Barbel (fish species)

Barbels are group of small carp-like freshwater fish, almost all of the genus Barbus. They are usually found in gravel and rocky-bottomed slow-flowing waters with high dissolved oxygen content. A typical adult barbel will range from 25 to 100 cm in length and weigh anywhere between 200 g and 10 kg, although weights of 200 g are more common. Babies weigh 100–150 g.

Barbel roe is poisonous and causes vomiting and diarrhoea in some people.

The name barbel derived from the Latin barba, meaning beard, a reference to the two pairs of barbels—a longer pair pointing forwards and slightly down positioned—on the side of the mouth.

Fish described as barbels by English-speaking people may not be known as barbels in their native country, although the root of the word may be similar. For instance, the Mediterranean barbel, (Barbus meridionalis) is known as barbeau méridional or barbeau truité in France, but also as drogan, durgan, tourgan, turquan and truitat.

Barbus barbus, the barbel native to Britain is known simply as the barbel and is a popular sport fish. Subspecies of B. barbus are recognised; namely B. barbus bocagei, B. barbus sclateri, B. barbus thessalus and B. barbus plebejus.

The Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis) is found in Spain, France, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine. It is a much smaller fish than B. barbus.

Other barbel in Europe include Barbus sclateri – sometimes known as the European barbel; the Italian barbel (Barbus tyberinus); the Albanian barbel (Barbus albanicus); the Iberian barbel is found in Spain and Portugal and is eaten by many European duck species

The Crimean barbel (Barbus tauricus) is found in the Salgir River in the Crimean peninsula. A sub-species, the Kuban barbel (Barbus tauricus kubanicus) is found in the upper and middle Kuban River in Russia.

...
Wikipedia