Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes, 1844)

Çiçek, Erdoğan, Jawad, Laith, Eagderi, Soheil, Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Mouludi-Saleh, Atta, Sungur, Sevil & Fricke, Ronald, 2023, Freshwater fishes of Iraq: a revised and updated annotated checklist- 2023, Zootaxa 5357 (1), pp. 1-49 : 19

Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes, 1844) [I]—Silver carp

Taxonomy. Original description: Leuciscus molitrix Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1844: 360 ( China; no types known).— Iraq synonyms: None.—Revisions: Berg (1949: 846).—Illustration: Berg (1949: 847, fig. 579).

Status in Iraq. Introduced by the government of Iraq in 1968 ( Jawad, 2003) and recorded from Shatt al-Arab River by Al-Hassan (1994); Al-Faisal et al. (2014).—Iraq materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Iraq: Introduce somewehere in Tigris and Euphrates rivers drainages.— General distribution: Asia: East Asia: Yangtze River basin, China and Russia; widely introduced elsewhere.— Habitat: In its natural range, this species migrates upstream for spawning; eggs and larva float downstream to floodplain zones. An active species well known for its habit of leaping clear of the water when disturbed. Swims just beneath the water’s surface. Very sensitive to low temperatures (below 5°C) and oxygen deficits. It feeds on phytoplankton and zooplankton. Freshwater, brackish.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

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

Conservation. Not relevant (introduced species).