Barbus paludinosus

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:

Barbus paludinosus

Species Authority:

Peters, 1852

Common Name/s:

English

–

Straightfin Barb, Straightfin barb (FB)

Synonym/s:

Barbus akakianus Boulenger, 1911

Barbus amphigramma Boulenger, 1903

Barbus gibbosus Peters, 1852

Barbus helleri Hubbs, 1918

Barbus ivongoensis Fowler, 1934

Barbus longicauda Boulenger, 1905

Barbus macropristis Boulenger, 1904

Barbus macropristis meruensis Lönnberg, 1907

Barbus meruensis Lönnberg, 1907

Barbus paludinosis Peters, 1852

Barbus paludonosus Peters, 1852

Barbus taitensis Günther, 1894

Barbus thikensis Boulenger, 1905

Barbus tsotsorogensis Fowler, 1935

Barbus vinciguerrai Pfeffer, 1896

Barbus welwitschii Günther, 1868

Puntius paludinosus (Peters, 1852)

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 which 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 assessment the term ‘Barbus’ for the cyprinid fish species which were previously considered as Barbus (Seegers et al., unpublished).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2010

Assessor/s:

Bills, R., Cambray, J., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B., Ntakimazi, G., Tweddle, D. & Twongo, T.

Reviewer/s:

Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A & Brooks, E.

Justification:
This species has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore listed as Least Concern. It has also been assessed regionally as Least Concern for central, eastern and southern Africa. Due to limited distribution information, it has been assessed as Data Deficient in northeast Africa.

History:

2006

–

Least Concern (IUCN 2006)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The distribution of Barbus paludinosus ranges from Ethiopia in the north, through East and Central Africa, extending westwards into Angola and reaching the southern-most limits of its distribution in Natal. Central Africa: It is found in the headwaters of the Lualaba and Sankuru Rivers in DRC. Eastern Africa: This species is found in the Lake Victoria basin, Athi and Tana River systems, northern and southern Ewaso Nyiro basins, This species is known from upper Pangani system, Amboseli swamps, Lake Naivasha and affluents (Seegers et al. 2003). Also reported from the affluent streams and rivers to Lake Tanganyika, including the Malagarasi River, and the Middle Akagera system. Widespread in Lake Malawi and its affluents, the Shire River and Lakes Chiuta and Chilwa. Northeast Africa: This species occurs in the Awash basin and rift lakes, Ethiopia Southern Africa: Widespread in east coastal rivers from East Africa south to KwaZulu-Natal and from southern Congo tributaries and the Quanza in Angola to the Orange (Skelton 2001).
Countries:	Native: Angola; Botswana; Burundi; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Ethiopia; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga); Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	The species is abundant and widespread.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Barbus paludinosus is a benthopelagic species. It occupies a wide range of habitats, including large rivers, both vegetated and rocky, lagoons both connected to and isolated from main river channels, and small and large streams (Tweddle et al. 2004), and impoundments both large and small. The species does not occur in the more densely-vegetated swamps, preferring larger open pools and pools with relatively high plant diversity. Barbus paludinosus feeds on a wide variety of small organisms including insects, small snails and crustaceans, algae, diatoms, and detritus. It is preyed upon by the sharptooth catfish, tigerfish, largemouth breams (Serranochromis species) and birds. Barbus paludinosus spawns amongst vegetation during summer (Skelton 1993). Spawning takes place up the influent rivers during the rainy season (January-February). Migration appears to correspond to periods of heavy rainfall or flushing. They are multiple spawners laying from 250 to 2,500 eggs.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Barbus paludinosus is a benthopelagic species. It occupies a wide range of habitats, including large rivers, both vegetated and rocky, lagoons both connected to and isolated from main river channels, and small and large streams (Tweddle et al. 2004), and impoundments both large and small. The species does not occur in the more densely-vegetated swamps, preferring larger open pools and pools with relatively high plant diversity. Barbus paludinosus feeds on a wide variety of small organisms including insects, small snails and crustaceans, algae, diatoms, and detritus. It is preyed upon by the sharptooth catfish, tigerfish, largemouth breams (Serranochromis species) and birds. Barbus paludinosus spawns amongst vegetation during summer (Skelton 1993). Spawning takes place up the influent rivers during the rainy season (January-February). Migration appears to correspond to periods of heavy rainfall or flushing. They are multiple spawners laying from 250 to 2,500 eggs.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Barbus paludinosus is commercially used for food. In eastern Africa it is also threatened by fishing across rivers and in lakes using under-sized nets and illegal fishing methods, siltation of the spawning substrate and pollution.

Major Threat(s):

Barbus paludinosus is commercially used for food. In eastern Africa it is also threatened by fishing across rivers and in lakes using under-sized nets and illegal fishing methods, siltation of the spawning substrate and pollution.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species is protected in several reserves over its wide distribution range. More research is required into this species taxonomy, biology and ecology, and population trends.

Conservation Actions:

The species is protected in several reserves over its wide distribution range. More research is required into this species taxonomy, biology and ecology, and population trends.

Citation:	Bills, R., Cambray, J., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B., Ntakimazi, G., Tweddle, D. & Twongo, T. 2010. Barbus paludinosus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 February 2012.
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