Prof. Dr. Hamid Reza Esmaeili studied B.Sc. in Biology (Shiraz University), M.Sc. in Animal Biology (Tehran University, Iran) and obtained a degree ( in fish taxonomy and biology in 2001 from India. He continued as a fish taxonomist at Shiraz University, Iran, where he worked for more than 19 years. He became a full Professor in 2011 at the same university. During this time, he started the biodiversity, conservation and phylogeny of fishes (both freshwater and marine) of fishes of Iran and the Middle East and published over 350 scientific papers and books in leading scientific journals and more than 120 conference abstracts in national and international conferences. He has published one book on the fishes of Fars province, and contributed 3 book chapters published by Springer, acted as supervisor of over 159 M.Sc. students, 15 Ph.D. students, and two Postdoc researchers.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Animal Biology (Ichthyology)
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Aquatic Science, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Animal Science and Zoology
Identification of loach fishes from Iran (Cypriniformes: Cobitoidea) using some osteological characters Laith A. Jawad, Golnaz Sayyadzadeh, Hamid Reza Esmaeili Acta Zoologica, 2026 This study examines eight skeletal features to distinguish species within the Cobitidae and Nemacheilidae families, focusing on the vertebral column, fin structure and caudal fin rays. The study analyses the construction and regionalization of the vertebral column, the interdigitation of pterygiophores with neural and haemal spines in the dorsal and anal fins, and the distribution of procurrent rays in the caudal fin. These characteristics are used to identify taxonomically relevant traits and separate species within these two families. The study also proposes a new method for defining vertebral column regions and presents new anatomical data for cobitoid species in Iran, including the division of the vertebral column into five regions: postcranial, abdominal (anterior and posterior) and caudal (anterior and posterior).
New species of Pseudogobius from Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf (Actinopteri: Teleostei: Gobiidae: Tridentigerinae) Spixiana, 2026
Morphology and chronology of critical events for early-life history survival of an old word killifish, Esmaeilius shirini (Teleostei: Aphaniidae): A conservation management approach Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Tayebeh Asrar, Golnaz Sayyadzadeh Acta Zoologica, 2025 In this study, the live cell imaging microscopy of an old word cyprinodontiform fish, the Shirini toothcarp Esmaeilius shirini during its embryogenesis, is described and illustrated for the first time through the detailed morphological description and chronology of the events of all developmental stages (from fertilization to hatching). External fertilization of transparent, spherical, sticky and macrolecithal eggs bearing adhesive filaments with an average diameter of 0.83–1 mm is the first step in the ontogenesis of E. shirini. Embryogenesis continued with a process of meroblastic cleavage (approximately 2 and half h post‐fertilization, hpf), formation of blastula (blastulation), gastrula (gastrulation), neurulation, somatogenesis, organ formation (organogenesis) and pre‐hatching. The development continued with hatching (a stage between the embryonic and larval periods) at approximately 131 haf (at 24 ± 1°C). The new larvae were about 3.9–5.8 mm in length with distinct fin rays and pigmentation on the head, body and fins. Basic data from this study can be used in forthcoming investigations on the reproduction processes, breeding, behaviour and conservation of E. shirini. Fish development comprises an integrated, ordered and well‐mapped sequence of early life‐history events controlled by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Knowledge of fish developmental stages during embryogenesis/ontogeny is essential for a better understanding of their biology, breeding criteria, phylogenetic relationships, dietary requirements, conservation plans, environmental requirements and ecological preferences.
