Aral barbel (Luciobarbus brachycephalus)

Scientific name: Luciobarbus brachycephalus Kessler, 1872

Aral barbel (Luciobarbus brachycephalus)

The Aral barbel (Luciobarbus brachycephalus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae.

Biology

Found in rivers, reservoirs, lakes and canals. Occurs in the sea at depths of up to 25 m and in rivers in deep stretches with gravel or stone bottom. In freshened parts of sea, preys mainly on benthic crustaceans. Does not feed while migrating upstream and starts to feed again at the spawning sites mainly on insects, juveniles of other fishes, rarely on algae, seeds and other plant material. Spawns in fast-flowing water at areas with hard bottom and depths of 1-2 m.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Luciobarbus brachycephalus
Family
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order
Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
90.0
Common length
62
Environment
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; potamodromous
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Europe and Asia: Southern and western Caspian Sea; Aral basin; River Chun (Kasakhstan). For spawning, migrates up to larger tributaries of western and southern coasts: Terek, Samur, Kura, lower Aras. Rarely in lower Volga (up to Volgograd) and Ural.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Vulnerable (VU) (A2cd)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.12)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated