Crucian carp | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cypriniformes |
Family: | Cyprinidae |
Subfamily: | Cyprininae |
Genus: | Carassius |
Species: | C. carassius |
Binomial name | |
Carassius carassius | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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The crucian carp (Carassius carassius) is a medium-sized member of the common carp family Cyprinidae. It occurs widely in northern European regions. Its name derives from the Low German karusse or karutze, possibly from Medieval Latin coracinus (a kind of river fish).
The crucian carp is a widely distributed European species, its range spanning from England to Russia; it is found as far north as the Arctic Circle in the Scandinavian countries, and as far south as central France and the region of the Black Sea. [3] Its habitat includes lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. It has been established that the fish is native to England and not introduced. [4]
The crucian carp is a medium-sized cyprinid, typically 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in body length, and rarely exceeds in weight over 2 kilograms (4.4 lb), [5] but a maximum total length of 64 centimetres (25 in) has been reported for a male, [6] and the heaviest published weighed 3 kilograms (6.6 lb). [7]
They are broadly described as having a body of "golden-green shining color", [8] but a more precise source states that young fish are golden-bronze [9] but darken with maturity, [9] until they gain a dark green back, deep bronze upper flanks, and gold on the lower flanks and belly, [9] and reddish[ citation needed ] or orange [10] fins, [11] although other colour variations exist. One distinguishing characteristic is a convexly rounded fin, as opposed to goldfish (or C. gibelio) hybrids which have concave fins. [10] [12]
The crucian carp is also the type species for the genus, which has led to confusion in the taxonomy of species native to East Asia.[ citation needed ]
There are reports of hybridisation between the crucian and domestic or feral goldfish, [10] which has been verified by production of viable hybrids in laboratory conditions. [10] Although the hybrids thus produced were sterile or nearly so, genetic contamination of the native population has been raised as a concern; [10] even if the hybrids cannot continue to propagate, the F1 hybrids exhibit hybrid vigour or heterosis, being much more adept at finding food and evading predators than either of their parents, which has been proposed to constitute a possible threat to the native crucian carp population. [10]
The variation in shape of a crucian carp can be very high. When cohabiting waters where predatory fish are present, there occurs an induced change in the morphology of the population from a sleek-bodied form to a deep-bodied form, which makes it difficult for predator fish to fit the crucian carp within its jaws. [13] However, because the deep-bodied morph is not permanent, it is expected that the trait might have some survivability trade-offs in the absence of predators. [14] Notably, the deep-bodied morph is associated with compromised immune function and resource allocation. Specifically, deep-bodied crucian carp have a lower level of baseline natural antibodies relative to the sleeker-bodied morphs. [15] In addition, crucian carp with the deep-bodied morphology exhibit reduced growth rates when compared to their sleeker-bodied counterparts. [16]
Carassius species exhibit some remarkable physiological adaptations to their environment. For example, in entirely anoxic conditions during winter Carassius carassius can survive for considerable periods by anaerobic respiration, with ethanol as the major metabolic end product; a facility that is highly unusual among vertebrates. During summer the fish also may survive anaerobic conditions by this metabolic expedient, though only to a far more limited extent; the winter phenotype can sustain fermentation as a substitute for respiration for several weeks on end. Experimentally the fish have been maintained under anoxic conditions for 140 days. Anoxia can be tolerated longest in the coldest water, even down to 0 °C, because colder conditions lower the metabolic rate. Alcohol production occurs mainly in the muscle tissues, but also in the liver, where the process is thought to have originated. Similarly goldfish can produce alcohol in muscle tissues, but to a much more limited extent. [17]
Experimentally it has been demonstrated that the metabolic process involves the production of pyruvate from lactate, followed by decarboxylation to acetaldehyde which then is hydrogenated to ethanol as the major metabolic end product. In turn the fish largely excretes the ethanol into the water rather than accumulating it to toxic levels in the tissues. Excretion of lactate in significant quantities is not a common nor a desirable metabolic facility, but the excretion of ethanol presents no serious metabolic challenges. This metabolic expedient avoids the fatal accumulation of acid end-products of anaerobic glycolysis. [18]
In Britain, leisurely or competitive catching of this fish by rod and tackle belongs in the coarse fishing category. The British rod-caught record for largest crucian is four pounds, nine ounces, (2.085 kg) landed by Martin Bowler in 2003, tied by Joshua Blavins in 2011. [19] There have been various bids for a breakage of this record since, but they were rejected as not "true" crucians" but rather, e.g. a "brown goldfish variant" [12] (i.e., hybrid born between the non-native goldfish or gibelo species and the British crucian). In the Netherlands, a typical crucian specimen of 54 cm, weighing 3 kg has been caught and photographed. [20]
Some sources state that the goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a cultivated breed of crucian carp taken from the wild.