Qanat system, an ancient water management system in Iran: History, architectural design and fish diversity International Journal of Aquatic Biology, 2022
An updated checklist of blenniiform fishes (Teleostei: Blenniiformes) in the North-Western Indian Ocean: Taxonomy, diversity, and conservation status Journal of Fish Taxonomy, 2022
The Indian handfish, Halieutaea indica Annandale & Jenkins, 1910 (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae), an additional fish species for the Gulf of Oman Journal of Fish Taxonomy, 2021
Native drivers of fish life history traits are lost during the invasion process Rodolphe Elie Gozlan, Eva Záhorská, Emira Cherif, Takashi Asaeda, John Robert Britton, Cha‐Ho Chang, To Hong, Rafael Miranda, Jiří Musil, Meta Povz, Ali Serhan Tarkan, Elena Tricarico, Teodora Trichkova, Hugo Verreycken, Andrej Weiperth, Andrej Witkowski, Lluis Zamora, Irene Zweimueller, Yahui Zhao, Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Marine Combe Ecology and Evolution, 2020
Hormuz river system as a micro hotspot of diversification for the aphaniid fishes in iran Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2020
Molecular biodiversity of Iranian shallow water sponges Dirk Erpenbeck, Aref Gholami, Majid Askari Hesni, Mohammad Sharif Ranjbar, Adrian Galitz, Benjamin Eickhoff, Leonard Namuth, Tatjana Schumacher, Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Gert Wörheide, Azad Teimori Systematics and Biodiversity, 2020
Comment on “A proposal for a new generic structure of the killifish family Aphaniidae, with the description of Aphaniops teimorii (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes)” by Jörg Freyhof & Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu, Zootaxa (July 2020) 4810 (3): 421-451 Journal of Fish Taxonomy, 2020
Tessellate goby, Coryogalops tessellatus Randall, 1994 (Teleostei: Gobiidae), an additional fish element for the Iranian marine waters Journal of Fish Taxonomy, 2019
First record of helictes fabularis Rossem, 1987 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Iran Zoology Section, Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71454, Iran, H. Darvishnia, S. Sadeghi, Zoology Section, Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71454, Iran, A. Mohammadi-Khoramabadi, Department of Plant Production, College of Agriculture, Natural Resources of Darab, Shiraz University 74811-96711, Iran, H.R. Esmaeili, Zoology Section, Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71454, Iran Far Eastern Entomologist, 2018
Histomorphometrical study of gonads in the endemic cyprinid fish, Cyprinion tenuiradius Heckel, 1847 (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 2017
The effects of different artificial light colours on the growth rate of embryo and juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) Polish Journal of Natural Sciences, 2017
Taxonomic status of the genus Cobitis (Teleostei: Cobitidae) in the Namak Lake basin, Iran Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2017
Review and updated checklist of freshwater fishes of Iran: Taxonomy, distribution and conservation status Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2017
A new loach of the genus Oxynoemacheilus from the Tigris River drainage and its phylogenetic relationships among the nemacheilid fishes (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in the Middle East based on mtDNA COI sequences Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2016
Review of the genus Garra hamilton, 1822 in Iran with description of a new species: A morpho-molecular approach (teleostei: Cyprinidae) Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2016
Review of the genus Paraschistura from Iran with description of six new species (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 2015
The ichthyofauna of headwaters of three riverine systems in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in southwest of Iran Iranian Journal of Science and Technology Transaction A Science, 2015
Paracobitis hircanica, a new crested loach from the southern Caspian Sea basin (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 2015
Geographic distribution of the genus Chondrostoma Agassiz, 1832 in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2015
Ichthyofauna of Urmia basin: Taxonomic diversity, distribution and conservation Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2015
