Carp
Carp are freshwater fish valued as food, ornamentals, and invasive pests.
Carp is a common name for many species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, a large group of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. In many parts of the Old World, carp are valued as food and ornamental fish, and are even commercially cultivated. However, in parts of Africa, Australia, and most of the United States, they are considered trash fish and invasive pests.
The family Cyprinidae belongs to the order Cypriniformes, which is grouped with several other orders into the superorder Ostariophysi. These groups share features such as being mostly freshwater dwellers and having Weberian ossicles—a structure formed from the first five vertebrae, their ribs, and neural crests. The third pair of ribs connects to the labyrinth, while the posterior ribs contact the swim bladder. Though poorly understood, this structure is thought to help transmit vibrations from the swim bladder to the labyrinth, aiding hearing and explaining the group’s strong auditory abilities.
Most Cypriniformes have scales and teeth on the lower pharyngeal bones, which can vary with diet. The only cyprinid genus that tolerates salt water is *Tribolodon*; several species enter brackish water but return to fresh water to spawn. All other Cypriniformes live in continental waters and have wide geographic ranges. Some consider all cyprinids carp, and the family is often called the carp family. In common use, “carp” usually refers to larger species like common carp, crucian carp, grass carp, silver carp, and bighead carp. Common carp are native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia, so they are sometimes called Eurasian carp.
Carp have long been an important food fish. Several species, including goldfish breeds and the domesticated koi variety, are popular ornamental fish. As a result, carp have been introduced to many places, often with mixed outcomes. Several species are considered invasive in the United States, and large sums are spent worldwide on carp control. At least some carp can survive months with little oxygen—for instance under ice or in stagnant water—by metabolizing glycogen into lactic acid, which is then converted to ethanol and carbon dioxide. The ethanol diffuses out through the gills.
In 1653, Izaak Walton called the carp “the queen of rivers.” Carp vary in angling value. In Europe, they are eagerly sought by anglers as prized coarse fish that are hard to hook.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Common carp
- L
- "carp-fish"
- P
- lǐyú
- W
- li / 3 / -yü / 2
- Mi
- l · i · 3 · . · yu · 2
- J
- lei / 5 / -jyu / 4
- Y
- léih-yùh
- Ci
- l · ei · 5 · . · j · yu · 4
- Romaji
- koi
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Carp belong to the family Cyprinidae, grouped with Characiformes, Siluriformes, Gonorynchiformes, and Gymnotiformes in the superorder Ostariophysi, sharing features such as freshwater habitat and Weberian ossicles. These ossicles, derived from the first five vertebrae, are thought to aid in hearing by transmitting vibrations from the swim bladder to the labyrinth. Most Cypriniformes have scales and pharyngeal teeth adapted to diet; Tribolodon is the only genus tolerating salt water. In colloquial use, carp often refers to larger species like common carp, crucian carp, grass carp, silver carp, and bighead carp. Common carp are native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia, sometimes called Eurasian carp. Some carp species can survive months with little oxygen by metabolizing glycogen into ethanol, which diffuses through the gills.
Reader's Guide
Carp have long been an important food fish, with aquaculture in China for at least 2,400 years, as detailed by Fan Li in the 5th century BC. Domestication occurred independently across Eurasia, with common carp from Central Europe, Asian carp from East Asia, and Indian carp from South Asia. Their hardiness allowed global propagation. In Western Europe, carp's food importance has declined due to more desirable species like trout and salmon, but pond culture remains major in Central and Eastern Europe. In Asia, carp farming surpasses intensively farmed marine species. Selective breeding programs, such as those in the USSR for cold tolerance (Ropsha hybrid) and in China for the Jian carp, have improved growth and disease resistance. As ornamental fish, goldfish were domesticated from wild carp over a thousand years ago in China, and koi were selectively bred in Japan from common carp. In the United States, carp are often viewed as invasive pests, though some angling groups promote them as sport fish due to their strong fight.
Did You Know?
- Carp can survive months with little oxygen by converting glycogen to ethanol, which exits through the gills.
- The British record for the heaviest carp is 68lb 1oz.
- Goldfish were first bred for color in China over a thousand years ago.
- The common carp was introduced to the United States in the 1880s.
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