Xenocyprididae, Günther, 1868

Family Xenocyprididae View in CoL

Chinese carps

The aggregation of non-native East Asian carps has been placed in several cyprinid subfamilies, depending on which molecular characters were studied. The genera Squaliobarbus , Elopichthys , Ctenopharyngodon , and Mylopharyngodon were previously classified within the Cyprinid subfamily Squaliobarbinae . Hypophthalmichthys has been placed in the family Leuciscidae . The results of recent, comprehensive molecular studies place these fishes in Xenocyprididae . Xenocyprididae is a diverse group that encompasses species native to Southeast Asia (e.g. Macrochirichthys , and Parachela ) and East Asia (e.g., Culter , Chanodichthys , and Ochetobius ). They represent an independent adaptive radiation within the order Cypriniformes and exhibit remarkable morphological and ecological diversity. In East Asia, they form similar ecological niches to those of Leuciscids in the West, and some are even superficially similar to Alburnus , Leuciscus , Chondrostoma , and others. Some species attain considerable size and exhibit rapid growth; four have been cultivated and widely introduced. Several other species are small pond dwellers, including Aphyocypris , Hemigrammocypris , and Metzia . Xenocypridis are particularly abundant in lowland freshwater ecosystems, with some species being ubiquitous. Some are also resistant to the majority of human impacts. One species, Hemiculter leucisculus , was introduced to the Aral basin and has become invasive along the southern and western coast of the Caspian Sea. Subsequently, it was introduced to the Euphrates and Tigris drainages, where it is expanding its range. Ctenopharyngodon , Mylopharyngodon , and Hypophthalmichthys have been stocked throughout West Asia and are typically sourced from European suppliers. However, these activities have declined due to the perceived inferiority of the flesh of these species and their subsequent low market value. There is no documented evidence of any established population of these species in West Asia. Nevertheless, their potential to become established in the future as a consequence of warming due to climate change cannot be discounted.

Further reading. Howes 1981 (anatomy); Chen 1987 (phylogeny); Cunha et al. 2002 (genetics); Kottelat & Freyhof 2007 (summary of distribution and biology); DeVaney et al. 2009 (invasion potential).