Cape whitefish

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Cape whitefish
Barbus andrewi.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Superfamily: Cyprinoidea
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Cheilobarbus
Species:
C. capensis [2]
Binomial name
Cheilobarbus capensis [3]
(Smith, 1841)
Synonyms
  • Barbus andrewi Barnard, 1937
  • Barbus capensisSmith, 1841
  • Pseudobarbus andrewi(Barnard, 1937)
  • Pseudobarbus capensis(Smith, 1841)

The Cape whitefish or Berg-breede River whitefish (Cheilobarbus capensis) is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It was formerly placed with the South African redfins in Pseudobarbus . It is tetraploid. Its closest living relative is the sawfin (C. serra). [4]

Contents

Distribution and ecology

It is endemic to the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where it occurs in the Breede River's Brandvlei Dam and Sanddrift Dam, as well as the Hex River. Formerly, it was also found in and around the Berg River, but it seems to have disappeared from there. [1] Populations have also been transplanted to farm water catchments, but it is not well known if these have thrived or failed. [5]

It inhabits the deeper stretches of rivers with rocky shores or riparian trees. While young fish are common in riffles, adults are not rheophilic and will thrive in slow-moving water. Young fish are carnivores, eating zooplankton and small aquatic invertebrates. Adults have more omnivorous diets that consist of benthic invertebrates and algae. The breeding season is in late spring (about October) when the water has warmed to above 20 °C (68 °F). Schools of adults form to migrate to riffles with over one meter/yard deep water and spawn in the late hours of morning. A good-sized adult female produces about 100,000 eggs. In dams, it will use rocky and gravelly substrate in the shallows as a spawning place. The species is long-lived. [5]

Status and conservation

This species is considered Endangered by the IUCN as it has declined much in recent decades. The main threat is the introduced smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), which has killed off the stocks of the fish in the Berg River watershed by eating juveniles. In Brandvlei Dam, where the barb's population is most healthy, the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is spreading; its impact will need to be assessed. The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), introduced for aquaculture, are competing with the Cape whitefish for food. Water pollution is also a problem. [5]

It is also listed as endangered by the Nature Conservation Ordinance of Western Cape Province. For the time being, it may not be killed and only caught for supervised transfer trials to other habitats. An initiative is aimed at restoring the stocks, so this large fish can be used in fishing and maybe aquaculture as an alternative to the harmful introduced species. [5]

There are many reasons as to why the population of the cape whitefish have recently been declining, with human-related activity being one of them. A severe flood in 2008 as well as invasions of other predatory fish species are a likely cause of the decline as well. In order to prevent further decline, there are conservation actions in place such as managing non-native fish invasions as well as lessening the agricultural impact on aquatic habitat. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Barbus</i> Genus of fishes

Barbus is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. The type species of Barbus is the common barbel, first described as Cyprinus barbus and now named Barbus barbus. Barbus is the namesake genus of the subfamily Barbinae, but given their relationships, that taxon is better included in the Cyprininae at least for the largest part.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breede River</span> River in South Africa

The Breede River, also known as Breë River, is a river in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Travelling inland north from the city of Cape Town, the river runs in a west to east direction. The surrounding western mountains formed the first continental divide experienced by European settlers in the 18th century. The Titus River and Dwars River become the Breë River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olifants River (Western Cape)</span> River in the Western Cape, South Africa

The Olifants River is a river in the northwestern area of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The upper and main catchment area of the Olifants river is around Ceres and the Cederberg mountains. The Clanwilliam and Bulshoek dams are located on the river and provide water for the towns and farms along the watercourse. The river is approximately 285 km long with a catchment area of 46,220 km2 and flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Papendorp, 250 km north of Cape Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berg River</span> River in the Western Cape, South Africa

The Berg River is a river located just north of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is approximately 294 km (183 mi) long with a catchment area of 7,715 km2 (2979 mi2) and debouches into the Atlantic Ocean. About 65% of the Berg River area is under agriculture. The major towns in the Berg River area are Velddrif and Laaiplek near the coast, Piketberg, Hopefield, Moorreesburg and Darling further inland.

