Cypriniformes
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Cypriniformes is an order of
ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or h ...
, including the carps,
minnow Minnow is the common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish, belonging to several genera of the families Cyprinidae and Leuciscidae. They are also known in Ireland as pinkeens. Smaller fish in the subfamily Leusciscidae are c ...
s,
loach Loaches are fish of the superfamily Cobitoidea. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the 1249 known species of ...
es, and relatives. Cypriniformes is an Order within the Superorder Ostariophysi consisting of " Carp-like" Ostariophysins. This order contains 11-12
families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
, although some authorities have designated as many as 23, over 400 genera, and more than 4,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized frequently.Eschmeyer, W.N., Fong, J.D. (2015
Species by family/subfamily
in the
Catalog of Fishes Catalog of Fishes is a comprehensive on-line database and reference work on the scientific names of fish species and genera. It is global in its scope and is hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. It has been compiled and is continuously u ...
, California Academy of Sciences (retrieved 2 July 2015)
They are most diverse in southeastern
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
, and are entirely absent from Australia and
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
.Nelson (2006) At 112 years old, the longest-lived cypriniform fish documented is the
bigmouth buffalo Bigmouth may refer to: * "Bigmouth", a song by Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. C ...
. Their closest living relatives are the
Characiformes Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationsh ...
( characins and allies), the Gymnotiformes (
electric eel The electric eels are a genus, ''Electrophorus'', of neotropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae. They are known for their ability to stun their prey by generating electricity, delivering shocks at up to 860 volt ...
and American knifefishes), and the
Siluriformes Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...
(catfishes).


Description

Like other orders of the Ostariophysi, fishes of Cypriniformes possess a
Weberian apparatus The Weberian apparatus is an anatomical structure that connects the swim bladder to the auditory system in fishes belonging to the superorder Ostariophysi. When it is fully developed in adult fish, the elements of the apparatus are sometimes c ...
. They differ from most of their relatives in having only a
dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through c ...
on their backs; most other fishes of Ostariophysi have a small, fleshy
adipose fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...
behind the dorsal fin. Further differences are the Cypriniformes' unique kinethmoid, a small median bone in the snout, and the lack of teeth in the mouth. Instead, they have convergent structures called
pharyngeal teeth Pharyngeal teeth are teeth in the pharyngeal arch of the throat of cyprinids, suckers, and a number of other fish species otherwise lacking teeth.cichlids, also possess pharyngeal teeth, the cypriniformes' teeth grind against a chewing pad on the base of the skull, instead of an upper pharyngeal jaw. The most notable family placed here is the Cyprinidae ( carps and
minnow Minnow is the common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish, belonging to several genera of the families Cyprinidae and Leuciscidae. They are also known in Ireland as pinkeens. Smaller fish in the subfamily Leusciscidae are c ...
s), which make up two-thirds of the order's diversity. This is one of the largest families of fish, and is widely distributed across
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...
, and North America. Most species are strictly freshwater inhabitants, but a considerable number are found in
brackish Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estu ...
water, such as roach and
bream Bream ( ) are species of freshwater and marine fish belonging to a variety of genera including '' Abramis'' (e.g., ''A. brama'', the common bream), '' Acanthopagrus'', ''Argyrops'', '' Blicca'', '' Brama'', '' Chilotilapia'', ''Etelis'', '' L ...
. At least one species is found in saltwater, the Pacific redfin, ''
Tribolodon brandtii The Pacific redfin (''Tribolodon brandtii'') is a species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found from the Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region ...
''. Brackish water and marine cyprinids are invariably anadromous, swimming upstream into rivers to spawn. Sometimes separated as family
Psilorhynchidae ''Psilorhynchus'' is a genus of fish in the family ''Psilorhynchidae'' native to South Asia. This genus is the only member of its family. The members of ''Psilorhynchus'' are small benthic fishes which occur in rivers and streams with fast to swi ...
, they seem to be specially adapted fishes of the Cyprinidae. The
Balitoridae The hillstream loaches or river loaches are a family, the Balitoridae, of small fish from South, Southeast and East Asia. The family includes about 202 species. They are sometimes sold as "lizardfish" or (in Germany) "flossensaugers". Many of the ...
and
Gyrinocheilidae ''Gyrinocheilus'' is the single genus in the family Gyrinocheilidae, a family of small Southeast Asian cypriniform fishes that live in fast-flowing freshwater mountain streams. The species in this genus are commonly called "algae eaters." They ho ...
are families of mountain-stream fishes feeding on
alga Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
e and small
invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...
s. They are found only in
tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
and subtropical
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
. While the former are a speciose group, the latter contain only a handful of
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
. The suckers (
Catostomidae The Catostomidae are the suckers of the order Cypriniformes, with about 78 species in this family of freshwater fishes. The Catostomidae are almost exclusively native to North America. The only exceptions are '' Catostomus catostomus,'' found in ...
) are found in
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...
North America and eastern Asia. These large fishes are similar to carps in appearance and ecology. Members of the
Cobitidae Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most " loaches" are placed in other families (see below). The family in ...
are common across
Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...
and parts of
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
. A midsized group like the suckers, they are rather similar to catfish in appearance and behaviour, feeding primarily off the substrate and equipped with barbels to help them locate food at night or in murky conditions. Fishes in the families Cobitidae, Balitoridae, Botiidae, and Gyrinocheilidae are called loaches, although the last do not seem to belong to the lineage of "true" loaches, but are related to the suckers.He ''et al.'' (2008)


