Comparison of Habitat Suitability of Namak Scraper, Capoeta buhsei Kessler, 1877 in Autumn and Winter Seasons in the Jajroud River, Namak Lake Basin

This study was conducted to investigate the habitat suitability and preference of Capoeta buhsei in autumn and winter in the Jajroud River, Namak Lake basin. For this purpose, in 2013, sampling was performed in autumn (November) and winter (March) in 18 stations from downstream to upstream using an electrofishing device and environmental variables, including altitude, river width, water depth, and velocity, the average diameter of the dominant bedrock, bed slope, pH, EC, TDS, and temperature were recorded. The results showed that the preferred habitat suitability of the studied species in autumn is lower height, depth, slope, width, and velocity, and coarse bed rocks, high temperature, neutral pH, high EC, and medium TDS, and in winter medium height, depth and width, low velocity, high slope and temperature, slightly acidic to neutral pH, low EC, and TDS. The low value of the suitability index for factors of river width, flow velocity, average bedrock diameter, bed slope, water temperature, and EC show the Jajrud River has less proper habitat in autumn than in winter.