Spined Loach
Sabanajewia aurata reaches a length of 10 cm at the most and has a slender and very compressed body. It has six barbels at its mouth and a characteristic sharp spine below its eyes, which can be erected. There are 8 to 15 square spots on its sides. Its caudal peduncle has a leathery keel. It lives amongst stones and gravel in deep currents in the middle and lower reaches of rivers. It spawns in April and May and feeds on bottom-living animals.
It occurs in northern Iran and the adjacent part of the USSR, in Anatolia and the watershed of the River Don, in the basin of the Danube and in the Balkans. It has a number of geographical races. This fish is placed in the genus Cobitis by many scientists.
The spined loath grows to about 6 or 3 cm, rarely 10 cm, in length. It has a slim, elongated and very compressed body and head. Its inferior- positioned mouth has six barbels. A sharp, erectile double spine is placed beneath each eye. It has 14 to 16 small dark blotches on its sides and a conspicuous one on the topside of its caudal fin. It lives close to the bottom in stagnant and slow- flowing waters and likes to bury itself in the silt. It spawns in April and May and feeds on aquatic invertebrates.
It is distributed all over Europe with the exception of Norway, northern Sweden, Finland, the USSR, Scotland and Greece. In Europe there exist a number of geographical races.
Cobitidae
Sabanajewia aurata
Maximum size and weight:
10 cm, 5 g.
Identifying characteristics: Long, compressed body and head, 6 barbels at the mouth, 8-14 large, square, dark spots on sides and leathery keel between dorsal and caudal fins.
Cobitis taenia
Maximum size and weight:
10 cm, 5 g. Identifying characteristics: Long, compressed body and head,
6 barbels
at the mouth,. 14-16 dark spots on sides and conspicuous dark fleck on top of caudal fin.
