Cobitis sipahilerae

Common name. Kırkgöz spined loach.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cobitis in Mediterranean basin east of Eşen and endorheic basins in Central Anatolia by: ● back plain cream-brown, few individuals with 1–3 narrow, squarish, brown bars / ○ two laminae circularis in male / ○ black spot present at upper caudal base, often very small and best seen in life individuals. Size up to 90 mm SL.

Distribution . Türkiye: Düden and Kırkgöz springs and outflowing stream Yediarıklar.

Habitat. Springs and spring-fed streams, usually on sand or fine gravel in slow or moderate fast-flowing waters.

Biology. No data.

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

Remarks. Cobitis sipahilerae is one of four freshwater fish species native to the Kırkgöz-Yediarıklar drainage and the adjacent Düden spring in Antalya. Others are Pseudophoxinus antalyae, Paraphanius mentoides, and Seminemacheilus attalicus . All four species are endemic to this small drainage system. The occurrence of four endemic species (the native fish fauna is comprised exclusively of strict endemic species) makes the Düden-Kırkgöz-Yediarıklar drainage a site of major importance for conservation.

Further reading. Erk’akan et al. 2017 (description); Freyhof et al. 2018c (description).