Spined Loach

One lamina circularis. Presence of one black spot on upper caudal base about the size of eye or pupil, and oval or round. Pigmentation (Gambetta's longitudinal zone of pigmentation): zone Z3 usually wider than zone Z2; zones Z2 and Z3 reaching beyond dorsal base.

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).

Adults are found in flowing or still waters from small brooks to large rivers, springs, lakes and oxbows on sand, silt or mud bottom (Ref. 59043). Usually found together with hybridogenous, sperm-parasitic lineages, which have originated by hybridisation with C. taenia and C. tanaitica. Oviparous, possibly with distinct pairing during breeding similar to congeners (Ref. 205). Spawning period occurs from April to July in aquatic vegetation (Ref. 59043). Distinguished from C. vardarensis and C. pontica only by chromosome characters. They cannot be distinguished in the field. (Ref. 59043).