Arabibarbus grypus (Heckel, 1843)
Shabout
Arabibarbus grypus
photo by Afzali, A.

Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Torinae
Max. size:  150 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 30 kg; max. reported age: 17 years
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Tigris-Euphrates basin in Iraq and Syria (Ref. 96964), rivers of southern Iran (Ref. 96964) and possibly Orontes River (Ref. 96964).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-13; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 7-10. Diagnosis: Arabibarbus grypus has 33-44 scales in the lateral line (Ref. 96964). The round head is shorter, 19.9-25.4% of standard length, and lower, 12.6-16.0% of standard length, than in its congeners (Ref. 96964). The body is cylindrical; the dorsal fin is short, 17.8-24.2% of standard length, and only weakly ossified; the pectoral fins, 16.0-19.3% of standard length, and pelvic fins, 14.3-17.5% of standard length, are shorter than in Arabibarbus hadhrami (Ref. 96964). Description: The body is slender and laterally flattened in small juveniles; it is strong and cylindrical in larger specimens; a nuchal hump is absent; the head is short and round with a convex dorsal profile and a straight to slightly convex ventral profile; the head length is greater than the body depth (Ref. 96964). The mouth is sub-terminal with two pairs of barbels, which are about as long as the eye diameter; a median lobe is present on the lower lip; it is small in some specimens but well developed in others; the lips are inconspicuous in most specimens, but can be thick and fleshy in some; the eyes are lateral in the anterior half of the head and slightly protuberant (Ref. 96964).The dorsal fin is short and has 3-4 unbranched and 7-9 branched rays; the last unbranched ray is about as long as the head, weakly ossified and the distal part is flexible; the anal fin has 3-4 unbranched and 4-6 branched rays (Ref. 96964). It has 33-44 scales in the lateral line, 4.5-5.5 scales above the lateral line, 3.5-5.5 scales below the lateral line and 11-12 scales around the caudal peduncle; the scales are shield-shaped and have numerous parallel radii (Ref. 96964). The pharyngeal teeth count is 2.3.5-5.3.2; the pharyngeal teeth are hooked at the tip (Ref. 96964). There are 13-15 gill rakers on the lower limb and 3-5 gill rakers on the upper limb of the first gill arch (Ref. 96964). Colouration: Live specimens are light grey to bronze and white ventrally; the back is darker than the flanks; the caudal fin is slightly orange in many specimens (Ref. 96964). Fixed specimens are yellow to brown, the dorsal area is darker than the flanks and the belly (Ref. 96964).
Biology:  Found in small to large rivers (Ref. 96964). It can attain sizes of up to 2 m and a mass of 100 kg (Ref. 96964).
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 18 March 2013 (A2d+3d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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