Barbus tauricus, Kessler, 1877

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 107-109

Barbus tauricus

Common name. Crimean barbel.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Barbus in West Asia by: ○ flank plain brown or grey, with many minute dark-brown spots, smaller than scales, in individuals over 100 mm SL / ○ lower lip with a median swollen pad / ○ 51−64, usually 53−56, total lateral-line scales / ○ last unbranched dorsal ray moderately ossified / ○ 9–12 gill rakers / ○ head length 26−30 % SL / ○ 44−48, usually 45−46, total vertebrae / ○ anal longer in female than in male. Size up to 700 mm SL.

Distribution. Southern tributaries of Marmara Sea from Lake İznik west to Karamenderes. Black Sea basin from Crimean Peninsula east along Caucasian Black Sea basin of Russia. All along Anatolian Black Sea coast, west to Thrace, and north to Kamchiya in Bulgaria. In Azov Sea basin in lower Kuban

drainage, possibly hybridised with B. kubanicus . Absent or restricted to lowermost Sakarya, Kızılırmak, and Yeşilırmak and eastern Black Sea basin in Georgia and Çoruh ( Türkiye).

Habitat. Widespread, from mountain streams with strong currents to brackish estuaries. Inhabits river reaches from coastal areas to about 600 m above sea level.

Biology. Males spawn first time at 2 years, about 65 mm SL, females at 3 years, about 100 mm SL. Moves upstream to upper reaches or near rapids to spawn on gravel or rocky bottom. Spawns May−July when water temperature reaches 15−18°C, often in large groups. Females lay 1−3 portions of eggs. Eggs are not sticky and remain between or under pebbles until hatching. In early winter moves to deeper areas with less current and stops feeding. Feeds mainly on zoobenthos.

Lower Sakarya in Türkiye. Typical habitat of rheophilic fishes.

Life cycles of rheophilic fishes. Lampreys, most sturgeons, many cyprinids, leuciscids, nemacheilids, sisorid catfishes, and salmoniforms spend at least part of their lives in moderate- to fast-flowing waters, and their life cycles show many similarities. Adults spawn in fast-flowing waters on gravel or submerged vegetation. Most species lay their eggs in the gravel or spawn above the gravel, and the eggs sink into the interstices. Predators usually eat the eggs that remain on the surface of the gravel. Eggs develop in the gravel. Yolk sac larvae usually move away from the light (they are negatively phototactic) or try to move deeper into the gravel. Larvae have been observed several meters into the substrate, but only the first few centimeters are usually suitable for eggs and larvae. When the yolk sac reserves are exhausted, the larvae become positively phototactic and leave the gravel to find suitable habitats. Larval emergence usually peaks shortly after dawn, and the larvae drift downstream. Some sturgeon and cyprinid larvae drift for several days and may find their nursery habitat several kilometers downstream of the spawning sites. This can lead to strong longitudinal variation in habitat use and extensive migrations at different life stages. Larvae of most riverine species inhabit shallow banks and bays. As they grow, they move to deeper water with faster currents. Habitat use is strongly influenced by various abiotic (e.g. available habitats, climate) and biotic (e.g. food availability, predation risk) factors.

Conservation status. LC.

Remarks. Barbus tauricus was previously restricted to Crimea, but new data show that it is much more widespread. Barbus kubanicus , B. rionicus , B. anatolicus , and B. escherichii occur in rivers within the range of B. tauricus , and it is expected that hybrids of both species and introgressed individuals are common. Barbus tauricus seems to inhabit rivers close to the coast, while other species occur inland. Barbus bergi from European Türkiye and Bulgaria and B. oligolepis from the Marmara basin are synonyms, as proposed differentiating characters could not be confirmed. Barbus tauricus locally occurs sympatric with B. niluferensis and B. ida , but it inhabits larger river sections.

Further reading. Bogutskaya et al. 2003c (morphology, biology, as B. tauricus escherichii , partly); Levin et al. 2015 (phylogeny); Turan et al. 2009b (description of B. oligolepis ); Turan et al. 2018c (distribution).

Barbus xanthos ; Büyük Menderes, Türkiye; 120 mm SL.