Fishes of the Persis region of Iran: An updated checklist and ichthyogeography Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2015
Comparison of human pressures and fish assemblages in the salmonid and cyprinid streams of the southern Caspian Sea basin Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2015
Paracobitis atrakensis, a new species of crested loach from northeastern Iran (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 2014
Review of the crested loaches of the genus Paracobitis from Iran and Iraq with the description of four new species (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 2014
Assignment of Acanthopagrus populations in the persian gulf drainage system of Iran to Acanthopagrus arabicus iwatsuki, 2013 (perciformes: Sparidae) Iranian Journal of Ichthyology, 2014
Morphological variations among Chondrostoma regium populations in the tigris river drainage Aacl Bioflux, 2014
Ultrastructure of the chorion and the micropyle of an endemic cyprinid fish, Cyprinion tenuiradius Heckel, 1849 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from southern Iran Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 2012
Reproductive biology of Cobitis keyvani (Cobitidae) from the Talar River in the southern Caspian Sea basin Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 2012
Scale structure of a cyprinid fish, Garra Rossica (Nikol'skii, 1900) using scanning electron microscope (SEM) Iranian Journal of Science and Technology Transaction A Science, 2012
Fecundity and maturation of South Caspian spirlin, Alburnoides sp. (Actinopterygii: Cypriniade) from Iran Iranian Journal of Science and Technology Transaction A Science, 2012
Infection of Aphanius dispar (Holly, 1929) with Ligula intestinalis plerocercoids in Mehran River, Hormuzgan province, south of Iran Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 2011
Scanning electron microscopy of the scale morphology in cyprinid fish, Rutilus frisii kutum Kamenskii, 1901 (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 2011
Pan-continental invasion of Pseudorasbora parva: Towards a better understanding of freshwater fish invasions Rodolphe E Gozlan, Demetra Andreou, Takashi Asaeda, Kathleen Beyer, Rachid Bouhadad, Dean Burnard, Nuno Caiola, Predrag Cakic, Vesna Djikanovic, Hamid R Esmaeili, Istvan Falka, Duncan Golicher, Akos Harka, Galina Jeney, Vladimír Kováč, Jiří Musil, Annamaria Nocita, Meta Povz, Nicolas Poulet, Tomas Virbickas, Christian Wolter, A Serhan Tarkan, Elena Tricarico, Teodora Trichkova, Hugo Verreycken, Andrzej Witkowski, Chun Guang Zhang, Irene Zweimueller, J Robert Britton Fish and Fisheries, 2010
First karyological analysis of an endemic fish, zagros tooth-carp, aphanius vladykovi coad, 1988 (ActinopterygII: Cyprinodontidae) from Iran Iranian Journal of Science and Technology Transaction A Science, 2009
Karyological analysis of two endemic tooth-carps, Aphanius persicus and Aphanius sophiae (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae), from southwest Iran Turkish Journal of Zoology, 2007
Scale structure of a cyprinid fish, Capoeta damascina (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1842) using scanning electron microscope (SEM) Iranian Journal of Science and Technology Transaction A Science, 2007
Age, growth, and fisheries of silver carp hypophthalmichthys molitrix (VaL, 1844) in Gobindsagar reservoir, India American Fisheries Society Symposium, 2003
New Findings on Awaous jayakari (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae): Integrated Morpho-Molecular Characteristics and Distribution Range in Northwestern Indian Ocean HR Esmaeili, AH Masoumi, G Sayyadzadeh, SH Hashemi, S Echreshavi, ... Iranian Journal of Science 50 (2), 403-417 , 2026 2026
Diversity, taxonomy, and conservation status of carangiform fishes in the northwestern Indian Ocean: An annotated checklist G Sayyadzadeh, HR Esmaeili Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences 25 (2), 229-286 , 2026 2026
Updated inventory and ecological impacts of non-native fish in the Caspian Sea Basin: a systematic review of historical invasion pathways A Teimori, HR Esmaeili, B Levin, K Abbasi, ED Vasil’eva Hydrobiologia, 1-33 , 2026 2026
DNA barcoding resolves the identity and invasion pathway of the non-indigenous goby genus Rhinogobius (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae) in the Caspian Sea basin, and reveals cryptic … A Teimori, HR Esmaeili, K Abbasi, F Pourhosseini, M Motamedi, ... Regional Studies in Marine Science, 104864 , 2026 2026
