Barbus tyberinus

Captured Italian bar with maggots

The Italian barbel ( Barbus tyberinus ), Eng. Italian barbel or Horse barbel, to italian Barbo Tiberino, is an endemic only in Italy barb species.

Occurrence

The Italian bar is found in the waters, which open into the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Adriatic Sea. They are found from the rivers Essino in the north to the south Ofanto, in Fucino, in the rivers Arno, Tiber, Topino, Ombrone, Albegna, Fiora and Bruna.

Features

Barbus tyberinus has the typical shape of the barbel, this body and fins are black dots. The Italian bar is a maximum of 60 inches long with a weight of four pounds.

Way of life

The Italian bar inhabits both lowland and mountain rivers (called Piedemonte rivers and streams ) and adheres preferentially to the fast flowing water over gravel bottom. To their habitat include both permanent watercourses as well as those that only periodically flowing. It is paid similarly to the chub as a pioneer species in the colonization of new habitats. The optimum water temperature is found in the range of 10 to 22 ° C. Barbus tyberinus can survive even in extreme environmental conditions with respect to water flow and temperature.

Economic Importance

Because of their great tasting meat, the Italian bar a long time was an integral part of the kitchen in Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio.

Threat status

Despite far-reaching spread the population species is endangered and declining. This is by engineering measures and hybridization with other species such as the introduced barbel (Barbus barbus ) and the Tiber barbel ( Barbus plebejus ) causes.