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 Triplophysa akhtari ( Lakshmanan, 1950 ) [E]— Helmand loach Taxonomy. Original description: Nemachilus akhtari Lakshmanan, 1950: 219 , fig. 132 [ Helmand River, Afghanistan ; syntypes : ZMMU P-5734 (3), P-5735 (1)].— Afghanistan synonyms: Nemacheilus akhtari Lakshmanan, 1950 .—Revisions: Kottelat (2012: 122) as questionably valid.—Illustration: Lakshmanan (1950 : fig. 1) as Nemachilus akhtari . Status in Afghanistan . Reported from Afghanistan in original description by Lakshmanan (1950) as Nemachilus akhtari ; confirmed by Coad (1981: 13) with status uncertain.—Afghanistan materials: None. Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Afghanistan : Helmand River.—General distribution: Afghanistan .— Habitat: This species occurs in streams with moderately to fast flowing freshwater in both mountainous and lowlands. Freshwater. Economic importance. No commercial importance. Conservation. Conservation status in Afghanistan : Unknown.—IUCN: NE (2023).—Threats: Unknown— Moderate sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.—Moderate priority for conservation action. Remarks. Current status of this species should be clarified.