Barbus oxyrhynchus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	CYPRINIFORMES	CYPRINIDAE

Scientific Name:

Barbus oxyrhynchus

Species Authority:

Pfeffer, 1889

Common Name/s:

English

–

Pangani Barb

Taxonomic Notes:

The genus Barbus (Cyprinidae) is restricted to a small number of species mainly inhabiting the European ichthyographic region including Northeast Africa. Most of the African species that are currently included in the genus, taxonomically do not appear to be closely related to the genus Barbus sensu strictu. However, no attempts have yet been made at an adequate nomenclature of the African forms. We therefore follow Berrebi et al. (1996) and use in this paper the term ‘Barbus’ for the cyprinid fish species which were previously considered as Barbus (Seegers et al., unpublished).The taxonomic status of various Kenyan populations is not yet fully settled (Seegers et al,, unpublished). Recorded under various synonymous names: Barbus tanensis Günther, 1894, B. hindii Boulenger, 1902, B. perplexicans Boulenger, 1902, B. labiatus Boulenger, 1902, B. krapfi Boulenger, 1911, B. mathoiae Boulenger, 1911, B. ahlselli Lönnberg, 1911, B. athi Hubbs, 1918, B. babaulti Pellegrin, 1926, B. nairobi Holly, 1928 and B. donyensis Holly, 1929 (see Seegers et al., unpublished).Barbus coplae (a nomen nudum) reported from the Athir River by Copley (1941) most likely refers to B. oxyrhynchus (Seegers et al., unpublished).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2006
Assessor/s:	Vreven, E.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme)
Justification: A common species (see Copley 1952). Occurs in several major river basins in Kenya and Tanzania. No major widespread threats identified

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Upper Pangani drainage, Athi and Tana River systems (Upper and middle courses) and the northern Ewaso Nyiro (Seegers et al. unpub.). A record by Copley (1941) of B. gregorii (non Boulenger) from the Tana River is a misidentification for 'B.' oxyrhynchus (Seegers et al. unpub.).
Countries:	Native: Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The most abundant species of large Barbus within both rivers (Copley 1952).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Can be found in any part of the river, but moves upstream in April to the fast-running waters to spawn. The eggs are large and are deposited in and about stony gravel where they lodge in the crevices between the stones. After spawning the fish keep in the fast water to clean themselves and then moving downstream spread all over the river (Copley 1958). The limit of upward movement in the river is 5,000 feet where the cooler water temperature acts as a deterrent (Copley 1958). It is found in shoals in the big pools and runs (Copley 1952). It is onmivorous. Max. size: 40.0 cm SL (after Froese and Pauly 2003).
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Can be found in any part of the river, but moves upstream in April to the fast-running waters to spawn. The eggs are large and are deposited in and about stony gravel where they lodge in the crevices between the stones. After spawning the fish keep in the fast water to clean themselves and then moving downstream spread all over the river (Copley 1958). The limit of upward movement in the river is 5,000 feet where the cooler water temperature acts as a deterrent (Copley 1958). It is found in shoals in the big pools and runs (Copley 1952). It is onmivorous. Max. size: 40.0 cm SL (after Froese and Pauly 2003).

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Commercial fisheries (after Froese and Pauly 2003).

Major Threat(s):

Commercial fisheries (after Froese and Pauly 2003).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Unknown.

Conservation Actions:

Unknown.

Bibliography [top]

	Copley, H. 1941. A short account to the freshwater fishes of Kenya. Journal of the East African Natural History Society 16(1): 1–24 Copley, H. 1952. The Game Fishes of Africa. Witherby, London, United Kingdom. Copley, H. 1958. Common Freshwater Fishes of East Africa. Witherby, London, United Kingdom. Eccles, D.H. 1992. FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the freshwater fishes of Tanzania. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (eds). 2003. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. Search
Citation:	Vreven, E. 2006. Barbus oxyrhynchus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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