Luciobarbus graellsii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Luciobarbus graellsii |
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The Luciobarbus graellsii is a type of ray-finned fish. It belongs to the family called Cyprinidae, which includes many kinds of carp and minnows. This fish is also known as the Andalusian barbel or Ebro barbel. It is closely related to other fish known as barbel fish.
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About the Ebro Barbel
The Ebro barbel is a fish that eats both plants and animals. This means it is an omnivore. Its main diet includes large water bugs and algae, which are simple plant-like organisms.
Where They Live
This fish originally lived only in the northeast part of Spain. You could find it mainly in rivers that flow into the Mediterranean Sea, like the Ebro River and the Ter River. It also lived in some rivers on the Atlantic Ocean side, such as the Asón river system.
Around 1998, some Ebro barbels were moved to rivers in Tuscany, Italy. Now, they live well in rivers there, including the Albegna, Fiora, and Ombrone rivers.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Ebro barbels lay their eggs, a process called spawning, from late spring to the middle of summer. This usually happens between May and August. To spawn, they swim upstream to special places in the river.
These spawning spots are usually faster and shallower parts of the river. The river bottom there is made of gravel and rocks. Ebro barbels become ready to have babies when they are about 4 years old. At this age, they are usually about 15 to 20 cm (5.9 to 7.9 in) long. They can live for a long time, sometimes up to 16 years old!
Conservation Status
The Ebro barbel is quite common in the areas where it lives. Because of this, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) does not consider it a threatened species. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Images for kids
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A close-up view of the Ebro barbel.
