| Redspot barb | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Subfamily: | Smiliogastrinae |
| Genus: | Enteromius |
| Species: | E. kerstenii |
| Binomial name | |
| Enteromius kerstenii (W. K. H. Peters, 1868) | |
| Synonyms | |
The redspot barb (Enteromius kerstenii) is a species of freshwater cyprinid fish found in East Africa. It is named for the large, orange-red spot found on each operculum. [1]
According to FishBase, the South African Enteromius tangandensis (also referred to as "redsport barb") is a synonym of E. kerstenii, whereas the Catalog of Fishes lists them as separate species.
This species reaches a length of 9.0 cm (3.5 in). [2]
The fish is named in honor of Otto Kersten (1839–1900), an early explorer of Mount Kilimanjaro, who sent a small collection of fishes to Peters, including the type specimen of this species. [3]