title: Eidinemacheilus proudlovei, a new subterranean loach from Iraqi Kurdistan (Teleostei; Nemacheilidae).
abstract: Eidinemacheilus proudlovei, new species, is described from subterranean waters in the Little Zab River drainage in Iraqi Kurdistan. After the discovery of E. smithi in 1976, E. proudlovei is the second troglomorphic nemacheilid loach found in the Middle East and the second species placed in Eidinemacheilus. Eidinemacheilus proudlovei is distinguished from E. smithi by having 8+8 or 8+7 branched caudal-fin rays, no adipose keel on the caudal peduncle, enlarged jaws and a fully developed head canal system. It furthers differs substantially in its DNA barcode (&gt;8% K2P distance) from all other nemacheilid loaches in the Middle East, Europe and Western India.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 12587 Berlin, Germany.; Email: j.freyhof@igb-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freyhof
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Department, Technical College of Health, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaimani, Iraq.; Email: younis.abdullah@spu.edu.iq.
authors.forename: Younis Sabir
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: Kurdistan Botanical Foundation / Biology Department, School of Science, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Iraq.; Email: korsh.majeed@univsul.edu.iq.
authors.forename: Korsh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ararat
authors.affiliation: Charmo Center Research, Charmo University, Chamchamal, Iraq, Iraq.; Email: hamad.ibrahim1980@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hamad
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for Animal Biodiversity, 53113 Bonn. Germany.; Email: m.geiger@zfmk.de.
authors.forename: Matthias F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Geiger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059552:Caves; D003531:Cypriniformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D007493:Iraq; D013045:Species Specificity