Iran

Checklist of Endemic Freshwater Fish Species

This list of freshwater fish species found exclusively in Iran is based on the taxonomy used in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (2023). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.

Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds) 2023 Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. Version downloaded 9 February 2023 https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp

The current version can be accessed here

An alternative 2018 list indicating 95 endemic species (marked with an asterisk) can be found at (ResearchGate) and a 2024 list is at (Table 1 of Wiley)

+ = species added to the Catalog of Fishes after 9 Februrary 2023

Iranocichla hormuzensis (Cichliformes Cichlidae) Iranian Cichlid

Rhodeus caspius (Cypriniformes Acheilognathidae) Caspian Bitterling

Cobitis avicennae (Cypriniformes Cobitidae) Avicenna Spined Loach

Cobitis faridpaki (Cypriniformes Cobitidae) Siahrud Spined Loach

Cobitis linea (Cypriniformes Cobitidae) Kor Spined Loach

Barbus karunensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Karun Barbel

Barbus miliaris (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Namak Barbel

Barbus urmianus (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Urmia Barbel

Capoeta aculeata (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Common Large Scale Scraper

Capoeta alborzensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Alborz Scraper

Capoeta buhsei (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Namak Scraper

Capoeta coadi (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Karun Scraper

Capoeta ferdowsii (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Zohreh Scraper

Capoeta gracilis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Esfahan Scraper

Capoeta macrolepis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Kor Scraper

Capoeta pyragyi (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Sezar Scraper

Capoeta raghazensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Raghaz Scraper

Capoeta saadii (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Saadi Scraper

Capoeta shajariani (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Gamasiab Scraper

Cyprinion tenuiradius (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Qarah Aqaj Lotak

Garra amirhosseini (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Hot Spring Garra

Garra gymnothorax (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Chest Scaleless Garra

Garra hormuzensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Hormuz Garra

Garra lorestanensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Blind Cave Garra

Garra meymehensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Meymeh Garra

Garra mondica (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Mond Garra

Garra nudiventris (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Lut Garra

Garra persica (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Persian Garra

Garra roseae (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Makran Garra

Garra tashanensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Tashan Blind Cave Garra

Garra tiam (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Tiam Garra

Garra typhlops (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Iran Cave Barb

Paracapoeta anamisensis (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Minab Scraper

Paracapoeta mandica (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) Mond Scraper

Romanogobio persus (Cypriniformes Gobionidae) Persian Gudgeon

Acanthobrama persidis (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Persian Bream

Acanthobrama urmianus (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Urmia Bream

Alburnoides damghani (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Damghan Riffle Minnow

Alburnoides idignensis (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Tigris Spirlin

Alburnoides namaki (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Namak Spirlin

Alburnoides nicolausi (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Seimareh Spirlin

Alburnoides petrubanarescui (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Urmia Spirlin

Alburnoides qanati (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Kor Spirlin

Alburnoides samiii (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Samii's Riffle Minnow

Alburnoides tabarestanensis (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Tajan Spirlin

Alburnus doriae (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Dori Bleak

Alburnus ulanus (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Urmia Chub

Chondrostoma esmaeilii (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Tigris Nase

Chondrostoma orientale (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Kor Nase

Squalius namak (Cypriniformes Leuciscidae) Namak Chub

Eidinemacheilus smithi (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Zagros Blind Crested Loach

Oxynoemacheilus elsae (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Urmia Loach

Oxynoemacheilus karunensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Karun Loach

Oxynoemacheilus kiabii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Kiabi's Loach

Oxynoemacheilus longipinnis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Ilam Stone Loach

Oxynoemacheilus marunensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Marun Stone Loach

Oxynoemacheilus parvinae (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Parvin Stone Loach

Oxynoemacheilus persa (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Persian Stone Loach

Oxynoemacheilus tongiorgii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Tongiorgi Stone Loach

Oxynoemacheilus zagrosensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Zagros Stone Loach

Paracobitis abrishamchianorum (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Abrishamchians' Crested Loach

Paracobitis atrakensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Atrak Crested Loach

Paracobitis basharensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Bashar Crested Loach

Paracobitis hircanica (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Hircan Crested Loach

Paracobitis malapterura (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Namak Lake Crested Loach

Paracobitis persa (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Persian Crested Loach

Paraschistura abdolii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Abdoli's Loach

Paraschistura aredvii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Anahita Loach

Paraschistura delvarii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Mond Loach

Paraschistura hormuzensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Hormuz Loach

Paraschistura ilamensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Ilam Loach

Paraschistura kermanensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Kerman Loach

Paraschistura makranensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Makran Loach

Paraschistura naumanni (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Naumann's Loach

Paraschistura nielseni (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Nielsen's Loach

Paraschistura susianorum (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Susian Loach

Sasanidus kermanshahensis (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Kermanshah Stone Loach

Turcinoemacheilus ansari + (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae)

Turcinoemacheilus bahaii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Esfahan Dwarf Loach

Turcinoemacheilus christofferi + (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae)

Turcinoemacheilus hafezi (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Hafez's Dwarf Loach

Turcinoemacheilus moghbeli + (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae)

Turcinoemacheilus saadii (Cypriniformes Nemacheilidae) Saadi's Dwarf Loach

Aphaniops furcatus (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Scaleless Tooth-carp

Aphaniops ginaonis (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Genow Tooth-carp

Aphaniops hormuzensis (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Hormuz Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius arakensis + (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Arak Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius darabensis (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Darab Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius isfahanensis (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Esfahan Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius kavirensis + (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Kavir Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius mesopotamicus + (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Mesopotamian Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius persicus (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Farsi Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius pluristriatus + (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Mond Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius shirini (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Shirin Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius sophiae (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Kor Tooth-carp

Esmaeilius vladykovi (Cyprinodontiformes Aphaniidae) Zagros Tooth-carp

Benthophilus persicus (Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Persian Tadpole Goby

Ponticola hircaniaensis (Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Hyrcanian Goby

Ponticola iranicus (Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Iranian Goby

Ponticola patimari (Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Patimar's Goby

Mystus cyrusi (Siluriformes Bagridae) Cyrus' Catfish

Glyptothorax alidaeii (Siluriformes Sisoridae) Ali Daei's Catfish

Glyptothorax galaxias (Siluriformes Sisoridae) Galaxias Catfish

Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii (Siluriformes Sisoridae) Hossein Panahi's Catfish

Glyptothorax pallens (Siluriformes Sisoridae) Pallens Sucking Catfish

Glyptothorax sardashtensis + (Siluriformes Sisoridae)

Glyptothorax shapuri (Siluriformes Sisoridae) Shapur's Catfish

Glyptothorax silviae (Siluriformes Sisoridae) Southern Sucking Catfish

Glyptothorax vatandousti + (Siluriformes Sisoridae)