Cyprinus
Encyclopedia
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of typical carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
s in family Cyprinidae. They are of East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
n origin and closely related to some more barb-like genera, such Cyclocheilichthys
Cyclocheilichthys
Cyclocheilichthys is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae.- Species :* Cyclocheilichthys apogon * Cyclocheilichthys armatus...
and the recently-established Barbonymus
Barbonymus
Barbonymus is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae, containing some barb species. The genus was only established in 1999, with the Tinfoil Barb as type species; thus, these fish are sometimes collectively called tinfoils...
(tinfoils). The crucian carps (Carassius
Carassius
Carassius is a genus in the ray-finned fish family Cyprinidae. The species in this genus are commonly known as Crucian carps, though this term often specifically refers to C. carassius. The most well known is the goldfish , which was bred from the Prussian carp...
) of western Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
, which include the goldfish
Goldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
(C. auratus), are apparently not as closely related.
This genus' most widespread and well-known member is the common carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
(C. carpio). It is famed as a food fish and widely traded and introduced since antiquity
Ancient history
Ancient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
, but in certain areas has multiplied inordinately and become a pest. In some places, such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it is illegal to not kill a Common Carp when you can, due to their severe overpopulation
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth...
. In its long use it has been domesticated, and a number of breed
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
s have been developed for food and other purposes. The koi
Koi
or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....
(from Japanese nishikigoi, 錦鯉) are well-known common carp breeds, selectively bred
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
for being enjoyed by spectators from above. Strictly speaking, "koi" is simply the Japanese name of the common carp.
The other species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of typical carps are generally found in more restricted areas of eastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, centered around the Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
region. In some cases, they are endemic to a single lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, most notably Lake Er, as well as Lake Dian
Lake Dian
Dian Lake or Kunming Lake is a large inter-land lake located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau close to Kunming, Yunnan, China. Its nickname is "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland," and it was the model for the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing.It is a freshwater fault lake at above...
, Lake Jilu Lake Qilihu, Lake Xingyun and Lake Yi-Lung, which are all in Yunnan proper. A species from the last-named, C. yilongensis
Cyprinus yilongensis
Cyprinus yilongensis is an extinct species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family.It was found only in China.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, was apparently endemic; if so, it is probably now extinct.
Species
- Cyprinus acutidorsalisCyprinus acutidorsalisCyprinus acutidorsalis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
Y. H. Wang, 1979 - Cyprinus barbatusCyprinus barbatusCyprinus barbatus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 - Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758
- Cyprinus carpio carpio Linnaeus, 1758 (common carp)
- Cyprinus carpio haematopterus E. von MartensEduard von MartensEduard von Martens sometimes known as Carl or Karl Eduard von Martens, was a German zoologist.Born in Stuttgart in 1831, von Martens attended universities in Tübingen, Stuttgart and Munich, graduating from the University of Tübingen in 1855. In 1860, he set off as part of an expedition to the Far...
, 1876 (Amur carp)
- Cyprinus centralusCyprinus centralusCyprinus centralus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. D. Nguyễn & Đ. Y. Mai, 1994 - Cyprinus chiliaCyprinus chiliaCyprinus chilia is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. W. Wu, G. R. Yang & H. J. Huang, 1963 - Cyprinus daiCyprinus daiCyprinus dai is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
(V. H. Nguyen & L. H. Doan, 1969) - Cyprinus daliensisCyprinus daliensisCyprinus daliensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. L. Chen & M. Q. Huang, 1977 - Cyprinus exophthalmusCyprinus exophthalmusCyprinus exophthalmus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
Đ. Y. Mai, 1978 - Cyprinus fuxianensisCyprinus fuxianensisCyprinus fuxianensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
Yang et al., 1977 - Cyprinus hyperdorsalisCyprinus hyperdorsalisCyprinus hyperdorsalis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
V. H. Nguyen, 1991 - Cyprinus ilishaestomusCyprinus ilishaestomusCyprinus ilishaestomus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 - Cyprinus inthaCyprinus inthaCyprinus intha is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
AnnandaleNelson AnnandaleThomas Nelson Annandale CIE was a Scottish zoologist, entomologist and anthropologist.The eldest son of Thomas Annandale, the regius professor of clinical surgery at the University of Edinburgh, Nelson was educated at Rugby School, Balliol College, Oxford, and the University of Edinburgh.Annandale...
, 1918 - Cyprinus longipectoralisCyprinus longipectoralisCyprinus longipectoralis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 - Cyprinus longzhouensisCyprinus longzhouensisCyprinus longzhouensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
Y. J. Yang & H. C. Hwang, 1977 - Cyprinus megalophthalmusCyprinus megalophthalmusCyprinus megalophthalmus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
H. W. Wu, G. R. Yang, P. Q. Yue & H. J. Huang, 1963 - Cyprinus micristiusCyprinus micristiusThe Dianchi Carp is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family.It is found only in China.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
Regan, 1906 - Cyprinus multitaeniataCyprinus multitaeniataCyprinus multitaeniata is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
PellegrinJacques PellegrinJacques Pellegrin was a French zoologist.Pellegrin was born in Paris, and studied natural history. In 1894 he became assistant chairman of zoology at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, replacing Léon Vaillant .He got his doctorates in medicine and science...
& Chevey, 1936 - Cyprinus pellegriniCyprinus pellegriniCyprinus pellegrini is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
T. L. Tchang, 1933 - †FossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
Cyprinus priscus von Meyer (Fossil species from Miocene Germany) - Cyprinus qionghaiensisCyprinus qionghaiensisCyprinus qionghaiensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
C. H. Liu, 1981 - Cyprinus quidatensis T. T. Nguyen, V. T. Le, T. B. Le & X. K. Nguyen, 1999
- Cyprinus rubrofuscusCyprinus rubrofuscusCyprinus rubrofuscus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
Lacépède, 1803 - †Cyprinus yilongensisCyprinus yilongensisCyprinus yilongensis is an extinct species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family.It was found only in China.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
Yang et al., 1977 - Cyprinus yunnanensisCyprinus yunnanensisCyprinus yunnanensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus....
T. L. Tchang, 1933