Aside from confusion in nomenclature, there is the practical issue of distinguishing true crucian carp from goldfish hybrids in, e.g., competitive coarse fishing. The following is based on a similar table of guidelines constructed by the Farnham Angling Society: [21]
Crucian carp (C. carassius) | Goldfish (C. auratus) |
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a) snout well rounded | a) more pointed snout |
b) Always golden bronze | b) often has a grey/greenish colour |
c) 33 + scales along lateral line (33; [9] 31–36 scales [8] ) | c) 31 or fewer scales on lateral line (27–31 [9] ) |
d) Juveniles have a black spot at the base of the tail, which disappears with age. ("transient dark marking on the caudal peduncle" [10] ) | d) This tail spot is never present. |
e) The leading ray of the dorsal fin is weak | e) The leading ray of the dorsal fin is strong |
f) The dorsal fin is higher for longer and convex in shape [8] | f) The dorsal fin is concave in shape |
g) caudal fin bluntly lobed [9] | g) caudal fin deeply forked and sharp [9] |
These carp are also occasionally kept as freshwater aquarium fish, as well as in water gardens, although they are not commonly available commercially, mainly because they are not in particularly high demand due to the presence of more colourful fish such as the koi or orfe. Crucian carp are considered a vital part of the pond ecosystem as they possess an ability to clean up the excrement of other organisms, thus preventing nitric overload.
It has been suggested that this is a heavily farmed fish worldwide; FAO's newest statistics from 2008 (pub. 2011) show total production C. crassius at 1,957,337 tonnes, worth US$2,135,857,000, ranked 9th in worldwide in aquaculture, including marine fish and crustaceans, [22] however these statistics treat the Asian C. gibelio carp as a subspecies of the European crucian carp, [23] and it is evident that the greater bulk of this number is from the Asian fish farmed in China. [23]
In terms of freshwater catches of C. crassius (read Carassius spp.), FAO's 2006 statistics show 5.53 thousand tons harvested, which ranked 13th worldwide among freshwater fishes caught. The breakdown was Kazakhstan 2.2, Japan 1.12, Serbia 0.84, Moldova 0.19, Uzbekistan 0.19, Poland 0.13. [22] In these figures, the tonnage from European countries may represent C. crassius in some part.
In Poland, crucian carp (Polish : karaś) is considered the best-tasting pan fish, and traditionally served with sour cream (karasie w śmietanie). [24] King's carp (previously Galician carp as in Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire) is the breed of carp created in Poland; the "hump" is bigger than average and the scales are larger than average. Carp is included amongst the holiday foods in Poland. The tradition might have Jewish origins.[ citation needed ]
In Russia, this particular species is called Золотой карась meaning "golden crucian", and is one of the fish used in a borscht recipe called borshch s karasei [25] (Борщ с карасе́й) or borshch s karasyami (Борщ с карася́ми). Another classic Russian recipe is fried crucians in sour cream. [26] [27] [28] The variety of lake Nedzheli is highly appreciated in Yakutia and has been introduced to other lakes in the region. [29]
Koi, or more specifically nishikigoi, are colored varieties of carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens.
The term carp is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized quarries and are valued as both food and ornamental fish in many parts of the Old World, they are considered trash fish and invasive pests in many parts of Africa, Australia and most of the United States.
The common carp, also known as European carp or Eurasian carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The native wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered a destructive invasive species, being included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive species. It gives its name to the carp family, Cyprinidae.
Asian carp is an informal grouping of several species of cyprinid freshwater fishes native to Eurasia, commonly referring to the four East Asian species silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp and black carp, which were introduced to North America during the 1970s and now regarded as invasive in the United States. These four species, now also known commercially as copi in the United States, are staple food fish in their native China, where they are collectively known as qing cao lian yong (青草鲢鳙) or si da jia yu and are farmed extensively.
The term coldwater fish can have different meanings in different contexts.
The Ranchū is a hooded variety of goldfish native to Japan, which lacks a dorsal fin. It is referred to as the "king of goldfish" by the Japanese. Maruko more commonly refers to the egg-fish goldfish.
Coarse fishing is a phrase commonly used in Great Britain and Ireland. It refers to the angling for rough fish, which are fish species considered undesirable as food or game fish. Freshwater game fish are all salmonids, particularly salmon, trout and char. Generally, coarse fish are freshwater fish that are not salmonids, though there is often disagreement over whether grayling should be classified as a game fish or a coarse fish.
