| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANIMALIA | CHORDATA | ACTINOPTERYGII | CYPRINIFORMES | CYPRINIDAE |
| Scientific Name: | Barbus atkinsoni | |||
| Species Authority: | Bailey, 1969 | |||
Common Name/s:
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| Taxonomic Notes: | The genus Barbus (Cyprinidae) is restricted to a small number of species mainly inhabiting the European ichthyographic region including Northeast Africa. Most of the African species that are currently included in the genus, taxonomically do not appear to be closely related to the genus Barbus sensu strictu. However, no attempts have yet been made at an adequate nomenclature of the African forms. We therefore follow Berrebi et al. (1996) and use in this paper the term ‘Barbus’ for the cyprinid fish species which were previously considered as Barbus (Seegers et al., unpublished). | |||
| Red List Category & Criteria: | Least Concern ver 3.1 |
| Year Assessed: | 2006 |
| Assessor/s | Vreven, E. |
| Evaluator/s: | Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme) |
|
Justification: Widespread, very common in the Lake Malawi affluent streams (Tweddle 1983). No data about population abundance. No widespread major threats. |
|
| Range Description: | It occurs in the streams around Lake Malawi but does not occur in the lake itself. Also occurs in the Middle Shire River as well as Lakes Chiuta and streams of Lake Chilwa (Skelton, 1994). Also found in the Rufiji system and Ruaha tributary (Lévêque and Daget 1984). |
| Countries: |
Native:
Malawi; Tanzania, United Republic of
|
| Population: | Unknown but very common in the Lake Malawi affluent streams (Tweddle 1983). |
| Population Trend: |
Unknown
|
| Habitat and Ecology: | This is a small species, not exceeding 5 cm in length. It occurs in sheltered weedy areas of streams and pools on the lakeshore plain. In Lake Chiuta it prefers weedy sheltered areas bordering fast flowing clear well oxygenated waters. This species is known especially in the northern streams of the lake (not recorded south of Linthipe river in Lake Malawi catchment). |
| Systems: | Freshwater |
| Major Threat(s): | Sedimentation that is taking place in many streams in Malawi, which may negatively affect this species. Over-fishing (using small meshed seines in shallow waters). |
| Conservation Actions: | Unknown. |
| Citation: | Vreven, E. 2006. Barbus atkinsoni. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010. |
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