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| Cobitis saniae Eagderi, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Jalili, Sayyadzadeh & Esmaeili, 2017 |
Abstract
Members of the genus Cobitis in the southern Caspian Sea basin of Iran are found from the Atrak to Aras Rivers Two species, namely C. keyvani and C. faridpaki had been already described from this distribution range. However, previous study revealed that C. keyvani is a junior synonym of C. faridpaki, therefore populations of the eastern part of the Sefid River are C. faridpaki and those of the western part of this basin represent an undescribed species misidentified as C. keyvani in previous studies. Here we describe and compare it with other species of this genus from Iran based on morphological and molecular (COI barcode region) characters.
Keywords: Freshwater fish, Morphology, COI, Spined loach, Sefid River.
Distribution and Habitat: Cobitis saniae like other Cobitis species remains buried in gravel and sand. They are mostly found in slow current parts of the rivers with sandy and muddy substance. This species stays hidden in thin sand and mud, or accumulated grass growths during the day, being nocturnal and often solitary. Cobitis saniae prefers clear running waters. Along the western part of the Caspian Sea basin, it is found in the lower reaches of rivers (Fig. 10). Ponticola iranicus, Alburnoides samiii, Capoeta gracilis, Barbus cyri, Squalius turcicus and Luciobarbus capito co-exists in type locality with C. saniae. Cobitis saniae knowns from most of rivers and stream between Sefid to Aras Rivers in southern Caspian Sea basin.
Etymology: The new species is named to Sania Eagderi, the daughter of first author, Dr. Soheil Eagderi.
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| Color pattern variations of Cobitis saniae. (A)Type I from Talesh, (B) Type II from IMNRF-1095-5, and (C) type III from the Siahbishe, Anzali wetland. |
Cobitis saniae sp. nov.
Distribution and Habitat: Cobitis saniae like other Cobitis species remains buried in gravel and sand. They are mostly found in slow current parts of the rivers with sandy and muddy substance. This species stays hidden in thin sand and mud, or accumulated grass growths during the day, being nocturnal and often solitary. Cobitis saniae prefers clear running waters. Along the western part of the Caspian Sea basin, it is found in the lower reaches of rivers (Fig. 10). Ponticola iranicus, Alburnoides samiii, Capoeta gracilis, Barbus cyri, Squalius turcicus and Luciobarbus capito co-exists in type locality with C. saniae. Cobitis saniae knowns from most of rivers and stream between Sefid to Aras Rivers in southern Caspian Sea basin.
Etymology: The new species is named to Sania Eagderi, the daughter of first author, Dr. Soheil Eagderi.
