Mangar (fish)

Mangar
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Barbinae
Genus: Luciobarbus
Species:
L. esocinus
Binomial name
Luciobarbus esocinus
Heckel, 1843
Synonyms
  • Barbus esocinus (Heckel, 1843)
  • Barbus euphrati (Sauvage, 1882)
  • Labeobarbus euphrati Sauvage, 1882

The Mangar or pike barbel, (Luciobarbus esocinus) is a large species of ray-finned fish in the genus Luciobarbus within the family Cyprinidae, native to the Tigris–Euphrates river system in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

The species is highly prized as a food fish, but it has declined due to overfishing and habitat loss, making it vulnerable. It was well-known even in ancient times and there are illustrations from 1500–1000 BC showing Assyrian priests or deities dressed in the skin of mangar.