| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANIMALIA | CHORDATA | ACTINOPTERYGII | CYPRINIFORMES | CYPRINIDAE |
| Scientific Name: | Barbus atkinsoni | |||
| Species Authority: | Bailey, 1969 | |||
Common Name/s:
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| 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 paper the term ‘Barbus’ for the cyprinid fish species which were previously considered as Barbus (Seegers et al. 2003). | |||
| Red List Category & Criteria: | Least Concern ver 3.1 | |||
| Year Published: | 2010 | |||
| Assessor/s: | Bills, R., Vreven, E. & Tweddle, D. | |||
| Reviewer/s: | Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A & Brooks, E. | |||
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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 east and southern Africa, as it is very common in the Lake Malawi affluent streams (Tweddle 1983), with no widespread major threats. |
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| History: |
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| Range Description: |
Barbus atkinsonii is found in a region encompassing parts of Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi Eastern Africa: It occurs in the streams around Lake Malawi but does not occur in the lake itself. Also occurs in the Middle Shire River as well as Lakes Chiuta and streams of Lake Chilwa (Skelton 1994). Also found in the Rufiji system and Ruaha tributary (Lévêque and Daget, 1984). Southern Africa:This species is found in the Rovuma system (R. Bills, unpublished), including Lakes Chiuta and Chilwa on the Mozambique/Malawi border (Tweddle 1979, 1983), also lower reaches of Lake Malawi inflowing streams and the outflowing Shire River (Tweddle et al. 1979). In the Lower Zambezi system, recorded in tributaries of the Lower Shire tributary in Malawi (Tweddle unpublished). |
| Countries: |
Native:
Malawi; Mozambique; Tanzania, United Republic of
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| Range Map: | Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
| Population: | Population information is unknown but the species is very common in the Lake Malawi affluent streams (Tweddle 1983). |
| Population Trend: |
Unknown
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| Habitat and Ecology: | This is a small species, not exceeding 5 cm in length. It occurs in sheltered weedy areas of streams and pools on the lakeshore plain. In Lake Chiuta it prefers weedy sheltered areas bordering fast flowing clear well oxygenated waters. This species is known especially in the northern streams of the lake (not recorded south of Linthipe river in Lake Malawi catchment). |
| Systems: | Freshwater |
| Major Threat(s): | Sedimentation that is taking place in many streams in Malawi which may negatively affect this species. Overfishing (using small meshed seines in shallow waters) may also pose a threat. |
| Conservation Actions: | The species has some protection in terrestrial reserves. |
| Citation: | Bills, R., Vreven, E. & Tweddle, D. 2010. Barbus atkinsoni. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012. |
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