Rabat Barbel

Diagnosis: Luciobarbus rabatensis differs from other species of Luciobarbus by the following combination of characters: number of scales on lateral line 45-50; number of scales above lateral line 8.5-10.5; number of scales below lateral line 6.5-7.5; insertion of dorsal and ventral fins is in the same vertical plane; last single fin ray is ossified, with deep denticulations along its length; denticulations at mid-height of the ray are equal to or longer than ray width; in adult specimens, the inferior lip is retracted revealing the dentary; the ethmoid bone is wider than its length; the maxilla showed a large palatine process; vertebrae 41-42; and gill rakers 12-14 (Ref. 107580).Description: It is a medium-sized species that rarely reaches 500 mm; the body is slightly more elongated in comparison with Luciobarbus rifensis and L. maghrebensis with maximum body depth ranging from 24.4-28.5% of standard length; the head is large relative to the body, similar to other Luciobarbus species, with head length 23.5-26.8% of standard length (Ref. 107580). The preorbital distance is short and the proportion with respect to head length is 29.2-40.5%; the circumorbital bones are narrow; the barbels are similar in size to those of Luciobarbus maghrebensis and L. rifensis, but, due to a shorter snout, the first barbel usually reaches the anterior edge of the eye; the second barbel usually extends to the posterior edge of the eye, but does not reach the preopercle; the anterior barbel is 22.1-26.3% of head length and the second 22.3-32.8% of head length; the lips of adult specimens are usually retracted, and the dentary bone is visible; the lacrimal bone has a short and high manubrium; the iris is yellow pigmented at the superior border (Ref. 107580). The dorsal fin is placed posteriorly on the body with a predorsal length of 50.9-56.3% of standard length; dorsal fin with 4 unbranched and 8 branched rays; the profile of the dorsal fin is concave with the last single ray ossified with pronounced denticulation; the pectoral and ventral fins are longer in males, and the anal fin is longer in females; anal fin with 3 unbranched rays and 5 branched rays; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched ray and 15-16 branched rays; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched ray and 8 branched rays; the caudal fin is long, with a length of 20.4-24.2% of standard length (Ref. 107580). The caudal peduncle is slightly more elongated than in Luciobarbus maghrebensis and L. rifensis, with a height from 34.7-38% of standard length; the height of the caudal peduncle is 1.4-1.7 times the anal peduncle length (Ref. 107580). Pharyngeal teeh in adults 4.3.2-4.3.2 (Ref. 107580). The skull is long and narrow with the ethmoid bone wider than its length; the lacrimal bone is short; the basioccipital bone has a wide pentagonal plate; the palatine process of the maxilla is more conspicuous and the pharyngeal bone is narrow (Ref. 107580).Colouration: The colour is slightly yellow, brownish in the dorsal region and more silver in the ventral area (Ref. 107580).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 41 - 42

This species inhabits rivers of different typologies and is present in reservoirs (Ref. 107580).

This species inhabits rivers of different typologies and is present in reservoirs (Ref. 107580). Spawning takes place at the end of April and the beginning of May; at that time, individuals migrate upstream for spawning in cold and oxygenated waters where the females excavate a nest in the gravel (Ref. 107580).

fisheries:

The Rabat barbel (Luciobarbus rabatensis) is a species of cyprinid fish endemic to Bou Regreg River basin in northern Morocco.