Labeo capensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	CYPRINIFORMES	CYPRINIDAE

Scientific Name:

Labeo capensis

Species Authority:

(Smith, 1841)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Orange River Mudfish

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2007
Assessor/s	Swartz, E. & Impson, D.
Evaluator/s:	Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Unit)
Justification: Although habitat is continuing to decline in the Vaal catchment, mainly because of pollution and sewage spills from the Gauteng cities, this species is widespread across the Orange River system and it occurs and many catchments where there are relatively few threats.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Natural range is the Orange River system (Skelton 2001). It has been introduced into the Great Fish River system through the Orange-Fish tunnel and there may be other areas where this species have become established because of inter-basin transfer schemes.
Countries:	Native: Lesotho; Namibia; South Africa (Eastern Cape Province - Reintroduced, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal - Presence Uncertain, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape Province, North-West Province)

Population [top]

Population:	No information is available on population trends.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Prefers running water of large rivers, but also occurs in large impoundments. Breeds in summer over shallow rocky rapids where they aggregate in large numbers (Skelton 2001).
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Pollution from major industrial centers such as Gauteng Province in South Africa is probably the biggest threat. Especially sewage overflow has caused major fish kills in the Vaal River in recent years.

Major Threat(s):

Pollution from major industrial centers such as Gauteng Province in South Africa is probably the biggest threat. Especially sewage overflow has caused major fish kills in the Vaal River in recent years.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Pollution from industrial centers and especially sewage overflow needs to be addressed through the South African river health program.

Conservation Actions:

Pollution from industrial centers and especially sewage overflow needs to be addressed through the South African river health program.

Citation:	Swartz, E. & Impson, D. 2007. Labeo capensis. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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