. 2020 (distribution, identification).