Labeobarbus bynni


Labeobarbus bynni, the Niger barb, is an African species of cyprinid freshwated fish. It has often been placed in the genus Barbus, but is now usually placed in Labeobarbus. This is a relatively large barb, up to in total length. It is caught as a food fish, but catches can vary greatly from year to year.

Distribution and habitat

Labeobarbus bynni is found in tropical West, Central and East Africa ranging from Gambia to Ethiopia. It occurs south as far as Kenya and Uganda, and north along the Nile to Egypt. It is found in freshwater habitats like lakes and rivers.

Feeding

Labeobarbus bynni feeds on crustaceans, insects, molluscs, small algae, and organic debris.

Breeding

The breeding season extends from March to April.

Subspecies

There are three subspecies:
Overall Labeobarbus bynni is widespread and faces no major threats, and consequently it has been evaluated as least concern by the IUCN. However, some local populations of L. bynni may be threatened by dams, water pollution, groundwater extraction, and drought.