Taxonomic Account

Kingdom Animalia

Subkingdom Bilateria

Infrakingdom Deuterostomia

Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Vertebrata

Infraphylum Gnathostomata

Superclass Actinopterygii

Class Teleostei

Superorder Ostariophysi

Order Cypriniformes

Superfamily Cyprinoidea

Family Cyprinidae

Genus Cyprinus Linnaeus, 1758 – common carps

Species Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 – common carp, European carp,

Reference: Wayne C. Starnes

Research Curator of Fishes, North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences, Research Laboratory,
4301 Reedy Creek Rd., Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA

Cyprinus carpio

Eschmeyer, William N., ed.

Publication Date: 1998

Article/Chapter Title: Catalog of Fishes

Journal/Book Name, Vol. No.: Special Publication of the Center for Biodiversity Research and
Information, no. 1, vol 1-3

Page(s): 2905

Publisher: California Academy of Sciences

Publication Place: San Francisco, California, USA

ISBN/ISSN: 0-940228-47-5
 Notes: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25622932

Reference for: Cyprinus carpio

Reference:
https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=163344#null

Species Account

Conservation Status:

Common carp are common throughout much of the world.

 IUCN Red List

Critically Endangered
More information

 IUCN Red List

Critically Endangered
More information

 US Federal List

No special status

 CITES

No special status

 State of Michigan List

No special status

Structural/Anatomical Adaptation:

Carp often grow 30 to 60 cm in length and weigh 0.5 to 4 kg (Tomelleri and Eberle 1990); it is not
uncommon for common carp to reach 15 to 20 kg (McCrimmon 1968). Males are usually distinguished
from females by the larger ventral fin. Carp are characterized by their deep body and serrated dorsal
spine (Nelson 1984). The mouth is terminal on the adult and subterminal on the young (Page and Burr
1991). Color and proportions are extremely variable, but scales are always large and thick. Three sub-
species with slightly different scale patterns are recognized. C. carpio communis (scale carp) has regular
concentric scales, C. carpio specularis (mirror carp) large scales running along the side of the body in
several rows with the rest of the body naked, and C. carpio coiaceus (leather carp) with few or no scales
on the back and a thick skin (McCrimmon 1968). (McCrimmon, 1968; Nelson, 1984; Page and Burr,
1991; Tomelleri and Eberle, 1990)

 Other Physical Features

 heterothermic

 bilateral symmetry

 Sexual Dimorphism

 sexes alike

 Range mass

20 (high) kg

44.05 (high) lb

 Average mass

0.5-4 kg lb

 Average length

30-60 cm in

Unique Feature:

Koi fish that live in temperate geographic areas hibernate during the winter. It swims to the bottom of
the pond (with higher temperature of water) and remains dormant until the weather conditions
improve.

Koi fish are sensitive to the sun. They may get sunburns if they live in the ponds that do not provide
enough shadow.

Koi fish release ammonia in the water. When large number of koi fish inhabit same pond, level of
ammonia can increase rapidly and induce poisoning of fish.

Source: http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/koi_fish_facts/474/

Carp can typically be found in small schools, although larger carp often lead a solitary existence. (Smith,
1991)

 Key Behaviors

 natatorial

 motile

 sedentary

 solitary

 social
Diet Preferences:

Carp are primarily selective benthic omnivores that specialize on invertebrates that live in the sediments
(Lammens and Hoogenboezem 1991). Newly hatched carp initially feed on zooplankton; specifically
rotifers, copepods, and algae (McCrimmon 1968). Young of year carp feed on a variety of
macroinvertebrates including chironomids, caddis flies, mollusks, ostracods, and crustaceans
(McCrimmon 1968). Adult carp are known to eat a wide variety of organisms including, insects,
crustaceans, annelids, mollusks, fish eggs, fish remains, and plant tubers and seeds (McCrimmon 1968,
Lammens and Hoogenboezem, 1991). Carp feed by sucking up mud from the bottom ejecting it and
them selectively consuming items while they are suspended (McCrimmon 1968). The feeding galleries of
carp are easily recognized in shallow waters as depressions in the sediment (Cahn 1929). (Cahn,
1929; Lammens and Hoogenboezem, 1991; McCrimmon, 1968)

 Primary Diet

 omnivore

 Animal Foods

 fish

 eggs

 carrion

 insects

 mollusks

 terrestrial worms

 aquatic crustaceans

 zooplankton

 Plant Foods

 leaves

 roots and tubers

 seeds, grains, and nuts

 algae

 macroalgae

Reproductive behavior (migrating pattern):

