Paraschistura abdolii is distinguished from its congeners in Iran by a combination of following non-unique characters: deeply embedded and often isolated scales on the caudal peduncle and, in some populations, present immediately in front of the dorsal-fin origin (vs. body scaleless in P. turcmenica and P. kessleri) and a color pattern of 11-19 regularly or irregularly shaped pale- or dark-brown bars, often dissociated into a marmorate pattern (vs. 10-12 distinct, regularly shaped and set dark-brown bars in P. kessleri); absence of scales on the back, or scales on the back present only in front of the dorsal-fin origin (vs. back fully covered by scales in P. bampurensis and P. nielseni) and by the absence of a suborbital flap or groove in males (vs. suborbital flap present in P. bampurensis, suborbital groove present in P. nielseni); very slender body (vs. stout in P. nielseni); absence of a dorsal adipose keel (vs. presence in from P. cristata) or if a keel is present, by the absence of procurrent rays in the keel (vs. presence in from P. cristata); and an incomplete lateral line (vs. complete in from P. cristata) (Ref. 103390). Materials examined from the Hamun-e Jaz Murian and Sirjan basins lack scales on the back, which is also the case in most specimens from the Kol drainage. Some individuals from Kol drainage have scales on the back, immediately in front of

the dorsal-fin origin (Ref. 103390).

Description: Dorsal fin with 7 1/2 branched rays; anal fin with 5 1/2 branched rays; pectoral fin with 9-10 (usually 9); and pelvic fin with 6-7 branched rays (Ref. 103390).