Undescribed(Species of the Family Cyprinidae)

Undescribed(Species of the Family Cyprinidae)
Japanese Common Name
Undescribed(Species of the Family Cyprinidae)
Scientific name
Carassius sp.
Taxonomy
Order: Alismatales, Family: Ruppiaceae
Size
About 20 cm
Species Distribution
This species is found in Iheya, Iriomote, Ishigaki, Izena, Kumejima, Okinawa, Minami Daito, Miyako, Tokashiki, Yonaguni, and Zamami Islands.
Okinawan Common Name
Tah-iyu
Okinawa Red List of Threatened Species: Critically Endangered
Japan Red List of Threatened Species: Critically Endangered
Until recently, this species was considered as Carassius auratus langdsodrfii, but mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed that Carassius sp. in Okinawa differs from C. auratus langdsodorfii as a species. The species is believed to be diverged about 0.2 to 1.0 million years ago, and an important species to study history of native freshwater fish in Ryukyu Islands. Today, the species is facing to problem such as habitat destruction due to river development and genetic disturbance through introduced Carassius species from outside of Okinawa.

Updated December 2018

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