? Bighead carp
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Cypriniformes Family: Cyprinidae Genus: Hypophthalmichthys Species: H. nobilis
Binomial name
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Richardson, 1845)

The bighead carp is a freshwater fish, one of several Asian carps. It is easily recognizable because of its size and large, scaleless head. Bighead carp are considered a highly invasive species. Image File history File links Bighead carp (H. nobilis) (illustrations by Matt Thomas). ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Placozoa (trichoplax) Subregnum Bilateria (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders See text The Actinopterygii are the ray-finned fish. ... Families Suborder Cobitoidea     Balitoridae (hillstream loaches)     Catostomidae (suckers)     Cobitidae (loaches)     Gyrinocheilidae (algae eaters) Suborder Cyprinoidea     Cyprinidae (carps and minnows) The Cypriniformes are an order of ray-finned fish, including the minnows and some related families. ... Genera (many, see text) The family Cyprinidae, named after the Greek word for goldfish, consists of the carps and minnows. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Sir John Richardson (1787 - 1865) was a Scottish naval surgeon, naturalist and arctic explorer. ... For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: the most abundant species of fish in the world. ... There are several species of fish known as Asian carp. ... It has been suggested that Invasive plants be merged into this article or section. ...

Favoring temperate waters, the bighead occurs naturally in warm rivers and lakes. Carp are primarily filter feeders, eating mainly zooplankton. One of the larger carps, the bighead can grow to enormous sizes very quickly, making it a lucrative aquaculture fish. Its value as a food fish has caused it to be exported from its native China to many other countries. Today, the bighead is distributed nearly globally. For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A waterfall on the Ova da Fedoz, Switzerland A river is a large natural waterway. ... Lake Clearwater, Ontario, Canada A lake is a large body of water, usually fresh water, surrounded by land. ... Photomontage of plankton organisms Plankton is the aggregate community of weakly swimming but mostly drifting small organisms that inhabit the water column of the ocean, seas, and bodies of freshwater. ... Genera Abramis Aristichthys Barbodes Carassius Cirrhinus Ctenopharyngodon Cyprinus Epalzeorhynchos Henicorhynchus Hypophthalmichthys Labeo Mylopharyngodon and others A carp is any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ...

In the United States, the bighead was first introduced to aquaculture facilities to improve water quality. The fish's role as bottom feeders made them suitable for removing algae. However, due to flooding of their farms, bighead have escaped into the Mississippi River where they are now firmly established. To most people not professionally involved in water quality issues, water is either drinkable (technically potable) or contains potentially harmful or toxic substances. ... A seaweed (Laurencia) up close: the branches are multicellular and only about 1 mm thick. ... Look up Flood in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ... This article is about the river in the United States. ...

Communities are attempting to contain the spread of the extremely invasive bighead carp. New York has banned the import and possession of live bighead; in Chicago, the fish may be stored live but must be killed before sale to the consumer. Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ...

References

• Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (TSN 163692). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 11 March 2006.
• Hypophthalmichthys nobilis. FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. November 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ... 11 March is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (71st in Leap year). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish. ...

External links

• Florida Integrated Science Center
• Great Lakes Fishery Commission
• USGS