Cyprinus carpio
Linnaeus 1758
Family Cyprinidae

Lateral view of a common carp
The common carp pictured above was collected in a Mississippi River drainage in Hickman County, Kentucky in 2010. Photo courtesy of Matthew R. Thomas

The common carp is a member of the carp and minnow family, and has between 32 and 38 large scales along its lateral line. This species has two large barbels on each side of its upper jaw. The common carp can be found in muddy areas of lakes, ponds and impoundments, as well as in the pools of rivers.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Non-indigenous freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
  • River Drainages — Choctawhatchee River, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, Suwannee River, the Everglades and the St. John’s River
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Similar Species

  • Grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella