The family Cyprinidae, consists of the Carps ,the true minnows, and their relatives . Commonly called the carp family, its members are also known as cyprinids. It is the largest family of fresh-water fish, with over 2,400 species.
Description[]
Cyprinids are stomachless fish and the jaws are toothless. Food can be effectively chewed by the gill rakers of the specialized last gill bow. These pharyngeal teeth can make chewing motions against a chewing plate formed by a procession of the skull. The pharyngeal teeth are species specific and are used by specialists to determine the species. Strong pharyngeal teeth allow fish like the Common Carp and Ide to eat hard baits like snails and bivalves.
Hearing is a well developed sense since the cyprinids have the Weberian organ, three specialized vertebra processions that transfer motion of the gas bladder to the inner ear. This construction is also used to observe motion of the gas bladder due to atmospheric conditions or depth changes. The cyprinids are physostomes because the pneumatic duct is retained in adult stages and the fish are able to gulp air to fill the gas bladder or they can dispose excess gas to the gut.
British Members[]
Members of the carp family in Britain:
- Roach
- Rudd
- Silver bream
- Goldfish
- Ghost Carp
- Common Carp
- Mirror Carp
- Grass Carp
- Barbel
- Bitterling
- Dace
There are also many more
