i>Paraschistura kessleri is distinguished from its congeners in Iran, except P. turcmenica, by the complete absence of scales (vs. presence of scales at least on the caudal peduncle). It differs from P. turcmenica by having 10-12 distinct, regularly shaped and set dark-brown bars on the flank (vs. bars on the flank irregularly shaped and set, often dissociated into a marbled pattern or a row of midlateral blotches and a row of saddles on the back); from P. bampurensis by the absence of a suborbital flap (vs. presence), a blunt snout (vs. pointed) and a color patter composed of 10-12 dark-brown bars on the flank wider than interspaces (vs. 11-18, usually narrower than interspaces); from P. cristata by the absence of a dorsal adipose crest and procurrent caudal-fin rays in the adipose crest (vs. presence) and an incomplete lateral line (vs. complete). Additional characters useful to identify P. kessleri include the following: dorsal fin usually with 7 1/2 branched; spot at the base of first dorsal-fin rays bold; pelvic fin reaching to about 1-2 eye diameter in front of anus (Ref. 103390).