Labeo kirkii Boulenger, 1903

Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Labeoninae
Max. size:  24 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: Congo River basin in Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Rovuma River on the Tanzania-Mozambique border (Ref. 26192).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 5-5; Vertebrae: 31-33. Diagnosis: Large lips plicate; dorsal fin concave with 10 branched rays; eyes in superolateral position; genital orifice far from the origin of the anal fin; snout largely pointed and very prominent with a deep transverse furrow and a fleshy appendix at the end; dark lateral brown band on the flanks (Ref. 26192).

Description: Body moderately compressed, its depth equal to head length and 4 times in total length (Ref. 1878). Caudal peduncle a little longer than deep (Ref. 1878). Head 2/3 as broad as long; snout obtusely pointed, strongly projecting, with a strong curved transverse groove above, its length 1/2 of head length; eye supero-lateral, 6 times in head length, 2.5 times in interorbital width; width of mouth, with lips, 3/5 of head length; lips strongly developed, upper straight-edged, lower expanded and bordered in front by a fringe of papillae, the posterior border festooned; inner surface of lips with small papillae forming numerous transverse plicae; rostral flap large, with denticulate edge; wnout with crater-like scars of large tubercles (Ref. 1878). Dorsal fin with 3 spines and 10-14 soft rays, equally distant from nostrils and from caudal fin, upper edge concave, longest ray a little longer than head length; anal fin with 3 spines and 5 soft rays, nearly reaching root of caudal fin; pectoral fin as long as head length, not reaching pelvic fin, the first ray of which falls below 4th branched ray of dorsal fin; caudal fin deeply emarginate (Ref. 1878, 26192). Scales on lateral line 38-41, 4 scales between lateral line and base of pelvic fin, 17-22 scales around caudal peduncle (Ref. 1878, 26192).

Colouration: Dark brown above, lighter beneath (Ref. 1878).

Biology:  Found in rapid waters and swampy areas (Ref. 26192).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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