Terek Barbel

Diagnosed from other species of Barbus and Luciobarbus in Black and Caspian Sea basins by having the following characters: 7-9 gill rakers; dorsal fin with 8½ rays; posterior ¼ of predorsal area laterally compressed, not forming a keel; predorsal length longer than postdorsal length; lower lip with median pad, lacking posterior groove; lateral line with 60-70 scales; adults with dorsal height 10-15% of SL, tip rounded, when depressed not reaching anus; last simple dorsal ray spinous, with 30-60 short serrae posteriorly; flexible part of last simple dorsal ray about 30% of ray length; anal not reaching caudal base (Ref. 59043).

Inhabits piedmont and montane stretches of rivers and streams with stone or gravel bottom. Occurs from upstreams to uppermost reaches in mountains. Feeds on invertebrates, terrestrial insects and diatoms. In still habitats, this species takes terrestrial insects and zooplankton as food. Undertakes upriver migration and spawns in shallow tributaries. Larvae and yearlings stay in spawning streams while adults migrate downriver. Abundant in the upper reaches of rivers and invasive in Don drainage (Ref. 59043).

The Terek barbel (Barbus ciscaucasicus) is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Barbus which is found in the western drainage basin of the Caspian Sea from the Terek basin to the Samur basin in Dagestan, Georgia and Azerbaijan.