Mediterranean barbel  (Barbus meridionalis)

The Mediterranean barbel is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List (1).

A little-known freshwater fish of coastal France and Spain, the Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis) is rather plain in appearance, except for black mottling and spotting across the head, back, sides and fins. There are 7 to 9 soft rays in the spiny dorsal fin, and the tail fin has 16 to 19 rays. The lower lip is rather thick (2).

The Mediterranean barbel is found in rivers that drain into the Mediterranean Sea, from Barcelona in north-eastern Spain, to Nice in south-eastern France. It is also found in the southern part of the Rhône River Basin (1) (2).

The Mediterranean barbel inhabits the middle and upper stretches of mountainous, fast-flowing, well-oxygenated, clear rivers near coastal areas (1) (2).

The Mediterranean barbel is a little-studied species, and there is very little information available on its biology and behaviour. However, it is thought to breed between May and July (1). 

Like other Cyprinidae species, the Mediterranean barbel lacks teeth. Instead, it has a pair of enlarged bones in the throat which possess structures known as ‘pharyngeal teeth’ (3), which are used to help this species process its invertebrate diet (2).

Although the Mediterranean barbel has a relatively large range, its distribution is extremely fragmented. It is therefore vulnerable to the effects of habitat loss and degradation, and river damming and water extraction also threaten this species (1). The Mediterranean barbel is very sensitive to the pollution of its habitat from urban, agricultural and industrial sewages. Increasing water temperatures due to global climate change may also cause increased mortality (4). 

The Mediterranean barbel is further threatened by hybridisation with Barbus barbus and Barbus haasi (1).

While the Mediterranean barbel has not been the target of any conservation measures, it is listed on Annexes II and V of the European Union Habitats Directive and on Appendix III of the Bern Convention, which aims to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats (1) (5) (6). It is also listed as Vulnerable in Spain (7) (8).

Find out more about the Mediterranean barbel:

• FishBase - Mediterranean barbel:
  http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=5424