It is restricted to freshwater and brackish habitats in the drainage of the Mehran River in southern Iran above the Straits of Hormuz.

Young exhibit a silver-green coloration with no fin pigmentation.

The adult is mostly black with silver speckles on the body and barring on the dorsal fin.

Male adults are distinguished by their longer anal and pelvic fins, and female adults are distinguished by their longer heads.

[5] Unlike I. persa, the breast and head of nuptial male I. hormuzensis is blackish (not orange).