Ancient symbols and regional biodiversity: Unveiling the world’s oldest flag: A historical review and interdisciplinary approach integrating archaeozoology, archaeobotany, and … Z Moradi, G Esmaeili, HR Esmaeili Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences, 1-24 , 2026 2026
Sustainable Aquaculture, Fish Diversity, and Fish Conservation HR Esmaeili Biotechnology Innovations for a Sustainable Future: Integrating Clean Energy … , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Identification of loach fishes from Iran (Cypriniformes: Cobitoidea) using some osteological characters LA Jawad, G Sayyadzadeh, HR Esmaeili Acta Zoologica 107 (1), 95-121 , 2026 2026
The global invasion: Distribution, invasion mechanisms, and ecological impacts of the Eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) F Zare, HR Esmaeili, A Gholamhosseini, R Khosravi Journal of Ornamental Aquatics 12 (4), 1-10 , 2025 2025
Exploring New Frontiers: Morpho-molecular Insights into the Malabar Grouper Epinephelus malabaricus (Teleostei: Epinephelidae) in Oman Sea S Echreshavi, HR Esmaeili, R Fricke Iranian Journal of Science 49 (6), 1495-1509 , 2025 2025
A New Iterative Method to Find Polar Decomposition S Sheikhi, H Esmaeili Communications on Applied Mathematics and Computation 7 (6), 2243-2256 , 2025 2025
A new iterative method to solve the absolute value equation S Sheikhi, H Esmaeili Mathematical Analysis and Convex Optimization, e731838 , 2025 2025
Moving towards the west: Morphological and molecular documentation of the reef margin blenny Entomacrodus striatus (Teleostei: Blenniiformes) from the most western part of the … F Pourhosseini, HR Esmaeili, M Ghanbarifardi Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences 24 (1), 141-160 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Morphology and chronology of critical events for early‐life history survival of an old word killifish, Esmaeilius shirini (Teleostei: Aphaniidae): A conservation … HR Esmaeili, T Asrar, G Sayyadzadeh Acta Zoologica 106 (4), 366-377 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Evaluation of RC shear wall and steel bracing frame Interaction in mid-rise steel moment frame systems A Kheyroddin, H Kheyroddin Structure & Steel 3 (6), 31-42 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Microscopic Examination of Scale Morphology in the Doctor Fish Garra ghorensis (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae): Structural Features as Taxonomic Tools S Echreshavi, N Hamidan, HR Esmaeili مجله علمی آبزیان زینتی 12 (2), 17-31 , 2025 2025
Invasive vs. endemic cichlid species: A review of Iranian cichlids with new locality records for Oreochromis niloticus and O. mossambicus (Actinopterygii: Cichlidae) HR ESMAEILI, SH HASHEMI, S ECHRESHAVI, AH MASOUMI, ... Iranian Journal of Ichthyology 12 (3), 172-216 , 2025 2025
Can Morphology and Molecular Approaches Reach a Consensus in Fish Taxonomy? LP Dizaj, HR Esmaeili, C Li JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY 286 , 2025 2025
Does fish scale morphology allow the identification of species complex? A case study for algae scraper fishes in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) SA Faal, HR Esmaeili, A Teimori, G Shahhosseini Zoologischer Anzeiger 316, 182-217 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Tariqilabeo iranicus, a new species of labeonine fish from the Makran basin in Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) HR Esmaeili, G Sayyadzadeh, AH Masoumi, SH Hashemi, S Echreshavi Zootaxa 5620 (3), 437-450 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Species diversity, diagnostic characters and distribution of tubenose gobies of the genus Proterorhinus (Gobiidae): revalidation of the Caspian species Proterorhinus blennioides ED Vasil’eva, VP Vasil’ev, EA Borovikova, HR Esmaeili, AA Gandlin, ... Inland Water Biology 18 (2), 389-399 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Pan‐continental invasion of Pseudorasbora parva : towards a better understanding of freshwater fish invasions RE Gozlan, D Andreou, T Asaeda, K Beyer, R Bouhadad, D Burnard, ... Fish and Fisheries 11 (4), 315-340 , 2010 2010 Citations: 352
Annotated сhecklist of the freshwater fishes of Iran HR Esmaeili, BW Coad, A Gholamifard, N Nazari, A Teimory Zoosystematica Rossica 19 (2), 361-386 , 2010 2010 Citations: 225
