A small freshwater fish found in European rivers, related to the gudgeon, with a slender body and bottom-feeding habits.
From French 'asprete' or Old French, possibly derived from Latin 'asper' (rough, harsh), referring to the fish's rough texture or possibly its aggressive feeding behavior. The word entered English in the medieval period through contact with French naturalists.
The asprete nearly went extinct in many European river systems due to pollution and habitat loss, but conservation efforts in France and Spain have brought populations back from the brink—it's one of freshwater ecology's quiet success stories.
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