TN00047 COMMON CARP CYPRINUS CARPIO
Physical description: This is a stout high-backed minnow with two pairs of pendulate barbels, a large, spine like ray ar the front of the dorsal and anal fins, with a size from 350-700 mm TL. The body is deep and somewhat compressed, with the dorsal profile greatly elevated. The doesal fin is long-based with the origin just above or slightly anterior to the pelvic origin. The head is large and downsloped with the snout narrowly rounded and a medium-sized barbel arising from the side of the snout and a large barbel hanging from the angle of the mouth. The frenum is lacking. The long dorsal fin is anteriorly falcate, and the dorsal and anal spine-like rays are posteriorly serrate. The tubercles of the male are fine and occure on the head and pectoral fins. There are 1,1,3-3,1,1 pharyngeal teeth, with the teeth in the main row molariform. The lateral line is complete, and the scales number 35-39. There are (15)18-20-(23) dorsal spine rays, one dorsal spine, one anal spine and (4)5(6) rays. There are 8-9 pelvic rays and (14)15-16(17) pectoral rays. The breast and belly are fully scaled. The juvenile and nonnuptial adult are brassy-olive, with the scale bases dark olive and the venter silver-brassy. The dorsal fin is gray-olive and the caudal is olive with a red wash in the lobes, best developed in the lower lobe. The anal and pelvic fins have a red wash and the pectoral is medium olive. The nuptial male is similar except the venter is pale yellow and the red in the lower caudal lobe is more intense *4205*. Reproduction: The males of this species mature at ages 2-4 and the females between ages 3-4 *4205,3601,3565,3576,3575*. They generally spawn between March and August and possibly September with water temperatures from 9-32 degrees C *4205*. Flooded terrestrial vegetation makes good spawning habitat *4205,3601*. The adults congregate and deposit eggs on aquatic or submerged terrestrial vegetation *4205,3601*. The eggs are adhesive and demersal. The incubation period lasts for 3-6 days after fertilization depending upon the water temperature *3575*. Fecundity is up to 2,000,000 eggs per female *3575,3516*, and they may spawn more than once per season *4205*. When the water temperature reaches 16-17 degrees C the adults move in from deep water habitats to shallow open areas where they separate into groups of 4-20 usually with 1-3 females and several males. Each group swam in compact schools, and the males repeatedly pushed their heads against the female. The female responded by raising caudal peduncle and tail, and lashing her tail violently, she propelled herself forward and released the eggs which were broadcast over vegetation. Simultaneously, the males moved along side the females tail region and discharged milt as body the vibrated *3575*. Behavior: This species prefers enriched, relatively shallow, warm sluggish, and well-vegetated water with a mud or silt substrate *4205,3601*. The adults spend the summer and early autumn in shallow areas of dense vegetation, moving into deeper water for the winter *3601,3599,3536*. The dispersion of this species is non-random *3602,1127*, and they are diurnal, in the late spring *835*. They are known to change the vegetative structure of lakes and reservoirs by rooting behavior during feeding *3598,3591,3468,3529*. Several length-weight and body-scale equations are available from different states see *3565,3576,3507,3564*. Origin: The origin of this species is exotic *1436,3602,842,4205*. It was transplanted as early as 1876. Limiting factors: See the list of toxicity bioassays under Species Enviro- nmental Associations. Population parameters: Reproduction is apparently not controlled by population density, however a hormone may be emmitted under crowded conditions to inhibit reproduction *3589,3552*. For some population statistics on an exploited population in Wisconsin see *3586*. The longevity of the carp is from 9-15 years. The fecundity of this species can be up to 2,000,000 eggs *4205*. The hybrid of pond carp (Ctenopharyng- odon idella) and common carp is not naturally occurring, and lab crosses are predominantly inviable *3544*. A hybrid between grass carp and common carp is viable but does not occur naturally, and such a cross is thought to be useful in weed control *3512*.
| Life History |
References for Life History Codes
835, 3602, 1127, 1436, 842, 3583, 3599, 3536, 3508, 3516, 3598, 3591, 3468, 3529, 3565, 3576, 3589, 3507, 3564, 3552, 3586, 3544, 3512, 842 , 1187, 3602, 6224, 3575, 5992, 6601, 3586, 6068, 4205
Comments on Life History Codes
This species will migrate into shallow weedy bays to spawn. The female is pursued by one or more males over beds of vegetation *1436,1131*. It is native of Asia, and introduced in the USA in 1876 *1187*. The peak spawning is mid-May through June *3602*. Hatching in a Wisconsin study required about 4 days *6224*, although it normally takes 3-4 days in Canada, at water temperatures from 25-32 degrees C *3602*. An Iowa study found that the number of eggs per female increased with age and size, with age IV female aveeraging 101,000 eggs *5992*. In Wisconsin, egg counts varied from 506,000 to 1,085,000, and not all of the eggs were necessarily spawned in 1 season *6224*. In Canada, fecundity varied from 36,000 to 2,208,000 eggs *3575*. Females may spawn at least twice within 1 extended spawning season, but do not necessarily spawn every year after reaching maturity *6224*. Few fish of each sex mature at age II, (in Wisconsin) 92% of males are ready to spawn at age III and 7% of females, all males and 94% of the females are ready to spawn at age IV *6224*. In Ontario, the smallest mature male was age III and 315 mm TL, with the smallest mature female 381 mm TL at age IV. The sex ratio on the spawning ground was 1.8 males to 1 female *3575*. In Missouri, they feed most actively in the late evening or in the early morning *1187*. In Wisconsin ponds, adult survival was 95.2%, in lakes, the mortality rate was 0.06 per month in the winter and 0.04 per month in other seasons *6601,3586*. They can move long distances, and 1 carp was recorded as moving 767 stream miles *6068*. Declining water levels can cause high egg mortality *3575*. Annulus formation begins by late spring/early summer, and the males and females are equally heavy until they reach a length of 330 mm. After this, females are heavier than the males of the same size *6224*. In Ontario, they attain lengths of 5.1 to 7.5 inches during the 1st season, and in Missouri they average 6.5 inches at the end of the 1st year *1187,842*.