Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 [I]—Common carp

Taxonomy. Original description: Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758: 320 [Europe; syntypes: BMNH 1853.11.12.139 (1, skin)].— Iraq synonyms: None.—Revisions: Berg (1949: 831).—Illustration: Berg (1949: 833, fig. 572).

Status in Iraq. Introduced by the government of Iraq during the period 1960–1972 (Jawad, 2003); confirmed by Al-Faisal et al. (2014).—Iraq materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Iraq: Tigris and Euphrates River basins and translocated somewhere.— General distribution: Western Europe (native to the Black Sea basin, possibly also Caspian and Aral seas basins), widely introduced worldwide, also many multicolor varieties.—Habitat: This species inhabits Warm, deep, slow-flowing, and still waters, such as lowland rivers and large, well-vegetated lakes. Introduced in all types of water bodies. Spawns along shores or in backwaters. Freshwater.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Reasons of introduction. Fisheries: enhancement of wild stocks and sports fishing.

Conservation. Not relevant (introduced species).