| Labeobarbus intermedius | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Subfamily: | Torinae |
| Genus: | Labeobarbus |
| Species: | L. intermedius |
| Binomial name | |
| Labeobarbus intermedius (Rüppell, 1835) | |
| Synonyms | |
Many, seetext | |
Labeobarbus intermedius is anEast Africanray-finned fishspecies in thefamilyCyprinidae. Like the closely relatedyellowfish, it ishexaploid. A large species, the maximum recordedstandard length is nearly 50 cm (20 in).[1][2] This species has a subspecies namedLabeobarbus intermedius intermedius.
The year of its first description – asBarbus intermedius – was for some time erroneously reported as 1837.L. intermedius was still placed by most modern authors in the "wastebin genus"Barbus by default, and theIUCN still does so until a thoroughtaxonomic revision of theAfrican "barbs" is published. However, the species is increasingly being restored to the relatedyellowfishgenusLabeobarbus, which seems a much more appropriate placement. It is a close relative ofLabeobarbus bynni, another African "barb".[1][2]
Nosubspecies are recognized at present. The population from theBarino Riverbasin invalidly described asL. i. australis is identical to the earlier-namedgregorii, but probably not sufficiently distinct from itsconspecifics to consider it a separatetaxon. The same holds true for the supposed subspeciesleptosoma andmicrostoma. Importantjunior synonyms of this species are:[1]
Its close relativesL. brevicauda,L. gorgorensis andL. johnstonii (under the namelatirostris), and even the rather distinctBarbus eurystomus, were for some time placed in"B." intermedius as subspecies too. But are considered distinct species today.B. procatopus is sometimes believed to refer to the present species, but it is actually ajunior synonym of theripon barbel (B. altianalis).[1]
Thisfreshwater fish is found inKenya,Tanzania,Uganda and southernEthiopia.[2] Its naturalhabitats are theKerio,Suguta,Turkwel and northernEwaso Ng'iro Rivers and theirtributaries, as well asLake Baringo,Bogoria andTurkana and their associated rivers. The records from theTana River region are based on mislabelled specimens, while the supposed records from theMara River andLake Victoria appear to be based on misidentifications of the Ripon Barbel.[1]
Little is known about itspopulation andecology, but given its wide range and lack of readily apparent threats, it is not considered athreatened species by theIUCN.[1]