<i>Pseudobarbus</i> Genus of fishes

Pseudobarbus is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. The type species is Burchell's redfin. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek pseudes ("false") and the Latin word barbus. This genus contains some of the South African redfins. It was originally proposed as a subgenus, but has since been found worthy of recognition as a full genus.

The Clanwilliam redfin, is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It was formerly placed with the South African redfins in Pseudobarbus. It is tetraploid. Its closest living relative is the Twee River redfin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clanwilliam yellowfish</span> Species of threatened fish endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa

The Clanwilliam yellowfish is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It has long been placed in Barbus, the "wastebin genus" for barbs, by default; however, the species is increasingly being restored to related yellowfish genus Labeobarbus which seems a much more appropriate placement. It is hexaploid like the other yellowfish, among which it is more closely related to the smallscale yellowfish than to the largescale yellowfish.

The Twee River redfin or simply Twee redfin is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It was formerly placed with the South African redfins in Pseudobarbus. It is tetraploid. Its closest living relative is the Clanwilliam redfin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Largemouth yellowfish</span> Species of fish

The largemouth yellowfish or Vaal-Orange largemouth yellowfish is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. This large freshwater barb is found in southern Africa.

<i>Luciobarbus microcephalus</i> Species of fish

Luciobarbus microcephalus is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It is here placed in Luciobarbus following the IUCN, but that genus is very closely related to the other typical barbels and perhaps better considered a mere subgenus of Barbus.

The sawfin, also known as Clanwilliam sawfin, is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It was formerly placed with the South African redfins in Pseudobarbus. It is tetraploid. Its closest living relative is the Cape whitefish . This sizeable cyprinid can grow to over 40 centimetres (16 in) long and weigh more than 3 kg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Cape redfin</span> Species of fish

The Eastern Cape redfin is an African freshwater fish species in the family Cyprinidae, this appears to be a species complex rather than a single species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burchell's redfin</span> Species of fish

Burchell's redfin, also known as the Tradouw redfin, Tradou redfin or Breede redfin, is an African freshwater fish species in the family Cyprinidae. P. burchelli is the type species of its genus Pseudobarbus, and like all of these is tetraploid. The Berg River redfin is a very close relative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berg River redfin</span> Species of fish

The Berg River redfin or Berg redfin is an African freshwater fish species in the family Cyprinidae. The Burchell's redfin, the type species of its genus Pseudobarbus, is a very close relative. The Berg River redfin is tetraploid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freshwater mullet</span> Species of fish

The freshwater mullet is a species of fish in the family Mugilidae. It is endemic to South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border barb</span> Species of fish

The border barb is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It is the only species in the genus Amatolacypris. Like Pseudobarbus, it is tetraploid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moggel</span> Species of fish

Moggel is a freshwater African fish in genus Labeo. It occurs within the drainage basin of the Orange River. The species has been recorded in the [Vaal], Olifants River in Mpumalanga and Limpopo, introduced there by anglers.

The Hex River is a tributary of the Breede River located in the Western Cape of South Africa. The most important settlements along the river are the small towns of De Doorns and Touws River.

Cheilobarbus, commonly known as sawfins, is a genus of fish in the family Cyprinidae endemic to the Western Cape region in South Africa.

References

  1. 1 2 Impson, D.; Jordaan, M. & Van der Walt, R. (2017). "Pseudobarbus capensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T2560A100114381. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T2560A100114381.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Cheilobarbus capensis" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
  3. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Cheilobarbus capensis" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
  4. ↑ de Graaf et al. (2007)
  5. 1 2 3 4 Impson & Swartz (2007)
  6. ↑ Shelton, Jeremy M.; Impson, N. Dean; Graham, Shaun; Esler, Karen J. (2017). "Down, but not out: Recent decline of Berg–Breede River whitefish (Barbus andrewi) in the upper Hex River, South Africa" (PDF). Koedoe. 59. doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v59i1.1398 . hdl:10019.1/104605.


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