Indian Major Carps: Freshwater Fishes
1. Labeo rohita: Rohu
Classification
Phylum......Chordata
Group.....Craniata
Subphylum ......Vertebrata
Division.....Gnathostomata
Superclass......Pisces
Class...... Osteichthyes
Sub-class.....Actinopterygi
Super-order........ Teleostei
Order......Cypriniformes
Genus.....Labeo
Species........rohita
Habit and habitat
Labeo rohita is abundantly found in ponds and rivers. Carps are vegetarian and bottom feeders. They can occasionally feed on animal diet. Because of its feeding habit, it is cultivated with two other carps, Catla catla and Cirrhina mrigala. Rohu breeds only in the rivers and bund type of tanks but not in confined waters.
General characters
(1) Commonly known as carp and Rohu in Hindi.
(2) Body compressed, fusiform, about 1 metre in length and weighing about 4 kg.
(3) Colour of the body is bluish or brownish on back and silvery white below. Body covered with large overlapping cycloid scales. Scales are of taxonomic importance,
(4) Body is regionated into head, trunk and tail.
(5) Head is depressed and is produced into a short, obtuse and blunt snout. It bears a subterminal fringe-lipped mouth bounded by fleshy upper and lower lips. It also contains paired nostrils and paired eyes.
(6) A pair of filamentous barbels arises from upper lip. Small tubercles cover the snout, which is oblong, depressed, swollen and projecting beyond the jaws.
(7) Large operculum hangs on either side enclosing gills and branchial chamber.
(8) Lateral line is distinct. Scales overlying the lateral line are perforated by tubes of the lateral line system. Scales are of taxonomic value. Scales are flat, bony with rounded edges and are called as cycloid scales. These overlap and form a complete covering.
(9) Dorsal, anal, caudal, paired pectoral and anal fin with soft fin rays present. Caudal fin forked into equal lob.
(10) Weberian apparatus present between bladder and inner ear. Kidneys are mesonephric Economic importance: Labeo has great food value, forming common man's food. The flesh is very delicious.
Geographical distribution
Labeo rohita is widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions specially found in India (Punjab, Assam) and Myanmar Eocene to Recent.
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2. Catla catla
Classification
Series.......Pisces
Class.......Teleostoms
Order......Cypriniformes
Family......Cyprinidae
Genus.......Catla
Species.......catla
General characters
1) It is a largest Indian carp and commonly known as catla, found in river and lakes.
2) Body is elongated, broad and stout, measuring more than 1 meter in length.
3) Head is large having rounded eyes.
4) Colour is blackish grey above and silvery on the sides.
5) Dorsal profile of the body is more convex.
6) Dorsal fin is quite large, caudal fin is bilobed.
7) It is fastest growing fishes and largest carp.
8) It is surface feeder and well known as in the fish culture programme.
9) It atains maximum length of 180 cm.
10) The young ones measures upto 15 to 20 cm in length and feeds upon water flows.
11) It is important as a food fish.
12) It is herbivorus fish though it is cultured with other carps.
Distribution
Catla - catla found through out India, although rather scare to South of the Krishna river.
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3. Cirrhina mrigala
Classification.
Series.....Pisces
Class....Teleostomi
Order.....Cypriniformes
Family..... Cyprinidae
Genus.....Cirrhina
Species......mrigala
General characters
1) It is commonly known as 'Mrigal', is a fresh water carp of India.
2) Body is covered with cycloid scales.
3) The colour of the body is silvery, dark grey along the back, sometimes with coppery tinge.
4) Mouth is wider with thinner lips.
5) Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins are orange in colour tipped with black, caudal fin is sharply forked.
6) It is famous and valuable caгр.
7) It attains a length of more than 90 cm and grows about 20 cm is recorded in months.
8) It has great culturable significance. It is cultured with two other carps Catla and Rohu.
Distribution
It is found throughout India.
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4. Hypopthalmichthys molitrix (Silvercarp)
Classification
Series.....Pisces
Order.....Cypriniformes
Family...... Cyprinidae
Genus..... Hypopthalmichthys
Species......molitrix
General characters
1) It is a Chinese carp introduced in 1959 by importing from Hong Kong and Japan.
2) An upturned mouth and laterally compressed body with small silvery scales.
3) It is a surface feeder.
4) It feeds on phytoplankton of less than 0.025 mm in size.
5) It has longer digestive canal as compared to Grass carp.
6) Young ones of less than 4 cm feed on zooplankton.
7) Maximum size attained is 60 cm.
8) It possesses a high growth rate and growth in the first year is 1.5 Kg.
9) Sexual maturity takes place in the second or the third year.
Distribution
Hong Kong, Japan and India.
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5. Ctenopharengdon idella (Grass - carp)
Classification
Series....Pisces
Class..... Teleostomi
Order......Cyprinidiformis
Family .......Cyprinidae
Genus.......Ctenopharengdon
Species.......idella
General characters
1) Ctenopharengdon idella is commonly known as 'Grass-carp' and 'White Amur' in Russia.
2) It is a exotic carp, brought to India in 1959 from Hong-Kong and Japan.
3) Body elongated, broad head with rounded snout and slightly longer upper jaw.
4) Moderately sized scales with light-greenish Hinge.
5) Short Intestine.
6) It feeds on aquatic weeds and terrestrial grass and in the absense of plants may even feed on fish fry also.
7) It manuares the fish ponds at 50 percent of the daily food it consumed, which is about twice of its body weight, is defected in semi - digested condition, which constitutes organic mannure.
8) Change of carnivorous to herbivorous feeding habit is observed on attaining a length of 2 to 3 cm.
9) Maximum size attained is 1.5 m and 30 Kg.
10) It has a very fast grown rate and maximum growth observed in the first year is 90 cm and 6.9 Kg.
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6. Cyprinus carpio
Classification
Series ......Pisces
Class ....... Teleostomi
Order ......Cypriniformes.
Family .......Cyprinidae
Genus ......Cyprinus
Species......... carpio
General characters
1) Cyprinus is commonly known as European carp.
2) Body moderately softm, lower side of the belly broad and flattened so that the fish will stand on its belly.
3) Caudal pedancle relatively broad.
4) Small head and pointed snout.
5) Scales are large and regularly inserted.
6) Genital opening nearer to the caudal peduncle than in the average сагр.
7) The fry of this fish will attain a length of 26 mm in 20 days with 50% survival.
8) The culture of carp has been a remarkably successful and wide spread method of producing protein for human consumption.
9) Easily tolerate salinities upto 20%, and a wide range of temperature also.
Distribution
It is not a native of India, it has been introduced into lakes of Nilgiri mountain ranges from China and South East Asia. It was first introduced into Ceylon and later in South India.
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