Three new species of algae-scraping cyprinid from Tigris River drainage in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

Abstract

Traditionally small-scale populations of Capoeta in the Tigris River drainage are identified as Capoeta damascina. The recent finding revealed that some populations of small-scaled C. damascina species group are not identified as any described species. We examined these populations and the results showed that there are pronounced differences between them in morphological and molecular characters. Therefore based on differences found, here we describe three new small-scaled Capoeta species from Zohreh, Tireh and Gamasiab Rivers, Tigris River drainage, Iran.