Cyprinion macrostomus Heckel, 1843

Freyhof, Jörg, Kaya, Cüneyt & Ali, Atheer, 2021, A Critical Checklist of the Inland Fishes Native to the Euphrates and Tigris Drainages, Aquatic Ecology Series, Switzerland: Springer Nature, pp. 815-854 : 821-822

Cyprinion macrostomus Heckel, 1843

Distribution in the area. Not endemic. Widespread in the Qweik, Euphrates and Tigris drainages from southern Anatolia to the Shatt Al-Arab in Iraq including the Karun.

Taxonomic notes. This species occurs often syntopic with C. kais . Mitochondrial data suggest that C. kais is fully introgressed by C. macrostomus , having lost its own mitochondrial bodies. But position of fins, shape of mouth, patterns of nuptial tubercles as well as color patterns are so different that there is no doubt that both are independent species.

Remark. This species is frequently reported to occur also in the Orontes River. We are not aware of a confirmed record of Cyprinion from the Orontes and treat it as endemic to the Gulf basin.