Fishes of Afghanistan; a revised and updated annotated checklist Author Çiçek, Erdoğan Author Fricke, Ronald 0000-0003-1476-6990 Author Eagderi, Soheil 0000-0002-1134-0356 Author Sungur, Sevil 0000-0003-4018-6375 Author Coad, Brian W 0000-0002-7232-961X Author Hamdard, Mohammad Hamid 0000-0002-5915-6574 erdogancicek@nevsehir.edu.tr text Zootaxa 2023 2023-06-16 5305 1 1 69 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5305.1.1 journal article 56221 10.11646/zootaxa.5305.1.1 c640363c-14f9-4912-8a38-2948ab4946f1 1175-5326 8048564 55EB7903-BB1A-45F9-9660-16DAF957C67A Aspiolucius esocinus ( Kessler, 1874 ) [N]—Pike asp Taxonomy. Original description: Aspius esocinus Kessler, 1874: 28 , pl. 5, fig. 18 [Syr-darya and Amu-darya rivers, Turkestan; Syntypes : BMNH 1897.7.5.31-32 [ex ZMMU] (2); none found at ZIN].— Afghanistan synonyms: None.—Revisions: Berg (1949: 600) .—Illustration: Berg (1949: 601 , figs. 355–356). Status in Afghanistan . First record from Afghanistan by Zharov (1973); confirmed by Coad (1981: 9 ; 2014: 123 ; 2015: 227).—Afghanistan materials: None. Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Afghanistan : Panj River.—General distribution: Middle Asia.—Habitat: This species is a large, rheophilic, and potamodromous species that inhabits larger river channels with mediumfast currents and relatively turbid water. It is rarely found in irrigation canals. In lakes or reservoirs, it is prevalent around river mouths if they have turbid waters. Freshwater. Economic importance. Commercially important. Conservation. Conservation status in Afghanistan : Unknown.—IUCN: EN ( Karimov 2020d ).—Threats: FIT, CON, ABS, EUT.—High sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Decreasing.— Moderate priority for conservation action.