Paraschistura punjabensis (Hora, 1923) [N]— Punjab loach Taxonomy. Original description: Nemacheilus punjabensis Hora, 1923: 384, figs. 2–3 [Stream below Watta Hills, Salt Range, Punjab, Pakistan; syntypes: ZSI F10348/1 (6)].— Afghanistan synonyms: Nemacheilus punjabensis Hora 1923; Noemacheilus punjabensis Hora, 1923; Schistura punjabensis (Hora, 1923); Noemacheilus sargadensis paludani Bănărescu & Nalbant, (1966).—Revisions: Bănărescu & Nalbant (1995: 441) as Schistura pubjabensis.—Illustration: Hora (1923: figs. 2–3) as Nemacheilus punjabensis. Status in Afghanistan. First identified from Afghanistan by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1966) as Noemacheilus sargadensis paludani; confirmed by Coad (1981: 15; 2014: 264; 2015: 229).—Afghanistan materials: CMN, ZMUC. Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Afghanistan: Pich River, Kabul River basin.—General distribution: eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwest India.—Habitat: This freshwater species occurs in semi-cold small streams and rivers with gravelly or sandy bottoms, at 250–500 m asl over sandy bottoms. This species is not thought to be migratory and is widespread in hill streams. Freshwater. Economic importance. No commercial importance. Conservation. Conservation status in Afghanistan: Unknown.—IUCN: VU (Rafique et al. 2021c).—Threats: HAB, ABS, CON.—High sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.—High priority for conservation action.

Published as part of Çiçek, Erdoğan, Fricke, Ronald, Eagderi, Soheil, Sungur, Sevil, Coad, Brian W & Hamdard, Mohammad Hamid, 2023, Fishes of Afghanistan; a revised and updated annotated checklist, pp. 1-69 in Zootaxa 5305 (1) on page 14, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5305.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8048564