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carp (Cyprinus carpio)
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carp (Cyprinus carpio) specimen
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Cyprinidae

carp

Cyprinus carpio

One Hundred Twenty Centimeters Cyprinid Fish from European Waters

  • Tropical
  • Transcontinental
  • Europe
  • Fusiform
  • Compressed cross-section
  • Large
  • Tropical fish

The common carp (Cyprinus carpio), also known as European carp, Eurasian carp, or simply 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 (see aquaculture) into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive species, being included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive species. It gives its name to the carp family, Cyprinidae.

Maximum length
120 cm
Body shape
fusiform
Distribution
Europe to Asia: Black, Caspian and Aral Sea basins. Introduced throughout the world. Wild stocks are only present naturally in rivers draining to the Black, Caspian and Aral Sea (Ref. 59043 ). A reophilic wild population in the Danube is assumed to be the origin of the European species; this population is now under threat (Ref. 13696 ).
Conservation status
LCLeast Concern

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