Kingdom Animalia Order Cypriniformes Genus Barbus (disputed) Higher classification Barbus | Phylum Chordata Family Cyprinidae Scientific name Barbus reinii Rank Species | |
People also search for Barbus fritschii, Barbus harterti | ||
Barbus reinii is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It is provisionally retained in Barbus like many others, but this will almost certainly change in the foreseeable future. The IUCN for example notes that the taxonomy of this species is in need of revision, but until a thorough study is conducted it retains the species in its traditional genus.
It does seem to be fairly close to the core group around the typical barbels (Barbus and the doubtfully distinct Luciobarbus and Messinobarbus) though. But it is closer still to Carasobarbus and the yellowfish (Labeobarbus), and either is a lineage of the former, or part of a distinct genus, or included in the latter (maybe together with the former).In any case, as long as these are considered distinct, "B." reinii would have to be moved out of Barbus too prevent that genus from being polyphyletic.
It is endemic to Morocco, where its natural habitat is just the lower Tensift River. Though this is a major watercourse and the species is still quite plentiful, water pollution (particularly with domestic waste) and unsustainable water extraction (particularly for irrigation agriculture) causes it to decline in numbers. It is therefore classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.