| Family: |
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Barbinae |
| Max. size: |
170.6 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; freshwater |
| Distribution: |
Africa: Sebou basin and rivers flowing into the Moulay Bouselham Lagoon on the Atlantic slope in north-central Morocco (Ref. 107580). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-12; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 8-8; Vertebrae: 41-43. Diagnosis: Luciobarbus maghrebensis differs from other species of Luciobarbus by the following combination of characters: 41-47 scales on the lateral line; 7.5-8.5 scales above lateral line and 4.5-6.5 scales below lateral line; insertion of the ventral fin is posterior to dorsal fin origin; the last single fin ray is strongly ossified and densely denticulated along its length; long postorbital length, the pre-orbital length - postorbital length ratio ranges from 0.69-0.84; in adult specimens, the lower lip is thick with a retracted medial lobe revealing the dentary; the ethmoid bone is narrower than its length; 41-43 vertebrae; and 13-15 gill rakers (Ref. 107580).
Description: A medium-sized species, rarely reaching 500 mm; the body is elongated relative to maximum body depth and compared to other Luciobarbus species (Ref. 107580). The head is large with respect to the body with head length 22-28% of standard length; infraorbital bones are narrow; the first barbel did not reach the anterior edge of the eye, but, in some specimens, barbels reached the rim of the eye and extended to half the width of the eye; the second barbel usually extended beyond the posterior rim of the eye, rarely reaching the preopercle; the anterior barbel is 19.3-33.3% and the second 21.2-41% of head length (Ref. 107580). The lips are thick with the inferior usually retracted in adults revealing the dentary bone; in some specimens, lips are not retracted and exhibited a well-developed medial lobe; the lacrimal bone has a medium-sized manubrium; the snout is prominent, marked in some specimens, with preorbital length 7.8-10.3% of standard length; postorbital length ranged from 9-13.6% of standard length; the iris is yellow pigmented at the superior border but is less conspicuous than in other species of Luciobarbus; the jugal space closes at the same plane of the vertical of the eye, and 11-12 pores were present in the inferior branch of the pre-operculum (Ref. 107580). The dorsal fin is posterior on the body with a predorsal distance of 48.2-55.8% of standard length; dorsal fin with 4 unbranched and 8 branched rays; the profile of the dorsal fin is straight or slightly concave, with the last single ray ossified and profusely denticulated; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5 branched rays; the pectoral and ventral fins are longer in males, and the anal fin is longer in the females; ventral fins are inserted after dorsal fin insertion; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 15-16 branched rays; ventral fin with 1 unbranched and 8 branched rays; the caudal fin is 16.6-27.3% of standard length (Ref. 107580). Scales on the lateral line number 41-47; 7.5-8.5 scales above lateral line; 4.5-6.5 scales below lateral line (Ref. 107580). The caudal peduncle is slightly more elongated than that in Rifian populations, with a height of 30-39.3% of standard length; the height of the caudal peduncle is 1.4-1.98 times the length of the anal peduncle (Ref. 107580). Pharyngeal teeth in adults 4.3.2-4.3.2 (Ref. 107580). The skull is wide with a narrow ethmoid bone and a large opercle; the pharyngeal bone is wide with a long inferior process; the lacrimal bone is well developed, and infraorbital bones are narrow; the dentary has a long anterior process, and the maxilla has a small palatine process; the basioccipital plate is wide and triangular (Ref. 107580).
Colouration: The colouration of Luciobarbus maghrebensis is silver-yellowish with darker fins; some specimens exhibit a darker longitudinal band in the center of the body; juveniles present blotches (Ref. 107580). |
| Biology: |
This species can inhabit rivers of varying typology within its distribution range; upstream it is substituted for the trout, and in the lower courses of rivers and calm currents it is locally highly abundant; the species is also present in reservoirs (Ref. 107580). From April to May the species migrates upstream to headwaters for spawning (Ref. 107580). Its spawning migration has been affected by dams, which present physical barriers to upstream migration; the presences of exotic species in reservoirs, as well as poor water quality in the lower courses, due to fertilizers and pesticides, have probably been primary causes of the decline in its population (Ref. 107580). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 31 January 2006 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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