Kingdom Animalia Infraclass Teleostei Superfamily Cyprinioidea Scientific name Pseudobarbus Higher classification Cyprinidae Order Cypriniformes | Superclass Osteichthyes Superorder Ostariophysi Family Cyprinidae Phylum Chordata Rank Genus Subclass Neopterygii | |
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Lower classifications Eastern Cape redfin, Burchell's redfin | ||
Pseudobarbus asper smallscale redfin
Pseudobarbus is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. The type species is Burchell's Redfin (P. burchelli). The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek pseudes ("false") and the Latin word barbus ("beard", in reference to the barbels of barbs). This genus contains some (and might contain all) of the South African redfins. It was originally proposed as a subgenus but has since been found worthy of recognition as a full genus.
Contents
This genus is restricted to southern Africa; all of its species were formerly placed in Barbus, the genus of typical barbels and their relatives. One taxon was originally described as P. leonhardi – this, however, was a European fish for which the genus was erroneously proposed anew. It has since turned out to be nothing other than the barbel B. peloponnesius.
Species and systematics
Pseudobarbus was placed in the paraphyletic "subfamily" Barbinae by those that recognize that group. But if not included in the Cyprininae outright it might – like the other small African barbs – belong to an as yet unnamed subfamily.
There are currently 9 recognized species in this genus:
Some other South Africa "redfin" barb are presently placed in Barbus, mainly due to a lack of taxonomic and systematic study of that huge "wastebin genus". They form a clade distinct from the traditional Pseudobarbus and are more plesiomorphic. Certainly, they do not belong in the typical barbel genus however, and as this is split up, the following species may well end up here: