Glyptothorax steindachneri

Common name. Longfin torrent catfish.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Glyptothorax in West Asia by: ● adipose very long, its length 1.5–3.0 times larger than distance between base of last dorsal ray and adipose origin / ● medial pit closed by striae / ● 13–17 serrae on pectoral spine / ○ head pointed, short, 21–23 % SL / ○ thoracic adhesive apparatus slightly elevated, 1.1–1.5 times longer than wide, on a shallow horse-shoe shaped elevation; extending from isthmus to base of last pectoral ray or to posterior limit of pectoral base / ○ anteromedial striae not or poorly developed / ○ dorsal head and predorsal back with large, striated, elongated tubercles / ○ distance between anus anal origin 5.0–6.7 % SL / ○ flank with small black spots or without spots. Size up to 190 mm SL, likely to grow larger.

Distribution . Tigris below Diyarbakır; Euphrates in Syria, Nahr Al-Khabur, a tributary of Euphrates in Syria, and Lesser Zab in Iraq.

Habitat. Fast to moderately fast-flowing medium to large rivers.

Biology. Nocturnal. Feeds on benthic invertebrates.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Pietschmann 1913 (description); Freyhof et al. 2021c (description).