Descriptive osteology of Persian stone lapper (Garra persica) from Sistan basin

The Persian stone lapper, Garra persica Berg, 1913 is an endemic cyprinid fish found in Hormuz, Makran, Jazmurian, Sistan and Kerman basins of Iran. Osteological structures of fishes are important biological features, therefore, studying these structures provide valuable biological and ecological information. Since there is little data about G. persica, especially on its osteology, this study was carried out to define the osteological features of Persian stone lapper captured from Zahak River, Sistan basin. The skeletal structure of this species showed differnces in the shape of vomer, supraethmoid, parietal, parasphenoid, pterygiophores, epural, parhypural bones, neural spine and hemal spine in caudal plate, number of infraorbital series, shape and number of supraneural, absence of hard spine in dorsal fin compared to other cyprinids reported in other studies, so this osteological differences can be used to recognize this species from others. This differences can be as a result of adaptation to new feeding patterns in new habitat and can be used in phylogenetic studies.