Chinese Paddlefish
Encyclopedia
Chinese Paddlefish, Psephurus gladius , also known as Chinese Swordfish, are among the largest freshwater
fish
. It is one of two extant paddlefish
species, the other being the American Paddlefish
(Polyodon spathula). It is also called "elephant fish" (象魚; xiàngyú) because its snout resembles an elephant
trunk. It is recorded sometimes in Classical Chinese
as wěi-fish (鮪). More poetically, it is sometimes referred to as the "Giant Panda of the Rivers", not because of any physical resemblance to a panda
, but because of its rarity and protected status.
The Chinese Paddlefish is the People's Republic of China
's first-level protected animal. Its belly is white and back and head grey. They live mostly in the middle or lower part of the Yangtze
(Chang Jiang), occasionally in large lakes. They feed on other fish, as well as small amounts of crabs and crayfish
. Paddlefish are sexually mature at age seven or eight, with a typical body length of 2 metres and a weight of 25 kilograms.
It is said that the zoologist Bǐng Zhì (秉志) recorded around the 1950s that some fishermen caught a paddlefish of 7-metres, although the authenticity of the story is unconfirmed. It is said that the Chinese paddlefish can grow to 23 feet and weigh 1,100 pounds, but little research on a maximum size can be conducted today due to the species' scarcity.
Due to overfishing, the Chinese Paddlefish is critically endangered now, and officially recognized by the People's Republic in 1983 to prevent fishing of paddlefish young or adults. Paddlefish are also threatened by dams (such as the Three Gorges Dam
) which divide the population into isolated groups. The fish are rarely seen, recently raising concerns that the species might already be extinct. During a three-year search conducted from 2006–2008 a research team from the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science in Jingzhou
failed to find even one specimen. The last confirmed sighting of
the fish alive occurred January 24, 2003 on the Yangtze.
by illegal fishing on January 8, 2007, in Jiayu County. He contacted officials who rushed to the site.
Zeb Hogan of Monster Fish on National Geographic Channel and other conservationists transferred the
fish to a holding pen in hope that it would survive. But shortly after it died due to unrecoverable injuries
attained while thrashing in the net.
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. It is one of two extant paddlefish
Paddlefish
Paddlefish are primitive Chondrostean ray-finned fishes. The paddlefish can be distinguished by its large mouth and its elongated, spatula-like snout, called a rostrum, which is longer than the rest of the head...
species, the other being the American Paddlefish
American Paddlefish
The American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, also called the Mississippi paddlefish or spoonbill, is a paddlefish living in slow-flowing waters of the Mississippi River drainage system. It appears to have been extirpated from Lake Erie and its tributaries. They are closely related to the sturgeons...
(Polyodon spathula). It is also called "elephant fish" (象魚; xiàngyú) because its snout resembles an elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
trunk. It is recorded sometimes in Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
as wěi-fish (鮪). More poetically, it is sometimes referred to as the "Giant Panda of the Rivers", not because of any physical resemblance to a panda
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
, but because of its rarity and protected status.
The Chinese Paddlefish is the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's first-level protected animal. Its belly is white and back and head grey. They live mostly in the middle or lower part of the Yangtze
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
(Chang Jiang), occasionally in large lakes. They feed on other fish, as well as small amounts of crabs and crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
. Paddlefish are sexually mature at age seven or eight, with a typical body length of 2 metres and a weight of 25 kilograms.
It is said that the zoologist Bǐng Zhì (秉志) recorded around the 1950s that some fishermen caught a paddlefish of 7-metres, although the authenticity of the story is unconfirmed. It is said that the Chinese paddlefish can grow to 23 feet and weigh 1,100 pounds, but little research on a maximum size can be conducted today due to the species' scarcity.
Due to overfishing, the Chinese Paddlefish is critically endangered now, and officially recognized by the People's Republic in 1983 to prevent fishing of paddlefish young or adults. Paddlefish are also threatened by dams (such as the Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
) which divide the population into isolated groups. The fish are rarely seen, recently raising concerns that the species might already be extinct. During a three-year search conducted from 2006–2008 a research team from the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science in Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
failed to find even one specimen. The last confirmed sighting of
the fish alive occurred January 24, 2003 on the Yangtze.
by illegal fishing on January 8, 2007, in Jiayu County. He contacted officials who rushed to the site.
Zeb Hogan of Monster Fish on National Geographic Channel and other conservationists transferred the
fish to a holding pen in hope that it would survive. But shortly after it died due to unrecoverable injuries
attained while thrashing in the net.
External links
- The Chinese Paddlefish Website – containing many photographs of Psephurus.
- 150-kilogram female caught and released: YibinYibin-Administrative divisions:-Economy:The city's industry focuses on electronics, food products, and power generation. It also produces paper, silk, and leather products...
, China