Opsaridium zambezense

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:

Opsaridium zambezense

Species Authority:

(Peters, 1852)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Barred Minnow, Dwarf Sanjika

Synonym/s:

Barilius neavii Boulenger, 1907

Barilius stephensoni Gilchrist & Thompson, 1913

Barilius stevensoni Gilchrist & Thompson, 1913

Barilius zambesensis (Peters, 1852)

Barilius zambezensis (Peters, 1852)

Leuciscus zambezensis Peters, 1852

Opsaridium peringueyi (non Gilchrist & Thompson, 1913)

Opsaridium zambesensis (Peters, 1852)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Bills, R., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B., Moelants, T., Tweddle, D. & Vreven, E.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A & Brooks, E.
Justification: This species is widespread with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern. It is also assessed regionally as Least Concern for central and southern Africa. In eastern Africa, it is only known from the lower Shire River and is assessed as Vulnerable.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Opsaridium zambezense is known from Democratic Republic of Congo, south to Namibia and Zimbabwe. Central Africa: It occurs in southern tributaries of the Congo River basin. Eastern Africa: It is present in the Lower Shire River, Malawi. Southern Africa: This species is found in the Okavango and Zambezi River system, south to the Pungwe and Buzi Rivers (Skelton 2001). Also from Zambian Congo. Although reported to be absent from the Kafue system, Tweddle et al. (2004) caught it in the Mwekera tributary.
Countries:	Native: Angola; Botswana; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Generally common in suitable habitats. In Zimbabwe, however, this species has declined in some areas because of dam building (notably in Lake Kariba but other reservoirs as well) and also pollution and alien predators such as Micropterus spp. (Marshall and Gratwicke 2001). Its distribution on the central plateau of Zimbabwe is therefore rather fragmented but it is still abundant in suitable habitat.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

Generally common in suitable habitats. In Zimbabwe, however, this species has declined in some areas because of dam building (notably in Lake Kariba but other reservoirs as well) and also pollution and alien predators such as Micropterus spp. (Marshall and Gratwicke 2001). Its distribution on the central plateau of Zimbabwe is therefore rather fragmented but it is still abundant in suitable habitat.

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Opsaridium zambezense is a benthopelagic and predatory species. It prefers clear, flowing waters of larger perennial rivers, frequenting pools below rocky rapids (Lévêque and Daget 1984). It is also found in quiet water with aquatic cover. Opsaridium zambezense lives in shoals, usually in shallow water over sandy bottoms. It feeds on aquatic larvae and insects, shrimps and small crustaceans (Bell-Cross and Minshull 1988). Opsaridium zambezense breeds in the summer (Skelton 1993).
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Opsaridium zambezense is a benthopelagic and predatory species. It prefers clear, flowing waters of larger perennial rivers, frequenting pools below rocky rapids (Lévêque and Daget 1984). It is also found in quiet water with aquatic cover. Opsaridium zambezense lives in shoals, usually in shallow water over sandy bottoms. It feeds on aquatic larvae and insects, shrimps and small crustaceans (Bell-Cross and Minshull 1988). Opsaridium zambezense breeds in the summer (Skelton 1993).

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	In east Africa this species is threatened by subsistence fishing, and sedimentation of spawning beds. In southern Africa there are localised problems due to dam building, pollution, alien predators, but overall the species populations are not heavily threatened.

Major Threat(s):

In east Africa this species is threatened by subsistence fishing, and sedimentation of spawning beds. In southern Africa there are localised problems due to dam building, pollution, alien predators, but overall the species populations are not heavily threatened.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species has little protection. River health programmes and the control of alien fish stocking are needed. More research is needed into this species population numbers and range, biology and ecology, habitat status and threats, as well as monitoring and potential conservation measures.

Conservation Actions:

The species has little protection. River health programmes and the control of alien fish stocking are needed. More research is needed into this species population numbers and range, biology and ecology, habitat status and threats, as well as monitoring and potential conservation measures.

Citation:	Bills, R., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B., Moelants, T., Tweddle, D. & Vreven, E. 2010. Opsaridium zambezense. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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