Cyprinus+Carpio+Lovers

**COMMON CARP.** **Cheryl Au** << Cheirolepis (Extinct Animal) Nova Carpere (Future Animal)>>



The //Cyprinus carpio// or more commonly known as the Common Carp is one of the most common species of fish in the world.This large, omnivorous fish originated from Asia and its ancestry goes back at least 2000 years. A freshwater fish, Carps are mostly found in rivers and lakes all over Europe and Asia. They are one of the most adaptable species of fish on Earth but the wild population of //Cyprinus carpio// has recently come under threat and are now listed as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).


 * **Kingdom**: || Animalia ||
 * **Phylum**: || Chordata ||
 * **Class:** || Actinopterygii ||
 * **Order**: || Cypriniformes ||
 * **Family:** || Cyprinidae ||
 * **Genus:** || //Cyprinus// ||
 * Species: || //**C. carpio**// ||

This report gives a basic idea on the features of the modern day Carp, outlining their natural habitat as well as their adaptations which has lead to their survival in our modern day world.

**HABITAT.** Since the introduction of Carps to Europe from Asia more than two thousand years ago, it is now possible to find Carps basically on all continents and countries except the poles, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The Common Carp has been domesticated in all 50 states of America and are now a source of food for many people. The Common carp bing one of the most adaptable and tolerable species of fish in the world, can survive in most fresh waters although they prefer to inhabit large bodies of warm, slow flowing water usually a lake or a river that tends to be enriched but at the same time slightly murky and shallow. Dissolved Oxygen is the measure of the amount of oxygen in a medium, typically in water, Carps can tolerate waters with a low dissolved oxygen (DO) level, meaning that they are able to survive in bodies of water where there are not a lot of oxgen in the water. Water temperatures of 23 to 30 degrees is most ideal as Carps begin spawning at around 17 -18 degrees, however adult Carps have been seen to move into deeper bodies of water during the winter time. For this reason, they do not exist in Antarctica. In waters where Carps are usually found, the water tends to be brackish meaning that the water has a little more salinity than normal fresh waters but not as much as seawater and has a pH of around 6.5 to 9.0. However Carps have adapted to waters with high levels of salinity even though they are a freshwater species.

Carps do not have a specific environment in which they need in order for them to survive however most of the world’s population of Common Carps are found in areas with high density of vegetation as these areas give Carps a better access to food as well as providing Carps with cover and protection from their predators. Carps being omnivorous feed mainly on aquatic plants or invertebrates such as aquatic insects, mollusks and even dead fish. Locating a food source is definitely not a challenge for the Carp but seeking a safe place for them to spawn can at times be quite challenging.

Observations have shown that Carps have a tendency to spawn during warmer temperatures, usually during springtime. A single spawning of a Carp can result up to 2 million fish eggs and because of this Carps gravitate towards areas with densely packed vegetation to spawn. This is so that there will be a higher reproductive level and a lower chance of the Carp hatchlings being exposed to predators such as Pikes and other freshwater species that might prey on young Carps.

=ADAPTATIONS. =
 * [[image:fdsf.jpg.png width="800" height="397"]] ||
 * = **Carp Habitat** ||



**1. Gills**

An obvious feature of all aquatic vertebrates is that they all have gills; Carps are no exception. Having a set of gills allows the Carp to “breathe” underwater by in-taking oxygen from air molecules in water through gas exchange. As water flows through the gills of the fish, oxygen molecules in water diffuses into the blood vessels which then carries oxygen to the rest of the fish body.The respiratory system of Carps and furthermore, all other aquatic vertebrates with gills, are very similar those of a humans or a __blue whale__ ’s respiratory system with the exception that they have lungs instead.

Having gills essentially allows aquatic species including Carps to intake oxygen and release carbon dioxide whilst under water. This allows them to survive underwater without having to come to the surface of the water periodically to ‘gulp’ and intake oxygen like the __dolphin__ .

**2. Scales** Another adaptation of the modern day Carp is their “suit of armor” more commonly known as the scales. Varying in sizes, shapes and even colours, scales are a crucial feature of many bony fish species as they give extra external protection to the animal. However some animals being ac tive predators, such as the __shark__  do not have any scales at all as they do not need it.