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have become an invasive pest in parts of North America and Australia.
Carp is a common name for various species of freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae that are native to Eurasia and sought after by some recreational fishermen. Certain carp species have been introduced, with mixed results, to various other locations around the world, and even declared invasive in certain regions.
The Prussian carp, silver Prussian carp or Gibel carp is a member of the family Cyprinidae, which includes many other fish, such as the common carp, goldfish, and the smaller minnows. It is a medium-sized cyprinid, and does not exceed a weight of 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) and a length of 45 centimetres (18 in). They are usually silver, although other color variations exist. They are omnivorous and feed on plankton, invertebrates, plant material and detritus. Originally from Siberia or central Europe, they have been introduced to and are now inhabiting lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers throughout Europe, North America, and Asia.
Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, also known as the Asian tapeworm, is a freshwater fish parasite that originated from China and Eastern Russia. It is a generalized parasite that affects a wide variety of fish hosts, particularly cyprinids, contributing to its overall success.
The Japanese white crucian carp, also known as Japanese carp, white crucian carp, or gengoro-buna, is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family. It is found in Japan and, as an introduced species, in several other countries in Asia. This fish is closely related to the commonly known goldfish.
Nigoro-buna, sometimes called round crucian carp, is a type of wild goldfish or related cyprinid endemic to Japan. Its habitat is limited to Lake Biwa, its tributaries and distributaries, and irrigation canals, in the Shiga Prefecture, northeast of Kyoto.
Goussia is a taxonomic genus, first described in 1896 by Labbé, containing parasitic protists which largely target fish and amphibians as their hosts. Members of this genus are homoxenous and often reside in the gastrointestinal tract of the host, however others may be found in organs such as the gallbladder or liver. The genera Goussia, as current phylogenies indicate, is part of the class Conoidasida, which is a subset of the parasitic phylum Apicomplexa; features of this phylum, such as a distinct apical complex containing specialized secretory organelles, an apical polar ring, and a conoid are all present within Goussia, and assist in the mechanical invasion of host tissue. The name Goussia is derived from the French word gousse, meaning pod. This name is based on the bi-valve sporocyst morphology which some Goussians display. Of the original 8 classified Goussians, 6 fit the “pod” morphology. As of this writing, the genera consists of 59 individual species.
Fish are exposed to large oxygen fluctuations in their aquatic environment since the inherent properties of water can result in marked spatial and temporal differences in the concentration of oxygen. Fish respond to hypoxia with varied behavioral, physiological, and cellular responses to maintain homeostasis and organism function in an oxygen-depleted environment. The biggest challenge fish face when exposed to low oxygen conditions is maintaining metabolic energy balance, as 95% of the oxygen consumed by fish is used for ATP production releasing the chemical energy of nutrients through the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Therefore, hypoxia survival requires a coordinated response to secure more oxygen from the depleted environment and counteract the metabolic consequences of decreased ATP production at the mitochondria.
This is an impartial and comprehensive record list of 308 British record freshwater fish, past and present, involving 60 different species/sub-species of fish caught using the traditional angling method of rod and line. Records to include the angler, species, weight, date, venue, also referenced with a recognizable publication. The list is intended to include all categories of fish caught by anglers, that enter freshwater including and some migratory sea fish. The time since last record fish was caught is 3 days.
The ginbuna, sometimes referred to as silver crucian carp or Japanese silver crucian carp, is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family. It is native to lakes and rivers in Japan.
Palaeocarassius is an extinct genus of Miocene-aged cyprinid fish closely related to the crucian carps of Carassius. Most fossils are of otoliths, teeth, fin spines, and scales found in Miocene-aged lacustrine strata throughout Europe, though, two species, P. basalticus and P. priscus, are also known from whole body fossils, representing stout-bodied, large-headed animals that bear strong resemblances to the living crucian carps. The holotype of the type species, P. mydlovariensis, is a disarticulated head.
Cyvirus cyprinidallo2, also known as Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) is a species of virus in the genus Cyprinivirus, family Alloherpesviridae, and order Herpesvirales.
The Kollar carp is a hybrid fish obtained by crossing common carp and goldfish . Described by the Austrian zoologist Johann Jacob Heckel, its binomial name pays tribute to his compatriot, entomologist Vincenz Kollar. Having been considered a separate species from its original relatives, this fish has as synonym Carpio kollarii. Although this carp is most often found in fish farms, they have also been recorded from the wild.