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Home , Bighead carp, Common carp, Grass carp, Pharyngeal teeth, Silver carp

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center National Council materials for

2002

Asian : Key To Identification

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": Key To Identification" (2002). National Invasive Species Council materials. 7. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/natlinvasive/7

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U.S. & Wildlife Service • short and scales pointed with approximately 7-8 rays and 95-103 situated over Asian Carp • fins of small the pelvic fins specimens • anal fin without spines closer to • pectoral fin caudal fin with 15-18 than in native rays and stiff, minnow (i.e. hard spine distance from having a front of anal finely serrated fin base to posterior base of caudal (rear) margin fin going • more than 2.5 with moder- times into the ately stiff, distance from anal fin base forward to tip of snout) nonserrate • throat teeth fused (See Figure 2-II), molariform (i.e. Key To Identification spinelike ray knobs looking similar to human molars) at origin Asian carp are large 39-40 in. (40-50 lb.) fish introduced • anal fin (C) into the U.S. by fish farmers in Southern states in the falcate (i.e. Information Sources: 1960’s and 70’s to control vegetation and algae blooms. hooked) with Three of these species, the (Ctenopharyn- 12-13 rays Etnier, D.A. and W.C. Starne. 1993. The of godon idella), ( and slightly Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press, nobilis), and (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) stiffened, Knoxville. 681 pp. have been released or have escaped to the wild and are nonserrate spine at origin Pflieger, W.L. 1975. The fishes of . Mis- reproducing in many rivers and streams of the Missis- • dorsal fin with 8 rays and origin of fin (D) behind souri Dept. of Conservation, Jefferson City. 343 pp. sippi River Basin. As they continue to expand their pelvic insertion Robison, H.W. and T.M. Buchanan. 1988. Fishes of range, and show up in commercial and sport fish catches, • a smooth ventral keel (E) extending from base of anal Arkansas. University of Arkansas Press. a need has arisen to develop a simple key to assist fishers fin to isthmus at the base of the Fayetteville. 536 pp. and resource managers in making quick and accurate • rakers extremely numerous and fused or covered Smith, P.W. 1979. The fishes of . University field identifications. with a netlike or spongelike porous matrix of Illinois Press. Urbana. 314 pp. • pharyngeal teeth 4-4, moderately long and bluntly USGS Online. Nonindigenous aquatic species. http:// Five species are included in this key. In addition to the rounded nas.er.usgs.gov/fishes/accounts/ grass, bighead and silver ; the • intestine very long with many loops, its length 3-6 ( carpio) and the (Mylopharyn- times longer than total fish length godon piceus) have also been included. The black carp Natural Resource Agency Contacts: remains in captivity in hatcheries, fish culture facilities, Black carp and fish farm , primarily in Southeastern states. • thick, elongate body with broad, blunt head U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service But because of its similarity in appearance to the grass • golden/dark grey/brown color with scales on back La Crosse Resource Office carp, and the possibility of its escape from captivity, and sides showing a prominently dark-edged, giving a 555 Lester Avenue resource managers and fishers are urged to be watchful characteristic cross-hatched effect (A) Onalaska, Wisconsin 54650 for it. The key to Asian carp identification which follows • subtermi- (608) 783-8434 assumes that the reader can readily distinquish the nal mouth common carp from other fish species: (B) with thin Revised - 9 January 2002 unspecialized 1. Dorsal fin rays 13 or more; dorsal and anal fins with a lips strongly serrated (barbed) anterior (front) • dorsal fin spine...... Common carp Dorsal fin rays 9 or fewer; dorsal and anal fins • anal fin complete and lacking strongly serrated spines...... 2 closer to strongly 2. Distance from origin of anal fin to caudal fin base caudal fin decurved equal to distance from anal fin origin to than in anteriorly (C) insertion (Figure 1-I), scales large, carp-like...... 3 native with 85-100 Distance from origin of anal fin to caudal fin base minnows scales 1.5 to 2 times distance from anal fin origin to pelvic fin (i.e. distance • scale rows insertion (Figure 1-II), scales small, -like...... 4 from front of above lateral anal fin base to line 26-28 base of caudal • fins of small fin going more specimens than 2.5 times without spines into the distance • pectoral fins from anal fin with 16-21 rays base forward to and large tip of snout) individuals • pharyngeal with sharp, Figure 1. Relative anal fin positions of Asian carps. throat teeth 2,4- nonserrate 5-4,2 (those in ridges along 3. Pharyngeal teeth 2,5-4,2 (located behind the mouth principal row several of the Juvenile bighead carp in the throat) with prominent with deep anterior rays Juvenile grass carp parallel grooves (Figure 2- parallel grooves • moderately I...... Grass carp (See Figure 2-I) stiff Pharyngeal teeth molariform nonserrated (Figure 2-II)...... Black carp Bighead carp spine at dorsal 4. Ventral keel on abdomen • deep bodied, fin origin (belly) extends forward only to somewhat • anal fin the base of pelvic fins; gill I. grass carp teeth laterally falcate (i.e. rakers long and slender; body compressed hooked) (D) with scattered dark blotches..... body with back with 13-14 soft ...... bighead carp and upper sides rays Ventral keel on abdomen dark gray • smooth ventral keel (E) extending from vent forward extends forward past pelvic fin grading to off- to pelvic fin base base to isthmus (i.e. base of white on lower sides and belly, many dark to black • gill rakers long, comblike (length 40 times width) and gills): gill rakers forming a II. molariform teeth irregularly shaped blotches scattered over entire body close-set, not fused into a porous, net-like plate compact mass covered by a • young silver in color, not developing blotches until • pharyngeal teeth 4-4, moderately long and bluntly net-like matrix; body lacking Figure 2. Anterior about 8 weeks of age (see juvenile photo) rounded scattered dark view of pharyangeal • large, scaleless head and opercle • intestine long with many loops, its length 3-5 times blotches...... silver carp arches showing teeth • mouth large and terminal (A) without teeth in jaws, longer than the total fish length configurations of and with lower jaw projecting beyond upper jaw Further descriptive details by grass carp and black • eyes situated far forward (B) along midline of body Silver carp species follow: carp-like (i.e. and projecting downward • deep-bodied, laterally compressed body, very silvery molariform) teeth. • scales in color in young with back and upper sides changing Grass carp very tiny, to olivaceous (greenish), grading to silver below the • thick, elongate body with broad, blunt head cycloid, lateral line in adults • silver/pale grey color with scales on back and sides resembling • scales very tiny and cycloid, resembling those of trout showing a prominently dark-edge, giving a characteris- those of • head and opercle scaleless with relatively large, tic cross-hatched effect (A) trout upturned mouth (A) without teeth in jaws • subterminal mouth (B) with thin unspecialized lips • lateral • eyes situated far forward (B) along the midline of the • dorsal fin short and pointed with 7-8 rays and situated line body and projecting somewhat downward over the pelvic fins