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Barbus meridionalis Risso, 1827

Mediterranean barbel
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Barbus meridionalis
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France country information

Common names: Barbeau méridional, Barbeau truité, Barbel
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: scarce (very unlikely) | Ref: Keith, P., J. Allardi and B. Moutou, 1992
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Occurs in the tributaries of the Rhône (left river) towards the Massif Central and in coastal rivers of the Mediterranean towards the eastern Pyrénées (Ref. 30578). In southern France, locally forms partly fertile hybrids with B. barbus (Ref. 59043). Under threat because of hydraulic plannings and water intakes. Its biotope has to be protected ("arrêté du 8-12-1988"). Registered in "Annexes II et V de la Directive Habitats-Faune-Flore" and in "Annexe III de la Convention de Berne". Also Ref. 31730. Status of threat: Rare (Ref. 74334).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Keith, P. and J. Allardi (coords.), 2001
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Cypriniformes (Carps) > Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Barbinae
Etymology: Barbus: Latin, barbus = barbel (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Risso.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic.   Temperate; 5°C - 25°C (Ref. 12468); 53°N - 36°N, 10°W - 29°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Europe: rivers draining to Mediterranean from Besos (near Barcelona, northeastern Spain) to Var (at Nice, southeastern France) drainages, including Rhône as far uprivers as Lyon; some headwaters of Garonne basin in Ariège, Tarn and Aveyron (France), apparently native in most, but introduced in at least some upper Tarn localities (Ref. 59043). Barbus meridionalis graellsii found in southern France and central and northern Spain (now recognized as species (Ref. 13696)). The Italian populations now recognized as Barbus caninus (Ref. 13696).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 27.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 27718); 25.3 cm FL (female); common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 556); max. published weight: 200.00 g (Ref. 30578)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 5 - 6; Vertebrae: 34 - 35. Diagnosed from other species of Barbus and Luciobarbus in Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas and southern France by the following characters: 44-48 +2 scales on lateral line; 24-28 scale rows around caudal peduncle; head, back, sides and fins with large, irregular black dots; last simple dorsal ray not spinous, flexible, not serrated posteriorly; lower lip thick, with a median swollen pad (Ref. 59043). Caudal fin with 16-19 rays (Ref. 2196).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits upper and middle stretches of streams with fast, clear and well oxygenated water, as well as lowland areas where Barbus barbus is absent (Ref. 59043). A short-lived species which is found in clear waters over sand and gravel. Feeds on small invertebrates and (rarely) plants. A combative fish which can be captured with bows or floating ling lines (Ref. 30578). Threatened due to water abstraction and pollution (Ref. 26100) and habitat modification (Ref. 59043). In southern France, locally forms partly fertile hybrids with B. barbus. Attains a maximum size of about 27 cm SL (Ref. 59043).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Kottelat, M. and J. Freyhof, 2007. Handbook of European freshwater fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol and Freyhof, Berlin. 646 pp. (Ref. 59043)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Near Threatened (NT) ; Date assessed: 31 January 2006

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes
FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
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Predators
Ecology
Ecology
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Population dynamics
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Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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Maturities
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Egg(s)
Egg developments
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Larval dynamics
Anatomy
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Brains
Otoliths
Physiology
Body compositions
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Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
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Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01175 (0.00735 - 0.01879), b=2.98 (2.85 - 3.11), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  2.9   ±0.36 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14; Fec=669).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate to high vulnerability (51 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.