The Description of Osteological Characters of Turcinoemacheilus saadii (Nemacheilidae) in Connection with Phylogenetic Relations of the Genus

This study provides a detailed description of osteological characters of Turcinoemacheilus saadii with an attempt to evaluate their significance for the grouping of different genera. In general, a comparative osteological analysis of T. saadii and other previously studied species of Turcinoemacheilus and the related genus Paraschistura , as well as the genera Paracobitis and Oxynoemacheilus , shows the absence of diagnostic features for the currently generally accepted genera or any other groups of species. However, some osteological characteristics are of diagnostic value at the species level, primarily the numbers of basibranchial and hypural bones, vertebrates, pterygiophores, unbranched and branched fin rays, as well as the shape and position of some bones and their connections.