Labeo batesii Boulenger, 1911

Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Labeoninae
Max. size:  24.7 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: Lower Guinea endemic, known from many rivers of this ichthyogeographical region: Kribi, Mungo, Thsela, Shiloango, Bongola, Ntem, Bitande, Ohumbe, Okano, Mouanda, Kelle, Ogowe, Messok-Messok, Mekay, Lolo and Mvi (Ref. 81639). Not known from the Congo River basin or from the Chad and Niger-Benue basins (Ref. 1440)
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Vertebrae: 31-33. Diagnosis: snout rounded with deep transverse furrow; scale formula: 37-39 (38 commonly observed); 4.5-6.5 (5.5 commonly observed, exceptionally 4.5); 3.5-4.5 (4.0 commonly observed); 16-20 (16 commonly observed); dorsal fin with 10-11 (10 commonly observed) branched rays; upper edge of dorsal fin always concave; 32-33 (32 commonly observed, exceptionally 31) vertebrae; ventral fin origin located under the 4th branched dorsal ray; genital opening close to anal fin origin; rarely a longitudinal band, but if present unflared (Ref. 81639). Description: eyes supero-laterally positioned in posterior half of head and not visible in ventral view; outer border of upper lip entire, while that of lower lip is fringed, rostral lobe has denticulate free edge; two pairs of barbels, maxillary pair large and sometimes visible externally, rostral pair greatly reduced and concealed in rostral fold; caudal peduncle deep, 13.8-18.6% SL (Ref. 81639). Coloration: in preservation, dark brown or grey dorsally, pale brown or yellowish white ventrally; fins greyish or blackish; according to Ref. 2988 this species is olive dorsally and whitish ventrally, with dark fins (Ref. 81639).
Biology:  Young specimens (up to 2.5 cm SL) are recorded from the Benito River in Cameroon (Ref. 1440). Most of the individuals examined were collected from areas with rapidly flowing water (Ref. 26190). Maximum TL recorded: 19.0 cm (Ref. 2801).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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