Luciobarbus capito (Güldenstädt, 1773)

[N]—Bulatamai barbel

Taxonomy. Original description: Cyprinus capito Güldenstädt, 1773: 519, 520 [Kura River, Transcaucasia; no types known].— Afghanistan synonyms: Barbus capito (Güldenstädt, 1773); Barbus bilkewitschi Bulgakov, 1923; Cyprinus bulatmai Hablizl, 1783; Cyprinus chalybatus Pallas, 1814; Barbus lacertoides Kessler, 1872; Barbus capito serratus Sokolinskii, 1927; Barbus capito capito platycephalus Abdurakhmanov, 1960.—Revisions: Berg (1949: 698) as Barbus capito; Karaman (1971: 211) as Barbus capito capito .—Illustration: Berg (1949: 699, fig. 455) as Barbus capito .

Status in Afghanistan. First record from Afghanistan by Coad (1981: 9); confirmed by Coad (2014: 187; 2015: 228).—Afghanistan materials: CMN.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Afghanistan: Panj River.—General distribution: Eurasia: Aral Sea and western and southern Caspian Sea basins. Anadromous and non-anadromous, freshwater, brackish, marine.— Habitat: This species spawns in lowland streams and rivers on a sand-gravel bottom, usually in a strong current. Semi-anadromous but rarely landlocked in reservoirs. Freshwater, brackish, marine.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Afghanistan: Unknown.—IUCN: VU (Freyhof & Kottelat 2008b).—Threats: FIT, CON, ABS.—High sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Decreasing.— Moderate priority for conservation action.