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Hemibarbus maculatus

Spotted Steed

Bleeker, 1871Formerly Barbus semibarbus Günther, 1889 · Acanthogobio paltschevskii Nikolskii, 1904 · Hemibarbus joiteni Jordan & Starks, 1904 · Hemibarbus longibarbis Fang, 1938

Last revised 2014Edit this page

On this page8 sections
Subadult individual.
Subadult individual.http://ffish.asia

Quick factsEdit

Max size
400mm SL16in SL
Aquarium size
not recorded
Temp
not recorded
pH
not recorded
Hardness
not recorded

Difficulty3 of 8 measures

Moderate

How the rating is worked out

Space
very large tank
Water
unknown
Temp
unknown
Diet
unknown
Temperament
unknown
Social
needs to be in a group
Compatibility
fine with others

Other demands

Each of these can raise the rating on its own, whatever the measures above say.

Hardiness
unknown
  • Needs a very large tank

The spotted steed, Hemibarbus maculatus, is a cyprinid widespread in eastern Asia between the Yangtze and Amur basins, including Taiwan and Hainan. It has 7–11 large blackish spots on each flank and a deep body with a clearly convex dorsal profile. A riverine fish of clear, well-oxygenated running water, it breeds in May and June, depositing its eggs among aquatic vegetation. It has probably been introduced to Vietnam and Laos, or records from there represent another species.

Etymology

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Hemibarbus: from the Ancient Greek ἡμι- (hēmi-), meaning 'half', and the generic name Barbus, to which members appear similar.

maculatus: from the Latin maculatus, meaning 'spotted', in allusion to this species' colour pattern.

Distribution

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Widepread in eastern Asia between the Yangtze and Amur river basins, including China (mainland and islands of Taiwan and Hainan), Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and Japan. It probably been introduced to Vietnam and Laos, or records from these countries represent another species.

Type locality is 'Chang Jiang [Yangtze River], China'.

Habitat

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Predominantly a riverine fish preferring clear, well-oxygenated, running waters with substrates of sand, gravel, rock or mud.

Diet

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Wild individuals are known to feed on benthic crustaceans, insects and molluscs.

Reproduction

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In nature breeds between May and June with eggs deposited among aquatic vegetation.

Notes

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This species can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: 7-11 large blackish spots on each flank; body deep with clearly convex dorsal profile; head length shorter than body depth; snout length shorter or equal to postorbital head length; lips not developed, lateral lobes of lower lip narrow, without folds, the median process large and marked; barbel length ½-⅔ of eye diameter; dorsal spine strong, equal to HL, last simple ray ossified and thicker than branched rays; origin of dorsal fin closer to tip of snout than caudal-fin base; 6½ branched anal-fin rays.

References

  1. Yue, P. Q. (1995). A revision of the cyprinid fishes of the genus Hemibarbus in China (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 20(1), 116-123
  2. Kottelat, M. (2013). The fishes of the inland waters of southeast Asia: a catalogue and core bibiography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters, mangroves and estuaries. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 27, 1-663
  3. Kottelat, M. (2006). Fishes of Mongolia. A check-list of the fishes known to occur in Mongolia with comments on systematics and nomenclature. The World Bank. Washington, DC., i-xi + 1-103
  4. Bogutskaya, N. G., A. M. Naseka, S. V. Shedko, E. D. Vasil'eva and I. A. Chereshnev (2008). The fishes of the Amur River: updated check-list and zoogeography. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 19(4), 301-366
  5. Kottelat, M. (2001). Freshwater fishes of northern Vietnam. A preliminary check-list of the fishes known or expected to occur in northern Vietnam with comments on systematics and nomenclature. Environment and Social Development Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region. The World Bank, i-iii + 1-123 + 1-18
  6. Kottelat, M. (2001). Fishes of Laos. WHT Publications, Colombo, 1-198
  7. Bleeker, P. (1871). Mémoire sur les cyprinoïdes de Chine. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen (Amsterdam) v. 12 (art. 2), 1-91

Species images · 3

Subadult individual.
Subadult individual.http://ffish.asia
Juvenile specimens from the Chinese aquarium trade.
Juvenile specimens from the Chinese aquarium trade.Marco Endruweit
Detail of head and anterior portion of body; juvenile individual.
Detail of head and anterior portion of body; juvenile individual.Marco Endruweit

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