Rationale
(Changed due to Same category and criteria)
Widespread in upper catchments from the Incomati River, South Africa north into the Limpopo River in southern Zimbabwe. In suitable habitats it is usually abundant. In parts of its range around Johannesburg and Pretoria in South Africa it seems to have become extirpated including in its type locality presumably due to varied pollution and flow modifications from industries and human settlements. Despite threats and local extinctions the species does not qualify for any of the threatened categories. First assessed in 2007 as Least Concern, this species status was re-evaluated during the Southern African Freshwater Fish assessment in 2016 and new information has not resulted in a change in status. Close monitoring is still recommended.
Distribution
Incomati River system in Swaziland north to the Limpopo system. Possibly present in the northern Limpopo tributaries in southern Zimbabwe. However, many northern museum records for this species appear to be incorrect.
There is currently no population information available.
Threats
Degradation of habitats is the major threat and the species has disappeared from its type locality around Pretoria, South Africa. Threats are however, localized around major settlements and the species is widely distributed.
Conservation
Improved conservation of aquatic habitats through river health programmes and conservancies is perhaps the best way to improve the conservation of these species.
[@article{18475,
author = {Skelton, P.H.},
title = {A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa},
year = {2001}
}
,@article{63287,
author = {Bills, I.R., Boycott, R.C., Fakudze, M., Khumalo, N., Msibi, J., Scott, L.E.P., Terry, S. and Tweddle, D.},
title = {Fish and Fisheries of Swaziland (2002-2003). Final report: July 2004},
year = {2004}
}
,@book{63287,
author = {Bell-Cross, G. and Minshull, J.L.},
publisher = {National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe},
title = {The fishes of Zimbabwe},
year = {1988}
}
,@electronic{2426,
address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
author = {IUCN},
title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2017-3},
year = {2017}
}
,]
