Burchell's Redfin also known as Tradouw Redfin or Tradou Redfin, is a ray-finned fish species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 in the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Cyprinidae. P. burchelli is the type species

Type species

In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...

 of its genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Pseudobarbus

Pseudobarbus

Pseudobarbus is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. The type species is Burchell's Redfin . The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek pseudes and the Latin word barbus . This genus contains some of the South African redfins...

, and like all of these is tetraploid. The Berg River Redfin

Berg River Redfin

The Berg River Redfin or Berg Redfin is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. The Burchell's Redfin , the type species of its genus Pseudobarbus, is a very close relative...

 (P. burgi) is a very close relative.

It is endemic to the Western Cape Province of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, where it occurs in the Moeras and Tradouw Rivers. Whether the similar fishes from the Breede River

Breede River

The Breede River , is a river in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Travelling inland north from Cape Town, the river runs in a west to east direction, the surrounding western mountains thus forming the first continental divide experienced by European settlers in the 18th century...

 and Heuningnes River are also P. burchelli is undetermined.

Two population

Population

A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

s are known with certainty, one in the Moeras River at Barrydale

Barrydale

Barrydale is a village located on the border of the Overberg and Klein Karoo regions of the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Named after James Barry, it is situated at the northern end of the Tradouw's pass which winds its way through the mountains to Swellendam.-History:Barrydale's history...

 and one at the Tradouw River at Tradouw's Pass. During summer, low water levels cut off gene flow

Gene flow

In population genetics, gene flow is the transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another.Migration into or out of a population may be responsible for a marked change in allele frequencies...

 between these two. The species inhabits deeper sections of the rivers' somewhat peat

Peat

Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...

y water. Other fish are rare, and in Burchell's Redfin's range seem to consist of the introduced Bluegill

Bluegill

The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...

 (Lepomis macrochirus) and Tilapia sparrmanii only.

The introduced Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...

 (Micropterus dolomieu) is expanding in the region and apparently destroys P. burchelli stocks as it does so. Human interference with the river's flow around Barrydale as well as water pollution

Water pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....

 have reached dangerous proportions. Consequently, Burchell's Redfin is considered to be in serious danger of going extinct within a few years. It is assessed to be Critically Endangered

Critically Endangered

Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....

 by the IUCN; no conservation

Conservation biology

Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...

plan has been proposed for the species yet.