Garra meymehensis, Zamani-Faradonbe, Keivany, Dorafshan & Zhang, 2021

Garra meymehensis View in CoL View Figure

Common name. Meymeh garra.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Garra in Persian Gulf and endorheic basins in Iran by: ○ chest with normal-sized, posterior margin of scales embedded in skin / ○ mid-dorsal area in front of dorsal origin covered by embedded scales / ○ usually 3 scales between anus and anal origin / ○ usually 7½ branched dorsal rays / ○ 9+8 branched caudal rays / ○ 16−20 gill rakers / ○ 33–37 total scales along lateral line / ○ 13–16 circumpeduncular scale rows / ○ lateral and distal margin of labrum of gular disc free from skin of chin / ○ two pairs of normally developed barbels / ○ gular disc present / ○ body brown or grey, usually mottled / ○ eye fully developed. Size up to 73 mm SL, likely to grow larger.

Distribution View Figure . Iran: Meymeh, Doiraj, and Changoleh (Tigris drainage). Iraq: Nahre Al-Tayeb.

Habitat. Springs and spring-fed streams.

Biology. Feeds mainly on periphyton.

Conservation status. VU; with small, declining populations.

Remarks. Occurs in sympatry with G. rufa and G. amirhosseini .

Further reading. Zamani-Faradonbe et al. 2021b (description); Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2020 (distribution).