Garra shamal

Common name. Muscat garra.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Garra in Hajar Mountains by: ● middle caudal rays’ with same colour as other rays or slightly darker, not bold black / ● membranes between these rays brown or hyaline / ○ strongly mottled flank pattern usually lacking orange scales on flank / ○ white dorsal tip / ○ no orange spot at upper opercle / ○ 10–14 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch / ○ eye fully developed. Size up to 75 mm SL.

Distribution. Oman: Wadis draining from Hajar Mountains to coast of Gulf of Oman, east and west of Muscat, including northern flank of Jebel Akhdar, extending from Wadi Hoqain (near Rustaq) in west to Wadi Mayh (Wadi Yiti), east of Muscat.

Habitat. Headwater streams and falaj systems draining mountain front, springs, streams, and falaj systems with fresh or brackish water, gravel, or bedrock bottoms. Usually in stagnant or slow-flowing water.

Biology. Feeds on periphyton and detritus.

Conservation status. VU; relatively small area with fewer than 10 independent populations. Has experienced loss of several populations, and many are vulnerable to overuse of water, pollution, and climate change.

Further reading. Kruckenhauser et al. 2011 (molecular phylogeny); Pichler et al. 2018 (morphology, as north clade); Kirchner et al. 2020 (description); Kirchner et al. 2020 (distribution, identification).