Garra tashanensis Mousavi-Sabet, Vatandoust, Fatemi & Eagderi, 2016

Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Labeoninae
Max. size:  2.7 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Tashan Cave, Tigris River drainage in Iran.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10. Garra tashanensis is distinguished from all other congeners by the absence of pigment and eyes (vs. presence of eyes and pigments in all epigean species), by having a round mental disc (vs. absence of mental disc in G. typhlops; elliptical mental disc in G. lorestanensis), two pairs of barbels (vs. three pairs of barbels in the subterranean loaches, E. smithi and E. proudlovei; and one pair of barbels in G. variabilis), rostral cap well-developed (rostral cap poorly developed in G. lorestanensis), and rare scales on anterior body (vs. body fully covered by scales or scales restricted to lateral midline in G. widdowsoni; naked body in G. lorestanensis) (Ref. 115529).
Biology:  Inhabits subterranean limestone cave (Ref. 115529).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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