Systematics

Historically, these included all the forms now placed in the superorder Ostariophysi except the catfish, which were placed in the order
Siluriformes Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...
. By this definition, the Cypriniformes were paraphyletic, so recently, the orders Gonorhynchiformes,
Characiformes Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationsh ...
, ( characins and allies), and Gymnotiformes ( knifefishes and
electric eel The electric eels are a genus, ''Electrophorus'', of neotropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae. They are known for their ability to stun their prey by generating electricity, delivering shocks at up to 860 volt ...
s) have been separated out to form their own monophyletic orders. The
families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
of Cypriniformes are traditionally divided into two suborders. Superfamily Cyprinioidea contains the carps and minnows ( Cyprinidae) and also the mountain carps as the family
Psilorhynchidae ''Psilorhynchus'' is a genus of fish in the family ''Psilorhynchidae'' native to South Asia. This genus is the only member of its family. The members of ''Psilorhynchus'' are small benthic fishes which occur in rivers and streams with fast to swi ...
. In 2012,
Maurice Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...
reviewed the superfamily Cobitoidei and under his revision it now consists of the following families: hillstream loaches (
Balitoridae The hillstream loaches or river loaches are a family, the Balitoridae, of small fish from South, Southeast and East Asia. The family includes about 202 species. They are sometimes sold as "lizardfish" or (in Germany) "flossensaugers". Many of the ...
), Barbuccidae,
Botiidae Botiidae is a family of cypriniform ray-finned fishes from South, Southeast, and East Asia. Until recently they were placed in the true loach family Cobitidae, until Maurice Kottelat revised the loaches and re-elevated this taxon to family rank ...
, suckers (
Catostomidae The Catostomidae are the suckers of the order Cypriniformes, with about 78 species in this family of freshwater fishes. The Catostomidae are almost exclusively native to North America. The only exceptions are '' Catostomus catostomus,'' found in ...
), true loaches (
Cobitidae Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most " loaches" are placed in other families (see below). The family in ...
), Ellopostomatidae,
Gastromyzontidae The Gastromyzontidae are a family of loaches native to China and Southeast Asia, where typically found in streams and rivers with a fast current. The family includes about 137 species in eighteen genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic ...
, sucking loaches (
Gyrinocheilidae ''Gyrinocheilus'' is the single genus in the family Gyrinocheilidae, a family of small Southeast Asian cypriniform fishes that live in fast-flowing freshwater mountain streams. The species in this genus are commonly called "algae eaters." They ho ...
), stone loaches (
Nemacheilidae The Nemacheilidae, or stone loaches, are a family of cypriniform fishes that inhabit stream environments, mostly in Eurasia, with one genus, ''Afronemacheilus'' found in Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most popu ...
), Serpenticobitidae, and long-finned loaches ( Vaillantellidae).Kottelat, M. (2012) Catostomoidea is usually treated as a junior synonym of the Cobitoidei, but it could be split off the Catostomidae and Gyrinocheilidae in a distinct superfamily; the Catostomoidea might be closer relatives of the carps and minnows than of the "true" loaches. While the Cyprinioidea seem more "primitive" than the loach-like forms, they were apparently successful enough never to shift from the original
ecological niche In ecology, a niche is the match of a species to a specific environmental condition. Three variants of ecological niche are described by It describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of resources and competitors (for ...
of the basal Ostariophysi. Yet, from the
ecomorphological Ecomorphology or ecological morphology is the study of the relationship between the ecological role of an individual and its morphological adaptations. The term "morphological" here is in the anatomical context. Both the morphology and ecology ex ...
ly conservative main lineage apparently at least two major radiations branched off. These diversified from the lowlands into torrential river
habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s, acquiring similar habitus and adaptations in the process. The mountain carps are the highly apomorphic Cyprinidae, perhaps close to true carps (Cyprininae), or maybe to the
danionin The danionins are a group of small, minnow-type fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. Members of this group are mostly in the genera '' Danio'', '' Devario'', and ''Rasbora''._They_are_primarily_native_to_the_ s_...''._They_are_primarily_nati ...
s. While some details about the
phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
structures of this massively diverse family are known – e.g. that
Cultrinae The Cultrinae are one of at least 13 subfamilies of cyprinid fish. It contains ten genera. Recognized genera * ''Anabarilius'' (21 species) * ''Ancherythroculter'' (5 species) * '' Chanodichthys'' (5 species) * '' Culter'' (4 species) * ''Cult ...
