Oxynoemacheilus tigris (Heckel 1843)

This species is distinguished from O. ercisianus, O. hazarensis, O. kaynaki by possessing a long and high dorsal adipose crest with a whitish margin, reaching beyond the vertical through the anal-fin origin, often below the last dorsal-fin rays when folded down (vs. absence or with a short dorsal-adipose crest, without white margin, on the caudal peduncle not reaching to the vertical through the anal-fin base); with 10-16 bold, narrow, regularly shaped bars, very distinct on the caudal peduncle (vs. a mottled or marmorate flank pattern or the flank with large, irregularly shaped and narrowly spaced dark-brown bars or blotches); most individuals with two bold, black spots at the caudal-fin base (vs. no spots); many isolated, deeply embedded scales on the flank (vs. scales absent in O. ercisianus, scales confined to the caudal peduncle in O. hazarensis)(Ref. 120397).

Oxynoemacheilus tigris, the Tigris loach or Halap loach, is a species of stone loach from the genus Oxynoemacheilus. This critically endangered species is endemic to the Queiq River in Turkey where it occurs ins a short stretch of stream between two reservoirs. It formerly occurred in Syria but it has been local extinction from the Syrian portion of the Queiq. This species is threatened by water abstraction and the increased frequency of droughts caused by climate change, most of the Queiq has already been desiccated. It is, however, abundant in the area it is known from where it can be found in reaches of gravel or mud substrate with moderately fast flowing to near standing water.