Cyprinidae

The Cyprinidae family is a massive group of freshwater fishes.

They are commonly known as the carp family. This group includes carps, barbs, and barbels. It is the largest and most diverse family of fishes. In fact, it is the largest family of vertebrates on Earth. There are roughly 1,780 different species within this family. These species are divided into 166 valid genera. They live in many places, including North America, Africa, and Eurasia.

These fish have a very unique way of eating. Most cyprinids are agastric, which means they are stomachless. They also have toothless jaws. Instead, they use pharyngeal teeth located in their throats. These teeth are on the last gill bow. The fish use these teeth to chew food against a bony plate on their skull. This plate is a bony process of the skull. These pharyngeal teeth are unique to each species. Scientists use these specific teeth to identify different species. Strong teeth allow fish like the common carp to eat hard snails and bivalves.

Cyprinids also have a special way of sensing their world. They possess a well-developed sense of hearing. This is thanks to the Weberian organ. This organ consists of three specialized vertebral processes. These processes transfer motion from the gas bladder to the inner ear. This allows the fish to detect changes in motion. They can feel changes in depth or atmospheric conditions. Most cyprinids are also physostomes. This means they keep a pneumatic duct in their adult stages. They can gulp air to fill their gas bladder. They can also release excess gas into their gut.

The family shows incredible variety in size and diet. The giant barb is the largest known member. It can grow to a massive length and weight. Other large species include the golden mahseer and the mangar. On the other end, glassfishes are very small. Most cyprinids eat invertebrates and vegetation. However, some are predators like the asp, which eats other fish. Others are specialized herbivores like the grass carp. Some eat algae, while others are filter feeders like the silver carp. Because of this, humans use them to manage aquatic environments. They can control extra vegetation or snails that carry diseases.

Humans have a long history with these fishes. Cyprinids are very important food sources. They are fished and farmed across Eurasia. In land-locked countries, they provide much of the fish biomass. Some species, like the goldfish, are famous aquarium pets. The goldfish was bred in China from wild species. It was loved by Chinese nobility as early as 1150 AD. It arrived in Europe around 1728 and Japan in 1502. In Japan, the amur carp was bred into colorful koi. This ornamental breeding began in the 18th century.

While many are helpful, some cyprinids can become pests. The common carp and grass carp have been introduced to new areas. In Florida, they are used for biological control. However, in America and Australia, Asian carp have become invasive. They compete with native fish and disrupt environments. In Australia, common carp impact the agricultural economy. They can make up 80 to 90 percent of fish biomass in the Murray-Darling Basin. In 2016, the Australian government allocated A$15.2 million to study biological controls. They investigated using a specific carp virus to manage them.

Scientists also use cyprinids for important research. The zebrafish is a very popular species in labs. It is a standard model for studying developmental genetics. This helps us understand how vertebrates grow. However, many wild cyprinids face big dangers. Habitat destruction has reduced many stocks to low levels. Some species are already extinct. In North America, pollution and water use hurt many species. This is especially true for the Leuciscinae subfamily. Understanding these fish helps us protect the balance of our waters.