Barbus johnstonii

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 johnstonii
Species Authority:	Boulenger, 1907
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this paper the term ‘Barbus’ for the cyprinid fish species which were previously considered as Barbus (Seegers et al., unpublished).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2006
Assessor/s:	Vreven, E., Kasembe, J., Magombo, Z. & Kaunda, E.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme)
Justification: Widespread distribution throughout Lake Malawi and associated rivers. No major widespread threats identified.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Endemic to Lake Malawi and large affluent rivers (where in some areas it occurs even in headwater reaches). Also known to occur in Shire river and its tributaries (Tweddle and Willoughby 1979).
Countries:	Native: Malawi; Mozambique; Tanzania, United Republic of
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Unknown.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Occurs in all habitat types, usually found in small groups (Konings 1990). Omnivorous species. Predatory when adult, taking small fish. Migratory swimming up rivers to spawn during the rainy season (Eccles 1992) (it can stay in the river for several weeks into the dry season while breeding). Barbus johnstonii attains at least 32 cm SL and may weight in excess of 4.5 kg (10 pounds) ( up to 4 kg; see Tweddle and Willoughby 1979).
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Occurs in all habitat types, usually found in small groups (Konings 1990). Omnivorous species. Predatory when adult, taking small fish. Migratory swimming up rivers to spawn during the rainy season (Eccles 1992) (it can stay in the river for several weeks into the dry season while breeding). Barbus johnstonii attains at least 32 cm SL and may weight in excess of 4.5 kg (10 pounds) ( up to 4 kg; see Tweddle and Willoughby 1979).

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Over-fishing of adults causes extremely high mortalities during spawning runs. Fish poisoning is widely practised although illegal. Suspected to be decreasing due to Over-fishing. Fisheries commercial Froese and Pauly 2003). Also collection for the commercial aquarium trade (Froese and Pauly 2003).

Major Threat(s):

Over-fishing of adults causes extremely high mortalities during spawning runs. Fish poisoning is widely practised although illegal. Suspected to be decreasing due to Over-fishing. Fisheries commercial Froese and Pauly 2003). Also collection for the commercial aquarium trade (Froese and Pauly 2003).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Unknown.

Conservation Actions:

Unknown.

Citation:	Vreven, E., Kasembe, J., Magombo, Z. & Kaunda, E. 2006. Barbus johnstonii. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 February 2012.
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