Cobitis indus, a new spined loach from the Dalaman River in the Eastern Aegean Sea basin (Teleostei: Cobitidae)

Cobitis indus, new species, from the Dalaman River drainage, is distinguished from other Cobitis species in the eastern Aegean Sea basin by having two laminae circularis, a bifurcate suborbital spine, a narrow caudal peduncle, pigmentation zone 4 with 17???24 small blotches often fused into a stripe, pigmentation below Z4 usually absent, and one black, comma -shaped spot at the upper caudal-fin base. It is further distinguished from its closest relative, C. dorademiri, by having 13 diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region and a K2P nearest???neighbour distance of 2.3???2.7%. This is the fourth Cobitis species found in the Dalaman River drainage making this river the most species-rich in spined loaches in the Middle East.

Automated summary

A new species of Cobitis, Cobitis indus, has been discovered in the Dalaman River drainage. It has distinct characteristics that differentiate it from other Cobitis species in the eastern Aegean Sea basin, as well as from its closest relative, C. dorademiri. The Dalaman River drainage now holds the record for the highest species diversity of spined loaches in the Middle East.