Barbus mariae

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 mariae

Species Authority:

Holly, 1929

Common Name/s:

English

–

Rhinofish

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this paper the term ‘Barbus’ for the cyprinid fish species which were previously considered as Barbus (Seegers et al., unpublished).Specific status uncertain (Seegers et al., unpublished). According to Banister (1973) Barbus matris Holly, 1928 described form the Athi River is prbably a senior synonym of B. mariae. Possibly both nominal species are junior synonyms of B. oxyrhynchus Pfeffer, 1889, Copley (1938) recorded this species under the name B. rhinoceros, a nomen nudum (see Seegers et al., unpublished).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Data Deficient 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: Restricted distribution. No data on population abundance and fisheries records are lacking. Declines are likely due to overexploitation during the spawning migrations. An assessment of population levels and catch rates is required.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Athi and Tana River systems (upper courses) (see Seegers et al. unpub.).
Countries:	Native: Kenya
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Unknown.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Found all over the river but prefers to congregate, especially the big ones, in large pools below waterfalls or rapids (Copley 1958). There is a very distinct up-river spawning migration as soon as the first floods come down river. They move downstream after spawning, in about July, a fact very well known to native fisherman who set the mouths of their basket traps in the fish weirs accordingly (Copley 1958). Max. size: 34.2 cm SL (after Froese and Pauly 2003).
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Found all over the river but prefers to congregate, especially the big ones, in large pools below waterfalls or rapids (Copley 1958). There is a very distinct up-river spawning migration as soon as the first floods come down river. They move downstream after spawning, in about July, a fact very well known to native fisherman who set the mouths of their basket traps in the fish weirs accordingly (Copley 1958). Max. size: 34.2 cm SL (after Froese and Pauly 2003).

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Gamefish (after Froese and Pauly 2003). Fishing during migration.

Major Threat(s):

Gamefish (after Froese and Pauly 2003). Fishing during migration.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Unknown.

Conservation Actions:

Unknown.

Citation:	Vreven, E. 2006. Barbus mariae. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012.
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