Garra jordanica, a new species from the Dead Sea basin

Garra jordanica, new species, is described from the northern Dead Sea basin in Jordan and Syria. It is related to G. ghorensis from the southern Dead Sea basin from which it is distinguished by having 8 1/2 branched dorsal-fin rays; 33-35+2 lateral line scales; 5-7 scales between the pelvic-fin base and the anus; a large round, black blotch on the flank at the middle of the posterior extremity of the caudal peduncle; the pelvic fin not overlapping the anus in individuals larger than 70 mm SL; shorter barbels; and details in the arrangement of tubercles on the  head. Garra jordanica also differs from G. ghorensis by a nearest neighbor distance of 4.1 % K2P in its COI barcode region. It had previously been postulated that G. ghorensis from southern Jordan has a close relationship to G. tibanica or to G. rufa. Of the two contradicting hypotheses our results support a closer relationship of G. ghorensis to G. rufa.