Cyprinus is the genus of typical carps in family Cyprinidae. Most species in the genus are of East Asia origin with only the common carp (C. carpio) in Western Asia and Europe; this invasive species has also been introduced to many other regions around the world. Cyprinus are closely related to some more barb-like genera, such as Cyclocheilichthys and Barbonymus (tinfoils). The crucian carps (Carassius) of western Eurasia, which include the goldfish (C. auratus), are apparently not as closely related.de Graaf et al. (2007)
This genus's most widespread and well-known member is the common carp (C. carpio) species complex. Although traditionally considered a single species, recent authorities have split the European and West Asian populations from the East Asian, with the latter named C. rubrofuscus (syn. C. carpio haematopterus). Members of the species complex are famed as a food fish and have been widely traded and introduced since antiquity, but in certain areas has multiplied inordinately and become a pest. In its long use it has been domesticated, and a number of breeds have been developed for food and other purposes. The koi (from Japanese nishikigoi, 錦鯉) are well-known carp breeds, selectively bred for being enjoyed by spectators from above. Strictly speaking, koi is simply the Japanese name of the East Asian carp.
The other species of typical carp are generally found in more restricted areas of eastern Asia, centered on the Yunnan region. In some cases, they are endemic to a single lake, most notably Lake Erhai, as well as Lake Dian, Fuxian Lake, Lake Jilu, Lake Qilihu, Lake Xingyun and Lake Yi-Lung, which are all in Yunnan proper. Several of these species are seriously threatened and five are possibly already extinct: C. yilongensis (Lake Yi-Lung), C. yunnanensis (Lake Qilihu), C. daliensis (Lake Erhai), C. megalophthalmus (Lake Erhai) and C. fuxianensis (Fuxian Lake).Wang, Wang, Li, Du, Yang, Lassoie, and Hassan (2013). Six decades of changes in vascular hydrophyte and fish species in three plateau lakes in Yunnan, China. Biodivers. Conserv. 22: 3197–3221. doi: 10.1007/s10531-013-0579-0
Species
The following species are currently recognized in the genus.
Cyprinus acutidorsalis H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 Cyprinus barbatus H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 Cyprinus chilia H. W. Wu, G. R. Yang, P. Q. Yue & H. J. Huang, 1963 Cyprinus dai (V. H. Nguyễn & L. H. Doan, 1969) Cyprinus daliensis H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 Cyprinus exophthalmus Đ. Y. Mai, 1978 Cyprinus fuxianensis Yang et al., 1977 Cyprinus hieni T. T. Nguyen & A. T. Ho, 2003 Cyprinus hyperdorsalis V. H. Nguyễn, 1991 Cyprinus ilishaestomus H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 Cyprinus intha Annandale, 1918 Cyprinus longipectoralis H. L. Chen & H. Q. Huang, 1977 Cyprinus longzhouensis Y. J. Yang & H. Q. Huang, 1977 Cyprinus megalophthalmus H. W. Wu et al., 1963 Cyprinus melanes (Đ. Y. Mai, 1978) Cyprinus micristius Regan, 1906 Cyprinus multitaeniatus Pellegrin & Chevey, 1936 Cyprinus pellegrini T. L. Tchang, 1933 Cyprinus qionghaiensis C. H. Liu, 1981 Cyprinus quidatensis T. T. Nguyen, V. T. Le, T. B. Le & X. K. Nguyễn, 1999 Cyprinus rubrofuscus Lacépède, 1803 †Cyprinus yilongensis Yang et al., 1977 Cyprinus yunnanensis T. L. Tchang, 1933
Fossil species †Cyprinus priscus von Meyer (fossil species from Miocene Germany)
Footnotes
References
(2007): Evolutionary origin of Lake Tana's (Ethiopia) small Barbus species: indications of rapid ecological divergence and speciation. Anim. Biol. 57(1): 39–48. (HTML abstract)