Glyptothorax vatandousti

Common name. Kangavar torrent catfish.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Glyptothorax in West Asia by: ● thoracic adhesive apparatus 0.8–1.1 times longer than wide / ○ thoracic adhesive apparatus almost or completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped elevation, usually extending from isthmus to base of first or third branched pectoral ray / ○ thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated with few, short anteromedial striae / ○ caudal-peduncle length 16–20 % SL / ○ anteromedial striae few, very short / ○ striae not reaching onto pectoral base / ○ medial pit wide, the roundish anterior end, open, without striae / ○ dorsal and lateral head, back and flank with small round warts / ○ adipose short, its length 0.5–0.7 times larger than distance between base of last dorsal ray and adipose origin / ○ caudal-peduncle 1.1–1.3 times in its length / ○ maxillary barbel 72–99 % HL / ○ inner mandibular barbel 31–45 % HL / ○ outer mandibular barbel 50–81 % HL / ○ 5–8 serrae on pectoral spine / ○ all fins with a distinct, distal yellow tip / ○ many black or dark-brown blotches on flank. Size up to 91 mm SL.

Distribution . Iran: lower reaches of Kangavar in Karkheh drainage.

Habitat. Moderately fast-flowing medium-sized rivers.

Biology. Nocturnal, hiding under rocks during day. Feeds on benthic invertebrates.

Conservation status. CR; known from only one small stream, extirpated from Aran and Chardavol.

Further reading. Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2023 (description).