and
Leuciscinae Leuciscinae is a subfamily of the freshwater fish family Cyprinidae, which contains the true minnows. Members of the Old World (OW) clade of minnows within this subfamily are known as European minnows. As the name suggests, most members of the O ...
are rather close relatives and stand apart from Cyprininae – no good consensus exists yet on how the main lineages are interrelated. A systematic list, from the most ancient to the most modern lineages, can thus be given as: * Suborder Cyprinoidei ** Family Acheilognathidae Bleeker, 1863 ** Family Cyprinidae Rafinesque, 1815 (carps,
koi or more specifically , are colored varieties of the Amur carp ('' Cyprinus rubrofuscus'') that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens. Koi is an informal name for the colored variants of ''C. rubrofuscus'' ke ...
,
goldfish The goldfish (''Carassius auratus'') is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have bec ...
) and minnows ** Family
Danionidae The danionins are a group of small, minnow-type fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. Members of this group are mostly in the genera ''Danio'', ''Devario'', and ''Rasbora''._They_are_primarily_native_to_the_s_...''._They_are_primarily_native_t ...
Bleeker, 1863 ** Family
Gobionidae Gobioninae is a monophyletic subfamily of Eurasian cyprinid fishes. A species-rich subfamily, it is divided into five tribes: Gobionini, Pseudogobionini, Hemibarbini, Coreiini, and Sarcocheilichthyini. To adapt to different masticatory operation ...
Bleeker, 1863 ** Family Leptobarbidae Bleeker, 1864 ** Family
Leuciscidae Leuciscinae is a subfamily of the freshwater fish family Cyprinidae, which contains the true minnows. Members of the Old World (OW) clade of minnows within this subfamily are known as European minnows. As the name suggests, most members of the O ...
Bonaparte, 1853 ** Family
Paedocyprididae ''Paedocypris'' is a genus of tiny cyprinid fish found in swamps and streams on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo, Sumatra and Bintan. ''Paedocypris progenetica'' has been claimed to be the one of smallest known species of fish in the world ...
Mayden & Chen, 2010 ** Family
Psilorhynchidae ''Psilorhynchus'' is a genus of fish in the family ''Psilorhynchidae'' native to South Asia. This genus is the only member of its family. The members of ''Psilorhynchus'' are small benthic fishes which occur in rivers and streams with fast to swi ...
Hora, 1926 ** Family Sundadanionidae Mayden & Chen, 2010 ** Family Tanichthyidae Mayden & Chen, 2010 ** Family Tincidae Jordan, 1878 ** Family
Xenocyprididae Xenocyprinae, is a contentious subfamily of the family Cyprinidae, the carp and minnow family, originally from eastern Asia. Genera The 5th edition of ''Fishes of the World'' assigns the follow general to this subfamily: *'' Aristichthys'' Oshi ...
Günther, 1868 * Suborder Catostomoidei ** Family
Catostomidae The Catostomidae are the suckers of the order Cypriniformes, with about 78 species in this family of freshwater fishes. The Catostomidae are almost exclusively native to North America. The only exceptions are '' Catostomus catostomus,'' found in ...
Agassiz 1850 (suckers) * Suborder Gyrinocheiloidei ** Family
Gyrinocheilidae ''Gyrinocheilus'' is the single genus in the family Gyrinocheilidae, a family of small Southeast Asian cypriniform fishes that live in fast-flowing freshwater mountain streams. The species in this genus are commonly called "algae eaters." They ho ...
Gill 1905 (algae eaters; sucking loaches) * Suborder Cobitoidei ** Family
Balitoridae The hillstream loaches or river loaches are a family, the Balitoridae, of small fish from South, Southeast and East Asia. The family includes about 202 species. They are sometimes sold as "lizardfish" or (in Germany) "flossensaugers". Many of the ...
Swainson 1839 (hillstream loaches) ** Family Barbuccidae Kottelat 2012 (scooter/fire-eyed loaches) ** Family
Botiidae Botiidae is a family of cypriniform ray-finned fishes from South, Southeast, and East Asia. Until recently they were placed in the true loach family Cobitidae, until Maurice Kottelat revised the loaches and re-elevated this taxon to family rank ...
Berg 1940 (pointface loaches) ** Family
Cobitidae Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most " loaches" are placed in other families (see below). The family in ...
Swainson 1838 (true loaches) ** Family Ellopostomatidae Bohlen & Šlechtová 2009 (square-head/sturgeon-mouthed loaches) ** Family
Gastromyzontidae The Gastromyzontidae are a family of loaches native to China and Southeast Asia, where typically found in streams and rivers with a fast current. The family includes about 137 species in eighteen genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic ...
Fowler 1905 (sucker loaches) ** Family
Nemacheilidae The Nemacheilidae, or stone loaches, are a family of cypriniform fishes that inhabit stream environments, mostly in Eurasia, with one genus, ''Afronemacheilus'' found in Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most popu ...
Regan 1911 (brook/stone loaches) ** Family Serpenticobitidae Kottelat 2012 (snake/serpent loaches) ** Family Vaillantellidae Nalbant & Bănărescu 1977 (longfin loaches)


