Barbus anatolicus Common name. Anatolian barbel. Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Barbus in West Asia by: ● anal of equal length in female and in male / ○ 58–71 total lateral-line scales / ○ 9–11 gill rakers / ○ 45–49 total vertebrae / ○ lower lip with median lobe / ○ last simple dorsal ray moderately ossified, serrated along about 70–80 % of its posterior margin / ○ many small irregular shaped black or brown spots, smaller or as large as scales, often forming large, dark-brown blotches on head, back, and flank in adults and juveniles / ○ posterior dorsal margin concave. Size up to 400 mm SL. Distribution. Türkiye: Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak drainages. Habitat. Medium to large rivers. Wide variety of habitats with moderate to strong currents and rocky or gravelly substrate. Biology. Matures at about 2−4 years, males one year earlier than females. Usually a fractional spawner, some females appear to spawn only once a year. Feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates and algae. Conservation status. LC. Further reading. Kotlík et al. 2004 (molecular phylogeny; as clade IV); Turan et al. 2018c (description).

Published as part of Freyhof, Jörg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, GmbH, Berlin / Boston :De Gruyter on pages 96-97, DOI: 10.1515/9783111677811, http://zenodo.org/record/17881367