Luciobarbus esocinus, Heckel, 1843

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 233-234

Luciobarbus esocinus

Common name. Pike barbel.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Luciobarbus in Persian Gulf basin by: ● mouth subterminal in small, almost terminal or terminal in large individuals / ● head pike-like, strongly pointed, depressed / ● snout length 2.0–2.9 times in postorbital length in individuals larger than 150 mm SL / ● dorsal head profile straight or concave / ○ 8–11 gill rakers / ○ 60–73(–78) total lateral-line scales /

Luciobarbus esocinus ; Lesser Zab, Iraq; ~ 230 mm SL.

● juveniles often with many, small dark-brown spots on upper flank. Size up to 2000 mm SL and 198 kg, regularly larger than 50 kg.

Distribution. Euphrates, Tigris, Karun and Jarahi drainages. Extirpated in Qweiq.

Habitat. Large rivers and reservoirs, from which fish migrate into tributaries to spawn.

Biology. Biology of this enigmatic species virtually unknown. Lives up to 17 years, probably longer. Spawns first time at a size greater than 1000 mm SL, probably at an age of about 10 years, in March−April. Predatory, feeding mainly on fish. Conservation status. VU; builds up large populations in reservoirs, from where it migrate into tributaries to spawn. An important commercial species that has declined due to overfishing. Affected by pollution, draining of marshes, damming, and water abstraction.

Remarks. Growth hormones from this species have been cloned and used to increase growth in Cyprinus carpio . Often hybridises with sympatric L. schejch , and most hybrids seem to have had L. esocinus as their mother. Type material of L. xanthopterus has been identified as such hybrids.

Luciobarbus graecus ; Büyük Menderes, Türkiye; 170 mm SL.

Further reading. Coad 2010a (biology, distribution); Coad 2021a (biology, morphology); Freyhof et al. 2025 (revision).