Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Mesopotamian barbel (Luciobarbus subquincunciatus), recorded as Critically Endangered
Mesopotamian barbel (Luciobarbus subquincunciatus). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Mesopotamian barbel

Luciobarbus subquincunciatus

Mesopotamian barbel is a minnow in the family Cyprinidae (order Cypriniformes) — Luciobarbus subquincunciatus, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Luciobarbus subquincunciatus
Taxonomy
Cypriniformes · Cyprinidae · Luciobarbus

The minnow

Mesopotamian barbel is a minnow in the family Cyprinidae (order Cypriniformes) — Luciobarbus subquincunciatus.

Range and habitat

Leopard barbel is found across the Tigris-Euphrates Basin of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The Mesopotamian barbel or leopard barbel is a cyprinid fish found in the Tigris-Euphrates river system and is an inhabitant of large rivers.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

It has been (and most likely is still) declining very rapidly for at least the last 30 years. This species has disappeared for 12 years until it was rediscovered in January 2024 after a local fisherman caught an individual, and soon after another individual was captured. While there are not enough data to identify the actual rate of population decline, it was once locally abundant but now almost absent.

Mesopotamian barbel is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Mesopotamian barbel, Wikidata item Q28599376. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Aral barbel (Luciobarbus brachycephalus), recorded as EndangeredEN

Aral barbel

Luciobarbus brachycephalus
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Quick answers

What is Mesopotamian barbel?
Mesopotamian barbel is a minnow in the family Cyprinidae (order Cypriniformes) — Luciobarbus subquincunciatus.
What is the conservation status of Mesopotamian barbel?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Luciobarbus subquincunciatus. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Mesopotamian barbel live?
The Mesopotamian barbel or leopard barbel is a cyprinid fish found in the Tigris-Euphrates river system and is an inhabitant of large rivers.
Why is Mesopotamian barbel in crisis?
This species has disappeared for 12 years until it was rediscovered in January 2024 after a local fisherman caught an individual, and soon after another individual was captured.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Luciobarbus subquincunciatus?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Mesopotamian barbel a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.