 This fish was long believed to be part of the widespread Spined Loach ("C. taenia").Cladistic analysis of DNA sequence data (nDNA RAG-1 and S7 ribosomal protein intron 1, and mtDNA cytochrome "b") confirms that it is properly treated as full species.Its closest living relative might be "C. zanandreai" of Lake Fondi and its surroundings in west-central Italy.