Cobitis avicennae Mousavi-Sabet, Vatandoust, Esmaeili, Geiger & Freyhof, 2015 [N]—Zagros spined loach

Taxonomy. Original description: Cobitis avicennae Mousavi-Sabet, Vatandoust, Esmaeili, Geiger & Freyhof, 2015: 562, figs. 3–7 [Hamedan Province, Gamasiab River at Dehno, a tributary to Karkheh, 34°10’15”N, 48°21’19”E, altitude 1610 meters, Iran; holotype: GUIC CC1462MA].— Iraq synonyms: None.—Revisions: None.—Illustration: Mousavi-Sabet et al. (2015: 562, figs. 3–7).

Status in Iraq. First record from Iraq by Freyhof et al. (2021).—Iraq materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Iraq: The Little Zab River in Iraqi Kurdistan.—General distribution: Middle East: Lower Tigris River drainage (Iran) and possibly Kurdistan (Iraq).—Habitat: This species lives in streams and lakes with clear water and bottoms with sand or fine gravel. Freshwater.

Economic importance. No commercial importance.

Conservation. Conservation status in Iraq: Unknown.—IUCN: NE (2023).—Threats: Unknown.—High sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.—High priority for conservation action.