//Source:// //http://australianmuseum.net.au/Uploads/Images/3123/jungleperch_big.jpg// || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Small microscopic scales provide limited protection to the animal but allows for greater movement whereas larger scales gives the fish more protection but limited movement. Scales of modern day fish species can be classified into four main groups, Placoid,Ganoid,Cycloid and Ctenoid. Modern day fish species mainly have either Cycloid or Ctenoid scales, Ctenoid scales tend to have comb like edges whilst Cycloid scales in comparison overlaps each other and it tends to be thinner and more circular. The Carp has large uniform Cycloid scales all over the body, as they require stronger protection against predators and because Carps are usually found in slow moving waters, they need scales to allow them to move comfortably and flexibly in water.
 * > [[image:http://australianmuseum.net.au/Uploads/Images/3123/jungleperch_big.jpg width="419" height="314" align="right"]] ||
 * > **<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">Cycloid Scales **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A possible reason for which Carps have developed scales might have been because of the need to defend themselves again predators especially the young hatchlings. With large cycloid scales on their bodies, Carp have a higher chance of survival as they have extra protection against predators and different types of pathogens such as viruses and bacterias that could be found in murky waters of lakes or rivers. It also allow Carps to have greater flexibility, so that Carps can have a better chance of swimming away from predators during a pursue.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**3. Barbels** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Carps also have barbels or whiskers on either side of their mouths that are long and slender that acts as a sensory organ by housing all the taste buds of the Carp. As Carps are mainly a bottom dwelling fish, their source of food are usually on the lake or river bed, having barbels allows them to locate and sense food sources in areas where there is limited amounts of light.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With Barbels, Carps have a higher chance of survival as they can locate food more efficiently and easily with their heightened senses but the Barbels also allows Carp to sense their surroundings and to check for any immediate danger that might be threatening to the Carp. //Source: http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Minnow44.jpg// ||
 * > [[image:http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Minnow44.jpg width="351" height="235"]] ||
 * > **Carp's Barbels**

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**4. Streamline Body** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The body shape of a //Cyprinus carpio// tends to be more streamline-shaped or oval-shaped, meaning that it has a pointed front and end with a bulky middle. With this body structure, it assists the Carp’s movement in water as well as reducing the water resistance and water drag.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Being able to protect themselves against predators is crucial to the survival of all faunas in the ecosystem, having a streamline-shaped body allows the Carp to swim faster away from any on-coming danger especially predators as a streamline-shaped body reduces friction in the water.



<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**5. Pharyngeal Teeth** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Another feature in which is special to the //Cyprinus carpio// is that they have what is known as <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pharyngeal teeth. Pharyngeal teeth are a set of teeth located in the back of the Carp’s through which allows them to crush up hard food items such as <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">__snails__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, crayfish and clams so that they can be digested. Other species of fish do not have any pharyngeal teeth so Carps are able to eat foods that other species of fish cannot.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Equipped with a set of Pharyngeal teeth permits Carps to eat hard food items whilst other species of fish cannot. This unique feature might be one of the main reasons in which the <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//Cyprinus carpio// have survived extinction. Able to digest snails, clams and other hard food items means that the Carp can essentially eat whatever that they can find. They will never face a lack of food and because of this, they have higher chances of survival than any other species of fish.


 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 220%; line-height: 24px;">ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE. **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the environmental pressures that contributes to the Carp developing scales is that Carps were being hunted by other species as a source of food. To protect themselves from their predators, Carps developed uniform scales that overlaps one another all over their body, this is so that the scales can act as a shield and give them better protection against their predators and different forms of pathogens within their habitat. Also, as predators of the //Cyprinus carpio// such as the Pike fish are relatively fast swimmers, Carps had to adapt so that they in turn can avoid being caught. For this reason, the Carp has more body slime and has a body that is more streamline shaped so that it reduces drag in water and allows the Carp to swim faster. The environmental factor that causes Carps to develop long and slender barbels could have been the surroundings in which the Carps search for food. Carps being bottom dwelling fishes usually lack light when they search for food, they cannot rely on the sight so therefore barbels became their main sensory organ that allows them to feel their surroundings,‘see’ where everything is and what they eat.The pressure of not having a particular type of food for the Carp to eat might have caused the Carp to develop Pharyngeal Teeth. There could have been a shortage of a particular food in the diet of the Carp so they were forced to evolve so that they can digest harder food items in order to survive.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Bibliography. = = =
 * Common Carp . (n.d.). //Ohio Department of Natural Resources - camping, boating, fishing, hunting, biking, hiking in Ohio// . Retrieved June 21, 2011, from http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/commoncarp/tabid/6589/Default.aspx
 * Carpfishing UK - Carp facts and information. (n.d.). //Carp Fishing UK - Carp fishing information, carp tactics, news, fisheries, tackle, bait, carp forums//. Retrieved June 26, 2011, from http://www.carp-uk.net/carpfacts.htm
 * Common Carp . (n.d.). //AIS//. Retrieved June 23, 2011, from www.in.gov/dnr/files/COMMON_CARP.pdf
 * Carpfishing UK - Carp facts and information. (n.d.). //Carp Fishing UK - Carp fishing information, carp tactics, news, fisheries, tackle, bait, carp forums//. Retrieved June 22, 2011, from http://www.carp-uk.net/carpfacts.htm
 * Fish Anatomy. (n.d.). //Tropical Freshwater Aquarium Fish//. Retrieved June 22, 2011, from http://fish.mongabay.com/anatomy.htm
 * How do Carp swim through water using fins names of carp fins. (n.d.). //Carp Fishing tactics includes rig ideas and methods to catch biggest carp//. Retrieved June 24, 2011, from http://www.carp-fishing-tactics.com/science-how-carp-move.html