barbel

views updated May 29 2018

barbel (barb) Carp-like freshwater fish of w Asia and s central Europe. A game and food fish, it has an elongated body, flattened underside, and two pairs of fleshy mouth whiskers (barbels). Length: 50–90cm (20–35in); weight: 16kg (35lb). Family Cyprinidae; species Barbus barbus.

barbel

views updated Jun 08 2018

bar·bel / ˈbärbəl/ • n. 1. a fleshy filament growing from the mouth or snout of a fish. 2. a large European freshwater fish (Barbus barbus) of the minnow family that has such filaments hanging from its mouth.

barbel

views updated Jun 08 2018

barbel freshwater fish with fleshy filaments hanging from mouth XV; such a filament in any fish XVII. — OF. barbel (mod. barbeau) :- late L. barbellus, dim. of barbus barbel, f. barba BEARD.

barbel

views updated May 21 2018

barbel A fleshy protuberance near the mouth of some fish, especially suctorial feeders (e.g. sturgeons and catfish). Basically a sensory structure, it is provided with tactile and chemical receptor cells, and is therefore useful in the location of food.