Carasobarbus fritschii (Günther 1874)

Diagnosis: Two pairs of barbels, 30-39 scales in the lateral line and 14-20 scales around the least circumference of the caudal peduncle; dorsal fin usually shorter than anal fin and more than 15% of its last unbranched ray flexible, dorsal profile of the head convex (Ref. 94477).Description: The body is of moderate height and sometimes has a small nuchal hump in larger specimens; the head is round with a convex dorsal profile and convex or straight ventral profile; the head length is shorter than the body depth, the mouth is inferior with two pairs of barbels; the lower lip is crescent shaped and sometimes weakly keratinised; the eyes are in the anterior half of the head (Ref. 94477). The dorsal fin is short and weakly ossified and more than 15% of the length of its last unbranched ray is flexible; its last unbranched ray is about as long as the head; it usually has 4 unbranched and 7-10 branched rays; the anal fin usually has 3 unbranched and 5-6 branched rays; its length is rather variable in adult specimens; it reaches the base of the caudal fin in some specimens (Ref. 94477). It has 30-39 scales in the lateral line, usually 5.5 scales above the lateral line, usually 4.5-5.5 scales below the lateral line, and 14-20 scales around the least circumference of the caudal peduncle (Ref. 94477). The pharyngeal teeth count is 2.3.4-4.3.2; pharyngeal teeth are hooked at their tips (Ref. 94477).Colouration: Live specimens are silvery and usually have a dark longitudinal band above the lateral line; fins are hyaline to slightly orange (Ref. 94477). Ethanol-preserved specimens are yellow-brown, the back is usually distinctly darker than the belly and flanks (Ref. 94477).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 14; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Found in a wide range of running water courses and dam lakes (Ref. 94477).

Found in a wide range of running water courses and dam lakes (Ref. 94477). It is tolerant against pollution, damming and the presence of several exotic species (Ref. 94477).

fisheries:

Carasobarbus fritschii is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found only in the upper parts of the rivers of Morocco. Its natural habitat is rivers.

The body is of moderate height and sometimes has a small nuchal hump in larger specimens. The head is round with a convex dorsal profile and convex or straight ventral profile (Figs 16, 17). The head length is shorter than the body depth (Fig. 12), the mouth is inferior with two pairs of barbels (Table 2). The lower lip is crescent shaped and sometimes weakly keratinised. The eyes are in the anterior half of the head. The morphometric characters are summarised in Table 1. The dorsal fin is short and weakly ossified and more than 15 % of the length of its last unbranched ray is flexible. Its last unbranched ray is about as long as the head (Fig. 4). It usually has four unbranched and seven to 10 branched rays (Table 3). The anal fin usually has three unbranched and five or six branched rays (Table 4). Its length is rather variable in adult specimens. It reaches the base of the caudal fin in some specimens. Carasobarbus fritschii has 30 to 39 scales in the lateral line (Table 5), usually 5.5 scales above the lateral line (Table 6), usually 4.5 or 5.5 scales below the lateral line (Table 7), and 14 to 20 scales around the least circumference of the caudal peduncle (Table 8). The scales are shown in Fig. 5. The pharyngeal teeth count is 2.3.4-4.3.2 in two specimens, 2.3.4- in one specimen and -4.3.2 in eight specimens. Pharyngeal teeth are hooked at their tips (Fig. 6). Live specimens are silvery and usually have a dark longitudinal band above the lateral line. Fins are hyaline to slightly orange (Fig. 17). Ethanol-preserved specimens are yellow-brown, the back is usually distinctly darker than the belly and flanks. The maximum length observed in the material available is 180 mm SL. Carasobarbus fritschii differs from all congeners except Carasobarbus exulatus and Carasobarbus harterti in having nine instead of 10 branched dorsal-fin rays. It differs from Carasobarbus exulatus in having 30 to 39 scales in the lateral line vs. 26 to 32 and modally 16 scales around the least circumference of the caudal peduncle vs. 12. It differs from Carasobarbus harterti in having a convex dorsal head profile and a last unbranched dorsal-fin ray that is weakly ossified and flexible for more than 15 % of its length vs. a straight dorsal head profile and a strongly ossified last unbranched dorsal-fin ray that is flexible in less than 15 % of its length.

Carasobarbus fritschii is widespread and abundant in Northern and Central Morocco (Fig. 18). It occurs in the Oued al Maleh, Oued Bou Regreg, Oued Igrounzar, Oued Moulouya, Oued Oum er Rbia, Oued Sebou and Oued Tennsift drainage systems, and in numerous small coastal rivers. Most records are from Morocco, but one specimen is from the Oued Kiss in Algeria.