Cobitis avicennae

Common name. Zagros spined loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cobitis in Persian Gulf basin by: ○ one lamina circularis in male / ○ 12–17 distinct, large, dark-brown blotches in Z4, usually horizontally elongated along anterior part of flank, roundish or vertically elongated on caudal–peduncle. Size up to 98 mm SL.

Distribution . Iran: Dinevar, Raazavar, and Gamasiab in upper Karkheh drainage.

Habitat. Streams with sandy or muddy bottoms.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. EN; appears to be declining within its very small range.

Remarks. Records from Sirvan (Iran) and Dukan reservoir in Lesser Zab drainage (Iraq) might be identified as this species, but these identifications must be confirmed.

Further reading. Coad 2010a (record from Iraq); Mousavi-Sabet et al. 2015e (description).