Barb (fish)

A barb is one of various ray-finned fish species in a non-phylogenetic group, with members in the family Cyprinidae, and especially the genera Barbus and Puntius, but many others also. They were formerly united with the barbels in the subfamily Barbinae, but that group is paraphyletic with the Cyprininae. If the Labeoninae are recognized as distinct, many small African "barbs" would probably, however, warrant recognition as a new subfamily.

The root of the word "barb" is common in cyprinid names of European languages, from the Latin barba ("beard") (COD):

and many others. This is in reference to the barbels which are prominently seen around the mouth of many "barbs".

Genera

Genera that contain species with common names including "barb":

See also

Footnotes

References

Fish

A fish is any member of a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups. Most fish are ectothermic ("cold-blooded"), allowing their body temperatures to vary as ambient temperatures change, though some of the large active swimmers like white shark and tuna can hold a higher core temperature. Fish are abundant in most bodies of water. They can be found in nearly all aquatic environments, from high mountain streams (e.g., char and gudgeon) to the abyssal and even hadal depths of the deepest oceans (e.g., gulpers and anglerfish). With 33,100 described species, fish exhibit greater species diversity than any other group of vertebrates.

Fish are an important resource for humans worldwide, especially as food. Commercial and subsistence fishers hunt fish in wild fisheries (see fishing) or farm them in ponds or in cages in the ocean (see aquaculture). They are also caught by recreational fishers, kept as pets, raised by fishkeepers, and exhibited in public aquaria. Fish have had a role in culture through the ages, serving as deities, religious symbols, and as the subjects of art, books and movies.

Barb

Barb or BARB may refer to:

Cherry barb

The cherry barb (Puntius titteya) is a tropical fish belonging to the spotted barb genus of the Cyprinidae family. It is native to Sri Lanka, and introduced populations have become established in Mexico and Colombia. The cherry barb was named Puntius titteya by Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala in 1929. Synonyms include Barbus titteya and Capoeta titteya.

The species is commercially important in the aquarium trade, and it is in danger of being overfished for this industry. It was listed as a least-concern species in 1996.

Description

The cherry barb is an elongated fish with a relatively compressed body. It reaches 5 cm in length. It is fawn-colored on top with a slight greenish sheen. Its sides and belly have gleaming silver highlights. A horizontal stripe extends from the tip of the snout through the eye to the base of the caudal fin. It is brown- or blue-black with a metallic edge, turning to blue or sea green toward the tail. The male is more red than the female, becoming deep red when breeding. The dominant male often has the brightest red color. The female is lighter, with yellowish fins.