Barbus plebejus Bonaparte, 1839
photo by Caramori, G.

Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Barbinae
Max. size:  70 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 6,000.0 g
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater, potamodromous
Distribution:  Europe: Adriatic basin from Tronto to Krka drainages(Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia). Introduced to Tyrrhenian slope of central Italy.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-8. Diagnosed from its congeners in Apennine Peninsula and Adriatic Sea basin by the following characters: lateral line with 58-77 + 3-4 scales; back plain and sides finely dotted in individuals larger than 15 cm SL: paired fins tinged with grey but without conspicuous spots; peritoneum white; last simple dorsal ray feebly spinous, flexible, finely serrated posteriorly; and lower lip with a median lobe (Ref. 59043).
Biology:  A long-lived species which inhabits running waters of the hill and lowland zones of rivers (Ref. 26100). Also occurs in lakes. Feeds on benthic invertebrates, small fish and algae (Ref. 59043). Threatened by overfishing (Ref. 26100).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 March 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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