Phylogeny

Phylogeny based on the work of the following worksJörg Bohlen, Vendula Šlechtová: ''Phylogenetic position of the fish genus ''Ellopostoma'' (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) using molecular genetic data.'' Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Bd. 20, Nr. 2, 2009, S. 157-162
PDF
1,8 MB)


Evolution

Cypriniformes include the most primitive of the Ostariophysi in the narrow sense (i.e. excluding the Gonorynchiformes). This is evidenced not only by physiological details, but also by their great distribution, which indicates they had the longest time to spread. The earliest that Cypriniformes might have diverged from Characiphysi (
Characiformes Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationsh ...
and relatives) is thought to be about the
Early Triassic The Early Triassic is the first of three epochs of the Triassic Period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between Ma and Ma (million years ago). Rocks from this epoch are collectively known as the Lower Triassic Series, which is a un ...
, about 250 million years ago ( mya). However, their divergence probably occurred only with the splitting-up of
Pangaea Pangaea or Pangea () was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It assembled from the earlier continental units of Gondwana, Euramerica and Siberia during the Carboniferous approximately 335 million y ...
in the
Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...
, maybe 160 million years ago (Mya). By 110 Mya, the
plate tectonics Plate tectonics (from the la, label=Late Latin, tectonicus, from the grc, τεκτονικός, lit=pertaining to building) is the generally accepted scientific theory that considers the Earth's lithosphere to comprise a number of large ...
evidence indicates that the Laurasian Cypriniformes must have been distinct from their Gondwanan relatives. The Cypriniformes are thought to have originated in
South-east Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
, where the most diversity of this group is found today. The alternative hypothesis is that they began in
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
, similar to the other otophysans. If this were the case, they would have spread to Asia through Africa or North America before the continents split up, for these are purely freshwater fishes. As the Characiformes began to diversify and spread, they may have outcompeted South American basal cypriniforms in Africa, where more advanced cypriniforms survive and coexist with characiforms.Briggs (2005) The earliest cypriniform fossils are already assignable to the living
family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Catostomidae; from the
Paleocene The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek ''pal ...
of
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, they are roughly 60 million years old. During the
Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...
(55-35 Mya), catostomids and cyprinids spread throughout Asia. In the Oligocene, around 30 Mya, advanced cyprinids began to outcompete catostomids wherever they were sympatric, causing a decline of the suckers. Cyprinids reached North America and Europe about the same time, and Africa in the early
Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
(some 23-20 Mya). The cypriniforms spread to North America through the
Bering land bridge Beringia is defined today as the land and maritime area bounded on the west by the Lena River in Russia; on the east by the Mackenzie River in Canada; on the north by 72 degrees north latitude in the Chukchi Sea; and on the south by the tip of ...
, which formed and disappeared again several times during the many millions of years of cypriniform
evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
.


