Barbus barbus
Encyclopedia
Barbus barbus is a species of freshwater fish
in the Cyprinidae family of minnows and carps. It shares the common name "barbel" with its many relatives in the genus Barbus
and is properly known as the Common Barbel.
B. barbus is native throughout Europe
and China
and has become established as an introduced species
in Morocco
and Italy
.
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The fish is ideally suited to fast flowing waters, adult size is up to 1.2 m (4 ft) in length and 12 kg (26 lb) in weight, although it is typically found smaller (50–100 cm length, weight 1–3 kg). It is slightly laterally compressed, lacks an adipose fin, has a dark brown or grey mottled appearance, the underside is light coloured, and the fins have a reddish tinge.
B. barbus is benthopelagic, meaning they are found at the bottom of rivers as well as in open water. They are typically found feeding in deeper areas of rivers with a rocky or gravel bottom. Feeding is on benthic organisms, including crustacean
s, insect
larva
e and mollusks.
Males become mature after three to four years, females after five to eight years, spawning occurs after upriver migration during May, June and July and 8,000 to 12,000 eggs are produced per kilogram of bodyweight. The eggs are poisonous.
The name derives from "barb" giving rise to both the Scientific and Common names, B. barbus has of course, excellent examples of barbels
. In English folklore the barbel was once called the pigfish.
, Hampshire Avon, the Kennet
, the Great Ouse, and more recently the River Wye
, Severn, Wensum and the Teme
, where the barbel was not native but has thrived after its introduction.
Such is the popularity of the barbel that angling societies exist which specifically promote the pursuit and conservation of the species.
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the Cyprinidae family of minnows and carps. It shares the common name "barbel" with its many relatives in the genus Barbus
Barbus
Barbus is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. The type species of Barbus is the Common Barbel, first described as Cyprinus barbus and now named Barbus barbus...
and is properly known as the Common Barbel.
B. barbus is native throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and has become established as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
B. barbus is benthopelagic, meaning they are found at the bottom of rivers as well as in open water. They are typically found feeding in deeper areas of rivers with a rocky or gravel bottom. Feeding is on benthic organisms, including crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s, insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e and mollusks.
Males become mature after three to four years, females after five to eight years, spawning occurs after upriver migration during May, June and July and 8,000 to 12,000 eggs are produced per kilogram of bodyweight. The eggs are poisonous.
The name derives from "barb" giving rise to both the Scientific and Common names, B. barbus has of course, excellent examples of barbels
Barbel (anatomy)
A barbel on a fish is a slender, whiskerlike tactile organ near the mouth. Fish that have barbels include the catfish, the carp, the goatfish, sturgeon, the zebrafish and some species of shark...
. In English folklore the barbel was once called the pigfish.
The barbel in the UK
B. barbus plays a minor role in commercial aquaculture, however they are a very popular sport fish. In the UK it reaches a size of up to 21 pounds, with anything of more than 10 pounds considered to be of specimen size. Famous barbel rivers include the River TrentRiver Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, Hampshire Avon, the Kennet
River Kennet
The Kennet is a river in the south of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. The lower reaches of the river are navigable to river craft and are known as the Kennet Navigation, which, together with the Avon Navigation, the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Thames, links the cities of Bristol...
, the Great Ouse, and more recently the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
, Severn, Wensum and the Teme
Teme
Teme may refer to:In geography:* River Teme, located in Wales* Teme River, located in New ZealandIn philosophy:* Teme , a term coined by author Susan Blackmore meaning technological meme.Other:...
, where the barbel was not native but has thrived after its introduction.
Such is the popularity of the barbel that angling societies exist which specifically promote the pursuit and conservation of the species.