Red List of South African Species

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Notes

All species belonging to the “chubbyhead barb” species complex have been assigned to the genus Enteromius by Yang et al. (2015). This group has been shown by da Costa (2012) to have significant genetic variation and to represent multiple potential species, but only records from the western Limpopo River Catchment are currently recognised as a separate species (Enteromius motebensis), while it is also recognised that many records currently ascribed to E. motebensis and E. anoplus in the eastern Lowveld may be synonymous with a new species E. nov. sp. “origstad” proposed by Engelbrecht and van der Bank (1997). Nonetheless, given the taxonomic uncertainty surrounding the ‘ohrigstad’ lineage, all records from the Eastern Lowveld catchments are recognised as E. anoplus for this assessment, accepting that a taxonomic revision of this group is required.

habitat_narrative

Freshwater (=Inland waters)

Prefers cooler waters, occurring in a wide variety of habitats from small streams to large rivers and lakes. Associates with cover such as fallen logs, brushwood or marginal vegetation. Breeds in summer when rivers are swollen after rain. Lays adhesive eggs in vegetation. Larvae hatch in three days and begin to swim and feed after six to seven days. It is omnivorous and feeds on insects, zooplankton, seeds, green algae and diatoms. Preyed on by larger fish and birds (Skelton 2001).

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