Relationship with humans

The Cyprinidae in particular are important in a variety of ways. Many species are important food fish, particularly in Europe and Asia. Some are also important as aquarium fish, of which the
goldfish The goldfish (''Carassius auratus'') is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have bec ...
and
koi or more specifically , are colored varieties of the Amur carp ('' Cyprinus rubrofuscus'') that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens. Koi is an informal name for the colored variants of ''C. rubrofuscus'' ke ...
are perhaps the most celebrated. The other families are of less commercial importance. The Catostomidae have some importance in
angling Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" (from Old English ''angol'') attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated via a fishing rod, although rodless techni ...
, and some "loaches" are bred for the international aquarium fish trade. Accidentally or deliberately introduced populations of common carp (''Cyprinus carpio'') and
grass carp The grass carp (''Ctenopharyngodon idella'') is a species of large herbivorous freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, native to the Pacific Far East, with a native range stretching from northern Vietnam to the Amur River on the Sino-Russi ...
(''Ctenopharyngodon idella'') are found on all
continent A continent is any of several large landmasses. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven geographical regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas t ...
s except
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...
. In some cases, these
exotic species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...
have a negative impact on the environment. Carp in particular stir up the riverbed, reducing the clarity of the water, making plant growth difficult. In science, one of the most famous members of the Cypriniformes is the
zebrafish The zebrafish (''Danio rerio'') is a freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae) of the order Cypriniformes. Native to South Asia, it is a popular aquarium fish, frequently sold under the trade name zebra danio (and thus often ca ...
(''Danio rerio''). The zebrafish is one of the most important vertebrate model organisms in biological and biochemical sciences, being used in many kinds of experiments. During early development, the zebrafish has a nearly transparent body, so it is ideal for studying developmental biology. It is also used for the elucidation of biochemical signaling pathways. They are also good pets, but can be shy in bright light and crowded tanks.


