Alborz large scale scraper

<em>Capoeta alborzensis</em>, the Alborz large-scale scraper, is a freshwater cyprinid belonging to the family Cyprinidae and native to the Alborz mountain region of northern Iran. It inhabits the shallow, fast-flowing, rocky streams and rivers draining the Alborz range, typically at depths of 0 to 2 metres. This is consistent with the characteristic habitat of scraper cyprinids, which use a hardened lower jaw to rasp algae and biofilm from rock surfaces in turbulent, well-oxygenated stream environments. It reaches a maximum recorded length of approximately 16.35 cm. Details of precise geographic range and population size within the Alborz drainage remain limited in the ichthyological literature. The Alborz Mountains harbour several endemic fish species adapted to the specific thermal, chemical, and hydrological conditions of these highland streams, making this region of biogeographic significance. <em>Capoeta</em> species are generally substrate feeders with a preference for benthic algae, periphyton, and invertebrates. They play an important ecological role in nutrient cycling within their stream ecosystems. This species is unlikely to be encountered in the aquarium trade. Its conservation status is Not Evaluated, though the restricted highland stream habitats it occupies could make it sensitive to water abstraction, pollution, and climate-induced changes in stream hydrology.