Barbus toppini

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 toppini

Species Authority:

Boulenger, 1916

Common Name/s:

English

–

East Coast Barb

Taxonomic Notes:

The status of the northern Ewaso Nyiro population is uncertain (Seegers et al., unpublished).
As presently recognised, it is a widespread species. There is geographical variation and it is perhaps a species complex. Taxonomic study is needed.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2010

Assessor/s:

Bills, R., Cambray, J., Engelbrecht, J., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B. & Vreven, E.

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. There are some threats from poisoning but these are localised, and it has also been assessed regionally as Least Concern for eastern and southern Africa.

History:

2006

–

Least Concern (IUCN 2006)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is found in low-veld rivers of the east Africa coast from Kenya to South Africa. Eastern Africa: Lower Tana and Sabaki drainages, Northern Ewaso Nyiro (Seegers et al. 2003), Lakes Chiuta and Chilwa and the Lower Shire River in Malawi. Also in Ruaha, Tanzania (Skelton 1993). Southern Africa: This species is found from Mozambique to the Mkuze River in South Africa.
Countries:	Native: Botswana; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga); Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	It is common in quiet streams (Tweddle 1983). Otherwise rare (Bell-Cross 1976).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is usually found in vegetated, non- or slow flowing sections of rivers and river margins. Also found in marginal lagoons, isolated pans in floodplains. It feeds on small aquatic organisms, and food consists of diatoms, algae and invertebrates (Polling et al. 1992). It breeds in summer, possibly migrating to spawning sites (Skelton 1993).
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Fisheries pose a possible future threat, although reported to be of no importance in Lake Chiuta (Tweddle 1983). Marginal pools in the Niassa Reserve, Mozambique are routinely poisoned by local fishermen. These pools act as innocula for the main river system and are critical habitats for many species not suited to open water of main river channels.

Major Threat(s):

Fisheries pose a possible future threat, although reported to be of no importance in Lake Chiuta (Tweddle 1983). Marginal pools in the Niassa Reserve, Mozambique are routinely poisoned by local fishermen. These pools act as innocula for the main river system and are critical habitats for many species not suited to open water of main river channels.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation of critical marginal lagoons by environmental education and law enforcement is needed.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation of critical marginal lagoons by environmental education and law enforcement is needed.

Citation:	Bills, R., Cambray, J., Engelbrecht, J., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B. & Vreven, E. 2010. Barbus toppini. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 February 2012.
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