(Valenciennes, 1844); CYPRINIDAE FAMILY; also called amur, white amur, sôgyo, carpa erbivora, graskarpfen.

Grass carp are native to rivers of China and Eastern Siberia (Amur River system) that flow into the Pacific Ocean between latitudes 50o to 23 o N. They have been widely introduced around the world for aquatic weed control and aquaculture purposes. Because of the potential negative impact of the fast-reproducing grass carp on sport fish, sterile (triploid) grass carp were developed. Fertilized eggs are shocked with hot or cold water or with pressure, causing them to retain an extra set of chromosomes. They are called triploid carp because they have three sets of chromosomes instead of the normal set of two. The aquatic weed control capabilities of the non-reproductive triploid grass carp appear to be essentially the same as the naturally reproducing carp. Naturally reproducing populations are reported from the Danube River in Central Europe, the Mississippi River in North America, Russia and Southern Africa.

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