Labeo seeberi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	CYPRINIFORMES	CYPRINIDAE

Scientific Name:

Labeo seeberi

Species Authority:

Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911

Common Name/s:

English

–

Clanwilliam Sandfish

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B2ab(iii,v) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2007

Assessor/s:

Impson, D. & Swartz, E.

Reviewer/s:

Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiverity Assessment Unit)

Justification:
We are unsure of when declines occurred as the system was poorly monitored prior to 1990. It is likely that significant declines occurred prior to this (probably after the introductions of bass in the 1930s) but the current rates of decline would not meet the thresholds for use of Criterion A. Criterion B applies because of the very small size of its area of occupancy (AOO) (the actual area occupied is less than 5 km² and the calculated AOO, using a 1 km² grid overlay, is 150 km²), increasing levels of threats, and restriction to less than 5 locations. Locations have been defined as subpopulations with barriers to the spread of invasive alien species, namely, the Oorlogskloof, Gifberg and the Bidou and the "open" habitat of the Doring-Matjies-Groot. It qualifies as Endangered B2ab(iii,v).

History:

1996	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Endangered (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Rare (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Rare (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Endemic to the Olifants River system (Skelton 2001). It seems to have gone extinct in the Upper Olifants branch of this system, but still occurs in mainstream areas of the Doring River.
Countries:	Native: South Africa (Northern Cape Province, Western Cape Province)
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	This species is reasonably common only in the Oorlogskloof-Kobee River, representing about 5% of original distribution range. Small numbers of adult fish also occur in the Doring and Groot rivers, but recruitment is absent due to the presence of alien predatory fishes.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It favours deeper pools (2 to 5 m) of the mainstreams and larger tributaries. The biology of this species is poorly studied. It co-exists with Labeobarbus capensis and Barbus serra in the larger rivers. It is a bottom feeder, feeding on algae, detritus and small invertebrates and it spawns in spring and summer (Skelton 2001).
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The major threats are invasive alien fishes and habitat degradation. Micropterus dolomieu have had a major effect on recruitment, and instream dams prevent adults from reaching spawning grounds.

Major Threat(s):

The major threats are invasive alien fishes and habitat degradation. Micropterus dolomieu have had a major effect on recruitment, and instream dams prevent adults from reaching spawning grounds.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The healthiest and most secure population is mostly within the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve. Remaining populations are on privately owned land. The species is listed as endangered by the provincial Nature Conservation Ordinance, preventing capture of the species. The most important rivers for this species have been identified as priority freshwater environments for fish conservation (Impson et al. 1999). A State of River report has been written to the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in 2006 for the Olifants-Doring River system within which is a dedicated section on freshwater fish management issues.

Conservation Actions:

The healthiest and most secure population is mostly within the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve. Remaining populations are on privately owned land. The species is listed as endangered by the provincial Nature Conservation Ordinance, preventing capture of the species. The most important rivers for this species have been identified as priority freshwater environments for fish conservation (Impson et al. 1999). A State of River report has been written to the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in 2006 for the Olifants-Doring River system within which is a dedicated section on freshwater fish management issues.

Citation:	Impson, D. & Swartz, E. 2007. Labeo seeberi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 February 2012.
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