TEHRAN – The Zagros Tooth-carp (Aphanius vladykovi) live only in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province and are not found anywhere else in the world, but their shrinking population made them highly endangered.

The results of research conducted over the past 15 years indicate a continuous decline in the Zagros Tooth-carp population and the risk of extinction of this rare species, Mehdi Raissy, researcher of aquatic diseases, said.

He went on to explain that the small fish with a length of 3-4 centimeters is one of the important species in the Zagros region.

The species habitats have been severely damaged in recent years, and some have even become completely lifeless due to drought, he lamented, adding, this rare species is a genetic reserve for the country and in case of extinction, there is no alternative to it.

Emphasizing that surviving them from extinction requires serious and immediate action, he suggested that various factors must be considered in order to protect this fish, the first step is to eliminate environmental and ecosystem threats.

The Zagros Tooth-carp (Aphanius vladykovi) is a freshwater fish belonging to the Cyprinodontidae family of the order Cyprinodontiformes. Native to Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province, Iran. In addition to the environmental threats, parasites have also been reported to highly influence the population of these beautiful fish.

FB/MG