Italian barbel

Italian barbel
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Barbus plebejus
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Barbus
Species:	B. plebejus
Binomial name
Barbus plebejus Bonaparte, 1839
File:Areale Barbus Plebejus.png

The Italian barbel (Barbus plebejus) is a species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family, nearly related to the common barbel Barbus barbus.

Description

Barbus plebejus can reach a maximum length of 70 cm in males and a maximum weight of 6 kilograms. Usually, it is much smaller. It has a long and slender body, with a mouth equipped with characteristic four barbels (hence the common and genus names). It has greenish back with black dots, sides finely dotted, whitish belly, paired fins tinged with grey and a slightly thorny dorsal ray. Lower lip has a median lobe.

Distribution

The species is found in Croatia, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Habitat

Like the common barbel, these long-lived fishes have their natural habitats in running waters of rivers and rarely freshwater lakes. They inhabit the water just above the bottom (benthopelagic), feeding on benthic invertebrates, small fish and algae. They also migrate within freshwater (potamodromous), for spawning purposes. It is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN.

References

• Helfman, G., B. Collette i D. Facey: The diversity of fishes. Blackwell Science, Malden, Massachusetts, USA, 1997.
• Moyle, P. i J. Cech.: Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology, 4th ed., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey (USA): Prentice-Hall. Any 2000.
• Nelson, J.: Fishes of the World, 3rd. Ed. New York (USA): John Wiley and Sons. Any 1994.
• Wheeler, A.: The World Encyclopedia of Fishes, 2nd ed., London: Macdonald. Any 1985.

External links

• Crivelli, A.J. 2005. Barbus plebejus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 19 July 2007.
• Fishbase