Chub (Squalius cephalus)

General data

Main name: Chub
Climates: Subtropical, Temperate, Continental, Mountain
Habitat: Freshwater
Native: Europe, Asia
Distribution: Danube, Volga, Don, Rhine, Dnieper, Vistula, View all... Arno, Loire, River Severn, River Thames, River Wye, Daugava (Western Dvina), Seine, Adige, Northern Dvina, Neman (Nemunas), Kamchiya, Veleka, Bann, Lielupe, Venta, Gauja, Trent, Great Ouse, River Nene, Weser, Bristol Avon, River Eden (Cumbria), River Witham, River Ribble, River Tyne, River Taff, River Ely, River Parrett, Kokemaenjoki, Sulak River, Pineios (Thessaly), Elbe, Oder, Glomma, Dniester, Rhone, Meuse (Maas), Drin

Classification

Description

Description

The European chub (Squalius cephalus) is a robust, cylindrical-bodied freshwater fish belonging to the carp family Cyprinidae. It has a large head with a broad mouth, thick lips, and a slightly protruding lower jaw. The body is typically silvery to olive-brown, darker on the back and lighter on the flanks, with large, well-defined scales. The fins often show a grey to orange tint, especially the pelvic and anal fins. Chub are known for their adaptability and intelligence, which makes them one of the most resilient and cautious cyprinids.

Geographic Range

The European chub has a wide distribution across Europe and western Asia. It occurs throughout most of central, western, and eastern Europe, from the British Isles and France eastward through the Danube, Dniester, Dnieper, and Volga river systems. Its range extends into parts of Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

Chub inhabit rivers, streams, canals, and large lakes, preferring well-oxygenated waters with moderate current, but they also tolerate slow-flowing and even slightly polluted environments.

Size

Most European chub measure 30–50 cm in length and weigh 0.5–2 kg. However, in productive rivers and large lowland systems, specimens can exceed 60 cm and 4–5 kg. Exceptional individuals may live over 15 years, growing slowly but steadily.

Fishing

European chub are a highly valued sport fish, known for their strength, sharp senses, and unpredictable behavior. They are opportunistic omnivores, feeding on insects, crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, fruits, seeds, and even terrestrial prey that falls into the water.

Popular fishing methods include:

Float fishing with bread, cheese, worms, or insects
Light spinning using small crankbaits, spinners, and soft lures
Surface fishing with bread crusts or insect
Fly fishing, especially effective during insect hatches

Chub are particularly active during spring and summer, often feeding near the surface in low light conditions. Their cautious nature and excellent eyesight make them a challenging and rewarding target for anglers.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Actinistia - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Actinopteri - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
    
    Cyprinidae - Carps->
    
    Gobionidae - Gudgeons->
    
    Tincidae - Tench->
    
    Cobitidae - True loaches->
    
    Acheilognathidae - Bitterling-like cyprinids->
    
    Leuciscidae - Chub family->
    
    Squalius - Chubs->
    
    Chub (Squalius cephalus)
    
    Zrmanja Dace (Squalius zrmanjae)
    
    Vardar chub (Squalius vardarensis)
    
    Smallscale chub (Squalius tenellus)
    
    Thracian chub (Squalius orpheus)
    
    Drim chub (Squalius platyceps)
    
    Iberian dace (Squalius alburnoides)
    
    Pyrenaean (Squalius pyrenaicus)
    
    Italian chub (Squalius squalus)
    
    Namak chub (Squalius namak)
    
    Arade chub (Squalius aradensis)
    
    Neretva chub (Squalius svallize)
    
    Escalo (Squalius carolitertii)
    
    Imotski chub (Squalius microlepis)
    
    Istrian chub (Squalius janae)
    
    Adana chub (Squalius adanaensis)
    
    Kura chub (Squalius agdamicus)
    
    Trasimeno chub (Squalius albus)
    
    Beysehir dace (Squalius anatolicus)
    
    Aphips chub (Squalius aphipsi)
    
    Tuzla chub (Squalius aristotelis)
    
    Mesopotamian chub (Squalius berak)
    
    Cappadocian chub (Squalius cappadocicus)
    
    Chocolate chub (Squalius carinus)
    
    Squalius castellanus (Squalius castellanus)
    
    Thick lipped chub (Squalius cephaloides)
    
    European chub (Squalius cii)
    
    Aegean chub (Squalius fellowesii)
    
    Rhodes minnow (Squalius ghigii)
    
    Illyrian chub (Squalius illyricus)
    
    Evrotas chub (Squalius keadicus)
    
    Squalius kosswigi (Squalius kosswigi)
    
    Striped chub (Squalius kottelati)
    
    Catalan chub (Squalius laietanus)
    
    Tigris dace (Squalius lepidus)
    
    Toscana Stream Chub (Squalius lucumonis)
    
    Malaga chub (Squalius malacitanus)
    
    Stymphalia chub (Squalius moreoticus)
    
    Squalius orientalis (Squalius orientalis)
    
    Pamvotis chub (Squalius pamvoticus)
    
    Peloponnese chub (Squalius peloponensis)
    
    Squalius prespensis (Squalius prespensis)
    
    Sakarya chub (Squalius pursakensis)
    
    AkÅŸehir chub (Squalius recurvirostris)
    
    Seyhan dace (Squalius seyhanensis)
    
    Orontes dace (Squalius spurius)
    
    Syr-Darya dace (Squalius squaliusculus)
    
    Torgal chub (Squalius torgalensis)
    
