Re-description of Barbus miliaris De Filippi, 1863 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the endorheic Namak Lake basin of Iran

Abstract

Barbus miliaris was described in 1863 by De Filippi on the basis of three specimens collected from the endorheic Namak Lake basin (a stream
near Tehran). But it was later assigned to the subspecies of Barbus lacerta, B. cyclolepis or Luciobarbus mursa. Here, we revalidate and redescribe it. Barbus miliaris is distinguished from the other species of Barbus by having more scales along the lateral line (69-87, mode 77 vs. 50-66, mode 57 in B. cyri; 52-66, mode 61 in B. lacerta) and 80-95% of the posterior margin of the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray covered with denticles (vs. 60-70%). Barbus miliaris is also distinguished from B. cyri by having more predorsal scales (37-47, mode 42 vs. 24-34, mode 29); a narrower upper lip (its width 4-6 vs. 7-9 %HL). In B. miliaris, the maxillary barbel is longer than that of the others (26-41 vs. 12–32 %HL in other species, not reaching to posterior eye margin vs. reaching in B. lacerta).