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Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Smiliogastrinae
Etymology: Pseudobarbus: Greek, pseudes = false + Latin, barbus = barbel (Ref. 45335); skeltoni: The specific name, skeltoni, is given in honour of Professor Paul H. Skelton in recognition of his lifelong service to taxonomic and systematic research on freshwater fishes in southern Africa, his contribution to the taxonomic revision and systematics of Pseudobarbus and specifically for his mentoring of students on this group of fishes (Ref. 93872).
Eponymy: Professor Dr Paul Harvey Skelton (d: 1948) is a South African ichthyologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Subtropical
Africa: Breede River system, South Africa (Ref. 93872).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 93872)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 36 - 38. Diagnosis: Pseudobarbus skeltoni reaches the largest size of any Pseudobarbus species and is distinguished from its congeners, except P. burchelli and P. burgi, by possessing two pairs of prominent oral barbels (Ref. 93872). It is distinguished from P. burchelli and P. burgi by the combination of the following features: distinctive terminal mouth in adults vs. subterminal in all size classes of P. burchelli and P. burgi; juveniles, sub-adults and young adults of P. skeltoni have subterminal mouths, but their lower lips are unretracted and they lack the cartilaginous plate found in both P. burchelli and P. burgi; a typically longer head relative to standard length, being 30.5% vs. 26.8% in P. burchelli and 25.8% in P. burgi; shaloow head depth, being 64.2% of head length compared to 70.1% of head length in P. burchelli and 74.1% of head length in P. burgi; mature sexually active males develop two clusters of large conical tubercles on the snout, with 22-30 tubercles in each cluster, vs. 5-10 tubercles per cluster in P. burchelli and 10-15 tubercles per cluster in P. burgi; multiple rows of large conspicious tubercles above each nare and antero-dorsal edge of each orbit, vs. single row in congenres (Ref. 93872).
Reproduction is unknown, but spawning possibly occurs around November-December, based on the observation that males had large tubercles; juveniles and sub-adults probably feed by picking prey or algae from rock; adults have more predatory lifestyle and are possibly water column feeders (Ref. 93872).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Chakona, A. and E.R. Swartz, 2013. A new redfin species, Pseudobarbus skeltoni (Cyprinidae, Teleostei), from the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Zootaxa 3686(5):565-577. (Ref. 93872)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Endangered (EN) (B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)); Date assessed: 06 December 2016
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01175 (0.00447 - 0.03086), b=3.01 (2.78 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.6 ±0.2 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
