barbel

Barbus barbus

The type species anchoring the genus Barbus

Temperate
Regional distribution
Freshwater fish
Atlantic Ocean
East Asia
Europe
Fusiform
Large
Temperate fish

The common barbel (Barbus barbus) is a species of freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. It shares the common name 'barbel' with its many relatives in the genus Barbus, of which it is the type species. In Great Britain it is usually referred to simply as the barbel; similar names are used elsewhere in Europe, such as barbeau in France and flodbarb in Sweden.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Minnows, Carps, and Loaches
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Barbus
Maximum length: 120 cm
Water: Freshwater
Body shape: fusiform
Distribution: Europe: North of the Pyrénées and Alps, from Adour (France) eastward to Neman (Lithuania, Russia) drainages, in rivers draining to Atlantic, North sea and southern Baltic Sea; Danube to Dniepr drainages in northern Black Sea basin; southeastern England north to Yorkshire. Found almost throughout Mediterranean drainages of France. Locally introduced in northern and central Italy, rivers Wear, Tees and Medway and most western drainages of England.
Conservation status: LCLeast Concern

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