Threats and extinction

Habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
,
damming A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...
of upland rivers,
pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...
, and in some cases overfishing for food or the pet trade have driven some Cypriniformes to the brink of extinction or even beyond. In particular, Cyprinidae of southwestern North America have been severely affected; a considerable number went entirely extinct after settlement by Europeans. For example, in 1900 the thicktail chub (''Gila crassicauda'') was the most common freshwater fish found in
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
; 70 years later, not a single living individual existed. The well-known red-tailed black shark (''Epalzeorhynchos bicolor'') from the
Mae Klong The Mae Klong (, , ), sometimes spelled Mae Khlong or Meklong, is a river in western Thailand. The river begins at the confluence of the Khwae Noi (Khwae Sai Yok) and the Khwae Yai River (Khwae Si Sawat) in Kanchanaburi, it passes Ratchaburi ...
River of ''
The Bridge on the River Kwai ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle. Although the film uses the historical setting of the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943, th ...
'' fame possibly only survives in captivity. Ironically, while pollution and other forms of overuse by humans have driven it from its native home, it is bred for the aquarium fish trade by the thousands. The Yarqon bleak (''Acanthobrama telavivensis'') from the Yarqon River had to be rescued into captivity from imminent extinction; new populations have apparently been established again successfully from captive stock. The Balitoridae and Cobitidae, meanwhile, contain a very large number of species about which essentially nothing is known except how they look and where they were first found. Globally extinct Cypriniformes species are:IUCN (2007) * '' Acanthobrama hulensis'' * Gökçe balığı, ''Alburnus akili'' * ''
Barbus microbarbis ''Labeobarbus microbarbis'' is an extinct species of cyprinid Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family. It includes the carps, the true minnows, and relatives like the barbs and barbels. Cyprin ...
'' * Snake River sucker, ''Chasmistes muriei'' * '' Chondrostoma scodrense'' * ''
Cyprinus yilongensis ''Cyprinus yilongensis'' is an extinct species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It was found only in Yilong Lake, Yunnan, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the wor ...
'' *
Mexican dace The Mexican dace (''Evarra bustamantei''), or Mexican chub, is an extinct species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It was found only in Mexico, in the canals and streams of the Valley of Mexico. It is estimated to have become extinct ...
, ''Evarra bustamantei'' *
Plateau chub The plateau chub (''Evarra eigenmanni'') is an extinct species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It was found only in Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of soverei ...
, ''Evarra eigenmanni'' *
Endorheic chub The endorheic chub (''Evarra tlahuacensis'') is an extinct species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It was found only in Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sov ...
, ''Evarra tlahuacensis'' * Thicktail chub, ''Gila crassicauda'' * Pahranagat spinedace, ''Lepidomeda altivelis'' * Harelip sucker, ''Moxostoma lacerum'' * Durango shiner, ''Notropis aulidion'' * Phantom shiner, ''Notropis orca'' * Salado shiner, ''Notropis saladonis'' * Clear Lake splittail, ''Pogonichthys ciscoides'' * Las Vegas dace, ''Rhinichthys deaconi'' * Stumptooth minnow, ''Stypodon signifer'' * '' Telestes ukliva''


Notes


References

* (2005): The biogeography of otophysan fishes (Ostariophysi: Otophysi): a new appraisal. '' J. Biogeogr.'' 32(2): 287–294. (HTML abstract) * (2004a)
Family Balitoridae - River loaches
Version of 2004-NOV-22. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2004b)
Family Catostomidae - Suckers
Version of 2004-NOV-22. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2004c)
Family Cobitidae - Loaches
Version of 2004-NOV-22. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2004d)
Family Cyprinidae - Minnows or carps
Version of 2004-NOV-22. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2004e)
Family Gyrinocheilidae - Algae eaters
Version of 2004-NOV-22. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2004f)
Family Psilorhynchidae - Mountain carps
Version of 2004-NOV-22. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2005)
Order Summary for Cypriniformes
Version of 2005-FEB-15. Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2006)

Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2005)
Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758)
Version of 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2007-05-03. * (2008): Phylogenetic position of the enigmatic genus ''Psilorhynchus'' (Ostariophysi: Cypriniformes): Evidence from the mitochondrial genome. '' Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.'' 47: 419–425. (HTML abstract) * (1997): ''The Diversity of Fishes''. Blackwell Publishing. * (2007): '' ww.iucnredlist.org 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species'. * Kottelat, M. (2012)
Conspectus cobitidum: an inventory of the loaches of the world (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Cobitoidei).
''The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Suppl. No. 26: 1-199.'' * (2006): '' Fishes of the World''. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. * 007 FishBase
''Tribolodon brandtii''
Retrieved 2007-03-05. * (2003): Mitochondrial Genomics of Ostariophysan Fishes: Perspectives on Phylogeny and Biogeography. '' J. Mol. Evol.'' 56(4): 464–472. (HTML abstract) * (2018): Phylogenetic classification of extant genera of fishes of the order Cypriniformes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi). ''
Zootaxa ''Zootaxa'' is a peer-reviewed scientific mega journal for animal taxonomists. It is published by Magnolia Press (Auckland, New Zealand). The journal was established by Zhi-Qiang Zhang in 2001 and new issues are published multiple times a week ...
'' 4476(1): 006–039. (HTML abstract)


External links


Cypriniformes Tree of Life
{{Authority control Ray-finned fish orders Ostariophysi Fish of Africa Fish of Europe Fish of Asia Fish of North America Fish of Central America Extant Thanetian first appearances