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💧 Freshwater Least Concern 🚨 Invasive ⚡ Potential pest 🌡️ Subtropical

Black carp

Mylopharyngodon piceus Richardson, 1846
Max Length
180 cm
Max Weight
73.5 kg
Lifespan
13 yrs
Trophic Level
3.2
Depth
5–30 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
80.00/100
Typical Length
12.2 cm
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Adults inhabit large lowland rivers and lakes, preferably with clear water and high oxygen concentrations. Larvae feed on zooplankton, then on ostracods and aquatic insects. At about 120 mm SL, juveniles start to prey on small snails and clams while larger juveniles and adults feed almost entirely on molluscs. Undertake upriver migration and spawns in open waters. Deposit pelagic or semipelagic eggs which hatch while drifting downstream. Larvae settle into floodplain lakes and channels with little or no current . Maximum age probably exceeds 15 years; the figure of 20 years is not supported by data .

Scientific Name
Mylopharyngodon piceus
Authority
Richardson, 1846
Habitat
Freshwater
Climate
Subtropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
180 cm
Max Weight
73.5 kg
Lifespan
13 years
Depth Range
5–30 m
Trophic Level
3.2
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
80.00/100
Migration
Potamodromous
Water Temp
0–40 °C

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Anatomy of the pharyngeal apparatus is the main distinguishing characteristic; throat teeth typically form a single row of 4-5 large molariform teeth on each of the two arches, with formula typically 1,4 - 4,1.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: circular.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Black carp is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

Spawn Location
Pelagic
Size at Maturity
91.5cm TL

Prewspawning adults migrate upstream in spring - early summer; spawning takes place in turbulent waters; eggs are pelagic and drift downstream and larvae enter nursery areas such as flood plains or backwater habitats; main river channel is used as feeding and wintering area by subadults and adults.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 7.5 - 8.5; potamodromous ; depth range 5 - 30 m . Subtropical; 0°C - 40°C ; 53°N - 15°N, 100°E - 140°E native stocks in Russia have declined sharply (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
💧 Freshwater 🌿 Brackish ⬇️ Benthic
Migration
Potamodromous
Trophic Level
3.2±0.44
Food Items

zooplankton, then on ostracods and aquatic insects

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00891 × L3.09 (TL)
Max TL
180cm
Max Weight
73,500g
Dorsal Rays
8
Anal Rays
9

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Temperature Range
0–40°C
pH Range
7.5–8.5

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2020

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
80.00/100
Very High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.2
Predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Richardson, 1846

🚨 Invasive Species Impact

Status
Established
Ecological Impact
Moderate
Origin
various
How Introduced
multiple pathways including aquaculture escape and intentional stocking
First Recorded
1950
Invaded Regions
multiple regions outside native range
Ecological Impacts
  • competition with native species
  • habitat modification
Economic Impacts
  • management and control costs
  • fishery impacts in some areas
Affected Native Species
various native fish species
Control Methods

Prevention of further spread through import bans, targeted removal in sensitive areas.

Management Status

Monitoring and containment programs in place.

References: Compiled from IUCN Global Invasive Species Database, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database, and CABI Invasive Species Compendium.

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Black Amur · Black carp · Black Chinese Roach · Chinese Black Carp · Chinese Roach · Snail Carp
🌍BEL Amur chernyj
🌍BEN কালো কার্প
🌍CES amur černý
🇩🇰Danish Sortkarpe
🇩🇪German Schwarzer Amur · Schwarzer Armur
🇫🇮Finnish musta-amuri
🇫🇷French Amour Noir, Carpe noire · Carpe noire
🇯🇵Japanese Aoo · アオウオ
🇰🇷Korean 검은잉어
🌍LAV Melnais amūrs
🌍MSA Kap hitam
🇳🇱Dutch Zwarte carper
🇵🇹Portuguese Carpa-negra
🌍RON Crap negru chinezese · Scoicar
🇷🇺Russian амур черный · черный амур
🇪🇸Spanish Carpa negra
🌍UKR Амур чорний
🌍VIE Cá Trắm đen
🇨🇳Chinese 乌鰡 · 烏鰡 · 青魚 · 青鱼 · 黑鯪 · 黑鰡 · 黑鰱

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Barbus tonkinensis Sauvage 1884 Synonym
Leucisculus fuscus Oshima 1920 Synonym
Leuciscus aethiops Basilewsky 1855 Synonym
Leuciscus dubius Bleeker 1864 Heterotypic
Leuciscus piceus Richardson 1846 Synonym
Myloleuciscus aethiops Basilewsky 1855 Synonym
Myloleuciscus atripinnis Garman 1912 Synonym
Myloleucus aethiops Basilewsky 1855 Synonym
Mylopharyngodon aethiops Basilewsky 1855 Synonym
Mylopharyngodon pisceus Richardson 1846 Synonym

🦠 Common Diseases

The following diseases are known to affect Black carp.

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 23 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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