‘Blunt’-snouted creature pulled from river in Turkey — and discovered as new species

A scaly creature with a “blunt” snout swam through a quick-moving river in southeastern Turkey. The animal was probably trying to go about its usual day, but nearby scientists had other plans.

They pulled the striped animal from the water — and discovered a new species.

Researchers visited the Beyazsu stream in Mardin province to search for fish, according to a study published April 29 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoosystematics and Evolution. The stream was part of a larger “hotspot” for Oxynoemacheilus, or loach fish.

During their visits, researchers found several unfamiliar-looking fish with “blunt” snouts, the study said. They captured the animals and, taking a closer look, realized they’d discovered a new species: Oxynoemacheilus chaboras, or the Chaboras loach.

Chaboras loach is considered a “small-sized” fish, reaching just over 2 inches in length, the study said. It has a “slender” striped body, “blunt” snout and an “arched” mouth with “thick” lips.

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A photo shows the creamy brown coloring of a Chaboras loach. Its sides have irregular, blotchy stripes and its fins appear see-through. With a bright orange ring, its eye looks almost like a total solar eclipse.

So far, the new species has only been found in the Beyazsu stream in Mardin province, the study said. This waterway feeds into the Khabur River, which is a tributary of the Euphrates River.

Researchers said they named the new species Chaboras after the “ancient Greek name of the Khabur.”

Mardin province is in southeastern Turkey, along the Turkey-Syria border.

The new species was identified by its coloring, pattern, fins, head shape and lips, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 3% genetic divergence from closely related loach species.

The research team included Cüneyt Kaya, Irmak Kurtul, İsmai̇l Aksu, Münevver Oral and Jörg Freyhof.

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