    Transcaucasian chub (Squalius turcicus)
    
    Squalius ulanus (Squalius ulanus)
    
    Valencia chub (Squalius valentinus)
    
    Abramis - Breams->
    
    Ballerus - Blue Breams->
    
    Blicca - Silver Breams->
    
    Vimba - Vimbas->
    
    Chondrostoma - Nases->
    
    Alburnoides - Riffle minnows->
    
    Alburnus - Bleaks->
    
    Phoxinus - Eurasian minnows->
    
    Leucaspius - Moderlieschens->
    
    Leuciscus - Eurasian daces->
    
    Telestes - Souffies->
    
    Pelecus - Sabrefishes->
    
    Rutilus - Roaches->
    
    Scardinius - Rudds->
    
    Pachychilon - Macedonian Roaches->
    
    Pelasgus - Greek minnow->
    
    Achondrostoma - Achondrostoma->
    
    Ptychocheilus - Pikeminnows->
    
    Pseudaspius - Amur asp->
    
    Pseudochondrostoma - Pseudo nase->
    
    Gila - Gila chub->
    
    Luxilus - Luxilus->
    
    Semotilus - Creek chubs->
    
    Notemigonus - Golden shiners->
    
    Siphateles - Siphateles->
    
    Richardsonius - Redside shiners->
    
    Orthodon - Orthodon->
    
    Campostoma - Stonerollers->
    
    Nocomis - North American chubs->
    
    Leucos - Adriatic roaches->
    
    Sarmarutilus - Sarmarutilus->
    
    Delminichthys - Karst minnows->
    
    Phoxinellus - Adriatic naked minnows->
    
    Parachondrostoma - South-west European nase->
    
    Iberochondrostoma - Iberian nase->
    
    Petroleuciscus - Ponto-Caspian chubs->
    
    Pimephales - Bluntnose minnows->
    
    Rhinichthys - Riffle daces->
    
    Cyprinella - Satinfin shiners->
    
    Macrhybopsis - Blacktail chubs->
    
    Platygobio - Platygobio->
    
    Chrosomus - Redbelly dace->
    
    Notropis - Eastern shiners->
    
    Erimystax - Slender chubs->
    
    Clinostomus - Redside daces->
    
    Couesius - Couesius->
    
    Mylocheilus - Mylocheilus->
    
    Acrocheilus - Acrocheilus->
    
    Acanthobrama - Acanthobrama->
    
    Agosia - Agosia->
    
    Algansea - Algansea->
    
    Anaecypris - Anaecypris->
    
    Aspiolucius - Aspiolucius->
    
    Aztecula - Aztecula->
    
    Capoetobrama - Capoetobrama->
    
    Hemitremia - Hemitremia->
    
    Codoma - Codoma->
    
    Dionda - Desert Minnows->
    
    Eremichthys - Eremichthys->
    
    Ericymba - Ericymba->
    
    Evarra - Evarra->
    
    Exoglossum - Exoglossum->
    
    Hesperoleucus - Hesperoleucus->
    
    Hybognathus - Hybognathus->
    
    Hybopsis - Hybopsis->
    
    Iberocypris - Iberocypris->
    
    Iotichthys - Iotichthys->
    
    Ladigesocypris - Ladigesocypris->
    
    Lavinia - Lavinia->
    
    Lepidomeda - Lepidomeda->
    
    Leucalburnus - Leucalburnus->
    
    Lythrurus - Lythrurus->
    
    Margariscus - Margariscus->
    
    Meda - Meda->
    
    Mirogrex - Mirogrex->
    
    Moapa - Moapa->
    
    Mylopharodon - Mylopharodon->
    
    Opsopoeodus - Opsopoeodus->
    
    Oregonichthys - Oregonichthys->
    
    Oreoleuciscus - Oreoleuciscus->
    
    Pararhinichthys - Pararhinichthys->
    
    Phenacobius - Phenacobius->
    
    Plagopterus - Plagopterus->
    
    Pogonichthys - Pogonichthys->
    
    Protochondrostoma - Protochondrostoma->
    
    Pseudophoxinus - Pseudophoxinus->
    
    Pteronotropis - Pteronotropis->
    
    Relictus - Relictus->
    
    Rhynchocypris - Rhynchocypris->
    
    Tampichthys - Tampichthys->
    
    Stypodon - Stypodon->
    
    Tropidophoxinellus - Tropidophoxinellus->
    
    Yuriria - Yuriria->
    
    Paranotropis - Paranotropis->
    
    Miniellus - Miniellus->
    
    Nemacheilidae - Stone loaches->
    
    Xenocyprididae - East Asian minnows->
    
    Catostomidae - Suckers->
    
    Leptobarbidae - Cigar barbs->
    
    Balitoridae - River loaches->
    
    Barbuccidae - Fire-eyed loaches->
    
    Botiidae - Pointface loaches->
    
    Danionidae - Danios->
    
    Ellopostomatidae - Square-head loaches->
    
    Gastromyzontidae - Hillstream loaches->
    
    Gyrinocheilidae - Algae eaters->
    
    Paedocyprididae - Tiny carps->
    
    Psilorhynchidae - Mountain carps->
    
    Serpenticobitidae - Snake loaches->
    
    Sundadanionidae - Tiny danios->
    
    Tanichthyidae - Mountain minnows->
    
    Vaillantellidae - Longfin loaches->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipnoi - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons and Paddlefishes->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->

Chub (Squalius cephalus)

General data

Classification

Description

Taxonomy of Fishes

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