mesopotamicus, Aphanius Coad [B. W.] 2009:150, Fig. 1 [ZooKeys No. 31; ref. 30643] Khuzestan, canal branch of Karkheh River, 31°40'N, 48°35'E, Iran. Holotype: CMNFI 1979-0360A. Paratypes: (37) CMNFI. Plus non-type material. •Valid as Aphanius mesopotamicus Coad 2009 -- (Esmaeili et al. 2010:375 [ref. 33391], Esmaeili et al. 2012:58 [ref. 31822], Teimori et al. 2012:56 [ref. 32136], Esmaeili et al. 2014:30 [ref. 33250], Keivany & Esmaeili 2014:68 [ref. 33293], Gholami et al. 2013:137 [ref. 33004], Esmaeili et al. 2014:248 [ref. 33345], Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2015:894 [ref. 34062], Esmaeili et al. 2017:91 [ref. 35254], Esmaeili et al. 2018:73 [ref. 36089], Esmaeili et al. 2018:7 [ref. 36738], Esmaeili et al. 2020:5 [ref. 37446], Jouladeh-Roudbar et al. 2020:266 [ref. 37983]). •Synonym of Esmaeilius sophiae (Heckel 1847) -- (Freyhof & Yoğurtçuoğlu 2020:445 [ref. 37656]). •Valid as Esmaeilius mesopotamicus (Coad 2009) -- (Çiçek et al. 2024:355 [ref. 40789]). Current status: Valid as Esmaeilius mesopotamicus (Coad 2009). Aphaniidae. Distribution: Middle East: western Iran. Habitat: freshwater.