Cobitis tanaitica Băcescu & Mayer 1969

Pigmentation (Gambetta's longitudinal zone of pigmentation): zone Z3 usually ending under dorsal base in male; one black spot at caudal base, about size of pupil or eye, oval or round; zone Z3 usually narrower than zone Z2. One lamina circularis. Cannot be distinguished from sympatric hybridogenous species using external characters (Ref. 59043).

During courtship, 'the male follows the female and, after both enter dense vegetation (e.g. filamentous algae), the male forms a complete ring around the female's body behind the dorsal as the female releases the eggs' (Ref. 59043).

Dorsal spines (total): 2 - 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 8; Anal spines: 1 - 3; Analsoft rays: 5 - 7

Found in large coastal lakes and lower part of rivers on silt bottom, as well as smaller streams with sand bottoms (Ref. 59043). Adults migrate to larger water bodies in autumn for overwintering (Ref. 59043). Oviparous, possibly with distinct pairing during breeding similar to congeners (Ref. 205).