Checklist of freshwater fishes of Iran HR ESMAEILI, G SAYYADZADEH, S EAGDERI, K ABBASI FishTaxa 3 (3), 1-95 , 2018 2018 Citations: 212
Alien and invasive freshwater fish species in Iran: Diversity, environmental impacts and management HR ESMAEILI, A TEIMORI, K ABBASI, BW COAD Iranian Journal of Ichthyology 1 (2), 61-72 , 2014 2014 Citations: 154
Length–weight relationships of some freshwater fishes of Iran HR Esmaeili, M Ebrahimi Journal of Applied Ichthyology 22 (4), 328-329 , 2006 2006 Citations: 152
Annotated checklist of the fishes of the Persian Gulf: Diversity and conservation status S EAGDERI, R FRICKE, HR ESMAEILI, P JALILI Iranian Journal of Ichthyology 6, 1-171 , 2019 2019 Citations: 148
Review and updated checklist of freshwater fishes of Iran: Taxonomy, distribution and conservation status HR ESMAEILI, H MEHRABAN, K ABBASI, Y KEIVANY, BW COAD Iranian Journal of Ichthyology 4, 1-114 , 2017 2017 Citations: 146
An updated checklist of fishes of the Caspian Sea basin of Iran with a note on their zoogeography HR Esmaeili, WC Brian, HR MEHRABAN, M Masoudi, R KHAEFI, ... Iranian Journal of Ichthyology 1 (3), 152-184 , 2014 2014 Citations: 130
Freshwater lamprey and fishes of Iran; a revised and updated annotated checklist-2022 S Eagderi, A Mouludi-saleh, HR ESMAELI, G Sayyadzadeh, M NASRI Turkish Journal of Zoology 46 (6), 500-522 , 2022 2022 Citations: 124
The endangered cyprinodont Aphanius ginaonis (Holly, 1929) from southern Iran is a valid species: evidence from otolith morphology B Reichenbacher, E Kamrani, HR Esmaeili, A Teimori Environmental Biology of Fishes 86 (4), 507-521 , 2009 2009 Citations: 119
A new and unique species of the genus Aphanius Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) from Southern Iran: A case of regressive evolution A Teimori, HR Esmaeili, D Erpenbeck, B Reichenbacher Zoologischer Anzeiger-A Journal of Comparative Zoology 253 (4), 327-337 , 2014 2014 Citations: 90
Evaluating the seismic performance of off-centre bracing system with circular element in optimum place M Bazzaz, MA Kafi, A Kheyroddin, Z Andalib, H Esmaeili International Journal of Steel Structures 14 (2), 293-304 , 2014 2014 Citations: 84
Geographical differentiation of Aphanius dispar (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) from Southern Iran A Teimori, T Schulz‐Mirbach, HR Esmaeili, B Reichenbacher Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 50 (4), 289-304 , 2012 2012 Citations: 84
Systematics and historical biogeography of the Aphanius dispar species group (Teleostei: Aphaniidae) and description of a new species from Southern Iran A Teimori, HR Esmaeili, N Hamidan, B Reichenbacher Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 56 (4), 579-598 , 2018 2018 Citations: 83
Two new species of the tooth-carp Aphanius (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) and the evolutionary history of the Iranian inland and inland-related Aphanius species HR Esmaeili, A Teimori, Z Gholami, B Reichenbacher Zootaxa 3786 (3), 246-268 , 2014 2014 Citations: 77
Aphanius arakensis, a new species of tooth-carp (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontidae) from the endorheic Namak Lake basin in Iran A Teimori, HR Esmaeili, Z Gholami, N Zarei, B Reichenbacher ZooKeys, 55 , 2012 2012 Citations: 72
Microplastic fibers in the gut of highly consumed fish species from the southern Caspian Sea MJ Nematollahi, B Keshavarzi, F Moore, HR Esmaeili, HN Saravi, ... Marine Pollution Bulletin 168, 112461 , 2021 2021 Citations: 67
Review of the crested loaches of the genus Paracobitis from Iran and Iraq with the description of four new species (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) J Freyhof, HR Esmaeili, G Sayyadzadeh, M Geiger Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 25 (1), 11-38 , 2014 2014 Citations: 66
Phylogenetic analysis of Aphanius from the endorheic Kor River Basin in the Zagros Mountains, South‐western Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Cyprinodontidae) Z Gholami, HR Esmaeili, D Erpenbeck, B Reichenbacher Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 52 (2), 130-141 , 2014 2014 Citations: 66
A comparison of back‐calculated lengths of silver carp derived from bony structures MS Johdal, HR Esmaeili, KK Tandon Journal of Fish Biology 59 (6), 1483-1493 , 2001 2001 Citations: 65
