Percocypris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Percocypris
Y. T. Chu, 1935
Type species
Leptobarbus pingi
Tchang, 1930

Percocypris is a genus of cyprinid freshwater fishes found in large rivers and Fuxian Lake in the highlands of southern China and northern mainland southeast Asia.[1] They are predators that mainly feed on smaller fish.[1] They can reach up to around 50 cm (20 in) in standard length and more than 2 kg (4.5 lb) in weight.[2]

Percocypris all are rare and threatened. As of 2013, the Chinese Red List only recognizes one species in this genus (others considered subspecies) and treats it as vulnerable.[1] P. tchangi of the Red River has not been confirmed since its original description in 1936[1] (however, P. retrodorsalis has been recorded recently and some include it in P. tchangi).[2] Primary threats are overfishing and habitat loss, especially from dams and pollution.[1][3] P. pingi is farmed and captive-bred individuals are released back into the wild by several institutions in an attempt of countering its threatened status.[4]

Taxonomy and species

The currently recognized species historically were all considered as subspecies of P. pingi, a treatment still used by IUCN.[3] Genetic and morphological evidence support their validity as separate species and also indicate that there are two currently undescribed species (one from upper Pearl River, another from Salween River), bringing the total to six allospecies.[1] The status of P. retrodorsalis remains disputed. It is recognized as a species by Catalog of Fishes,[5] but not by FishBase where included in P. tchangi.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wang, Mo; Yang, Jun-Xing; Chen, Xiao-Yong (2013). "Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeography of Percocypris (Cyprinidae, Teleostei)". PLOS ONE. 8 (6): e61827. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...861827W. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061827. PMC 3672144. PMID 23750199.
  2. ^ a b Zhang, Min; Wan, Li; Li, Zhu; Xie, Dong; Xiong, Wen; Wang, Zhengxiang (2018). "Length-weight relationships of three fish species from Nujiang River of China". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 34 (5): 1204–1206. doi:10.1111/jai.13736.
  3. ^ a b Zhao, H.H. (2011). "Percocypris pingi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T166209A6190712. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T166209A6190712.en.
  4. ^ Zheng, L.P.; Geng, Y.; Yu, Z.H.; Wang, K.Y.; Ou, Y.P.; Chen, D.F.; Huang, X.L.; Deng, L.J.; Gan, W.X.; Fang, J.; Zhong, Z.J.; Lai, W.M. (2018). "First report of spring viremia of carp virus in Percocypris pingi in China". Aquaculture. 493: 214–218. doi:10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.04.056.
  5. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Percocypris". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  6. ^ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). Species of Percocypris in FishBase. May 2019 version.


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