 Mating System: polyandrous

Carp generally spawn in the spring and early summer depending upon the climate. They segregate into
groups in the shallows to spawn. Carp prefer shallow waters with dense macrophyte cover. Males
externally fertilize eggs, which the females scatter over macrophytes in a very active manner. The eggs
stick to the substrate upon which they are scattered. A typical female (about 45 cm) may produce
300,000 eggs, with some estimates as high as one million over the breeding season. Incubation is related
to water temperature and has been documented at three days at temperatures of 25 to 32C. Fry
average 5 to 5.5 mm in total length. Temperature, stocking density, and availability of food influence
individual growth. By the time the fish reach 8 mm the yolk has disappeared and they begin to actively
feed. Males typically become sexually mature at 3 to 5 years and females at 4 to 5 years. (Froese and
Pauly, 2002; McCrimmon, 1968)

 Key Reproductive Features

 iteroparous

 seasonal breeding

 year-round breeding

 sexual

 fertilization (external )

 oviparous

 Breeding season

spring and early summer; year round in tropical areas

 Average number of offspring

300000

 Average number of offspring

300000

AnAge

 Range time to hatching

4.0 (high) days

 Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)

3.0 to 5.0 years

 Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)

3.0 to 5.0 years

Females facilitate attachment of fertilized eggs to the substrate. There is no further parental care.

 Parental Investment

 no parental involvement

Habitat preferences/natural conditions:

Habitat Regions: temperate tropical freshwater

Aquatic Biomes: benthic lakes and ponds rivers and streams

Wetlands: marsh

Common carp are native to Europe but have been widely introduced and are now found worldwide
except for the poles and northern Asia. (Froese and Pauly, 2002; Nelson, 1984)

Biogeographic Regions nearctic (introduced) palearctic (native) oriental (introduced) ethiopian

Contributors

Matthew Chumchal (author), Southwestern University, Stephanie Fabritius (editor), Southwestern

References

Baldry, I. 2000. "Effect of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) on Aquatic Restorations" (On-line). Accessed 2
April 2002 at http://www.hort.agri.umn.edu/h5015/00papers/baldry.htm.

Banarescu, P., B. Coad. 1991. Cyprinids of Eurasia. Pp. 127-155 in I Winfield, J Nelson, eds. Cyprinid
Fishes. London: Chapman and Hall.

Brabrand, A., B. Faafeng, J. Nilssen. 1990. Relative importance of Phosphorus Supply to Phytoplankton
Production: Fish Excretion versus External Loading. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 47: 364-372.

Cahn, A. 1929. The Effect of Carp on a Small Lake: Carp as a Dominant. Ecology, 10: 271-274.

Drenner, R., J. Smith, S. Threlkeld. 1996. Lake Trophic State and the Limnological Effects of the
Omnivorous Fish. Hydrobiologia, 319: 213-223.

Fletcher, A., A. Morison, D. Hume. 1985. Effects of Carp, -Cyprinus carpio L.-, on Communities of Aquatic
Vegetation and Turbidity of Waterbodies in the Lower Goulburn River Basin. Aust. J. Mar. Freshw. Res.,
36: 311-327.

Froese, R., D. Pauly. 2002. "Fishbase: Species summary for Cyprinus carpio" (On-line). Accessed 2 April
2002 at http://www.fishbase.org.

Lamarra, V. 1975. Digestive Activities of Carp as a Major Contributor to the Nutrient Loading of
Lakes. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol., 19: 2461-2468.

Lammens, E., W. Hoogenboezem. 1991. Diets and Feeding Behavior. Pp. 353-376 in I Winfield, J Nelson,
eds. Cyprinid Fishes. London: Chapman and Hall.
Lougheed, V., B. Crosbie, P. Chow-Fraser. 1998. Predictions on the Effect of Common Carp (-Cyprinus
carpio-) Exclusion on Water Quality, Zooplankton, and Submergent Macrophytes in a Great Lakes
Wetland. Can. J. Fish. Aquai. Sci, 55: 1189-1197.

McCrimmon, H. 1968. Carp in Canada. Fisheries Research Board of Canada.

Nelson, J. 1984. Fishes of the World. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2nd ed..

Page, L., B. Burr. 1991. A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes. Boston: Houghton Miflin.

Smith, R. 1991. Social Behaviour. Pp. 509-529 in I Winfield, J Nelson, eds. Cyprinid Fishes. London:
Chapman and Hall.

Tomelleri, J., M. Eberle. 1990. Fishes of the Central United States. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of
Kansas.

Source: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cyprinus_carpio/