Side view adult.
Side view adult.
Side view adult.
Top view adult.
Bottom view adult: The belly is split open and the viscera is removed.
Head-on view adult.
Close-up flank.
Close-up head.
Close-up mouth and snout.
Close-up tail.
Close-up dorsal fin.
Close-up anal fin: The fin membranes are partially split in two places.
Close-up pectoral fin: The belly is split open and the viscera is removed.
Close-up pelvic fin: The belly is split open and the viscera is removed.
Close-up ventral area: Notice the absence of a ventral keel; the belly is split open and the viscera is removed.
There are 15-16 gill rakers.
The grass carp has a fusiform body and 34-47 lateral line scales.
Close-up mouth: The mouth is terminal, there are no barbels.
Close-up dorsal fin: Notice the lack of a spine, there are 7-9 dorsal rays.
Close-up anal fin: Notice the lack of a spine, there are 8-10 anal rays.
Side view of a young-of-year: They are similar to adults except for a somewhat more elongated body and proportionally bigger eyes.
Side view of a yearling: They are similar to adults.
The intestines are spiraled and greatly elongated.
Alternate side view.
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Family
Minnows (Cyprinidae)
Body
Mouth and Snout: Mouth terminal without any teeth. No barbels. Body Pattern: Solid light olive to silvery white on body, with head and fins more darkly pigmented. Obvious cycloid scales, outlined in dark pigment giving the sides a cross-hatched appearance. Body Shape: Fusiform. Typical adult size is 400-700 mm TL (1.3-2.3 ft), with a maximum of about 1300 mm (4.3 ft).
Fins
Forked tail. Single short dorsal fin without any spines. Pelvic fins abdominal. No adipose fin. Anal fin without spike and with 8-10 rays.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Fusiform body with no ventral keel. Dorsal fin with 7-9 soft rays and anal fin with 8-10 soft rays. Terminal mouth without barbels. 34-47 lateral line scales and 15-16 gill rakers. See also similar species information.
Breeding Adults
Breeding males have small tubercles on the pectoral fins.
Juveniles
Similar to adults.
Hybrids
None known from Wisconsin.
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Body Shape | Buffalo, Bigmouth | Deep, laterally compressed | Buffalo, Black | Deep, laterally compressed | Buffalo, Smallmouth | Deep, laterally compressed | Carp, Bighead | Fusiform | Carp, Common | Deep, laterally compressed | Carp, Grass | Fusiform | Carp, Silver | Fusiform | Carpsucker, Highfin | Deep, laterally compressed | Carpsucker, River | Deep, laterally compressed | Goldfish | Deep, laterally compressed | Quillback | Deep, laterally compressed | Ventral Keel | Buffalo, Bigmouth | Absent | Buffalo, Black | Absent | Buffalo, Smallmouth | Absent | Carp, Bighead | From anal fin to pelvic fin | Carp, Common | Absent | Carp, Grass | Absent | Carp, Silver | From anal fin to isthmus | Carpsucker, Highfin | Absent | Carpsucker, River | Absent | Goldfish | Absent | Quillback | Absent | Mouth | Buffalo, Bigmouth | Terminal, subterminal or inferior | Buffalo, Black | Terminal, subterminal or inferior | Buffalo, Smallmouth | Terminal, subterminal or inferior | Carp, Bighead | Terminal | Carp, Common | Subterminal | Carp, Grass | Terminal | Carp, Silver | Terminal | Carpsucker, Highfin | Terminal, subterminal or inferior | Carpsucker, River | Terminal, subterminal or inferior
Terminal, subterminal or inferior | Goldfish | Terminal | Quillback | Terminal, subterminal or inferior | Barbels | Buffalo, Bigmouth | Absent | Buffalo, Black | Absent | Buffalo, Smallmouth | Absent | Carp, Bighead | Absent | Carp, Common | Present | Carp, Grass | Absent | Carp, Silver | Absent | Carpsucker, Highfin | Absent | Carpsucker, River | Absent | Goldfish | Absent | Quillback | Absent | Dorsal Fin | Buffalo, Bigmouth | 22-32 rays; first few rays elongated | Buffalo, Black | 22-32 rays; first few rays elongated | Buffalo, Smallmouth | 22-32 rays; first few rays elongated | Carp, Bighead | 1 spine in adults, 8 rays | Carp, Common | 1 serrated spine, 15-23 rays | Carp, Grass | 7-9 rays | Carp, Silver | 1 spine in adults, 8 rays | Carpsucker, Highfin | 22-32 rays; first few rays elongated | Carpsucker, River | 22-32 rays; first few rays elongated | Goldfish | 1 serrated spine, 15-19 rays | Quillback | 22-32 rays; first few rays elongated | Anal Fin | Buffalo, Bigmouth | 7-10 rays | Buffalo, Black | 7-10 rays | Buffalo, Smallmouth | 7-10 rays | Carp, Bighead | 1 spine in adults, 13-14 rays | Carp, Common | 1 serrated spine, 4-6 rays | Carp, Grass | 8-10 rays | Carp, Silver | 1 spine in adults, 12-13 rays | Carpsucker, Highfin | 7-10 rays | Carpsucker, River | 7-10 rays | Goldfish | 1 serrated spine, 5-6 rays | Quillback | 7-10 rays | Lateral Line Scales | Buffalo, Bigmouth | 33-40 | Buffalo, Black | 33-40 | Buffalo, Smallmouth | 33-40 | Carp, Bighead | 85-100 | Carp, Common | 32-41 | Carp, Grass | 34-47 | Carp, Silver | 95-103 | Carpsucker, Highfin | 33-40 | Carpsucker, River | 33-40 | Goldfish | 27-30 | Quillback | 33-40 | Gill Rakers | Buffalo, Bigmouth | 20-70 | Buffalo, Black | 20-70 | Buffalo, Smallmouth | 20-70 | Carp, Bighead | 53-80; long and fine | Carp, Common | 21-27 | Carp, Grass | 15-16 | Carp, Silver | Fused into sponge-like matrix | Carpsucker, Highfin | 20-70 | Carpsucker, River | 20-70 | Goldfish | 37-43 | Quillback | 20-70 | Similarity Index | Buffalo, Bigmouth | Moderately similar | Buffalo, Black | Moderately similar | Buffalo, Smallmouth | Moderately similar | Carp, Bighead | Moderately similar | Carp, Common | Moderately similar | Carp, Grass | N/A | Carp, Silver | Moderately similar | Carpsucker, Highfin | Moderately similar | Carpsucker, River | Moderately similar | Goldfish | Moderately similar | Quillback | Moderately similar | Comments | Carp, Bighead | Not yet confirmed from WI waters (two anecdotal records), but well-established further south in the Mississippi River and likely to be encountered in WI in the future. | Carp, Grass | Not established in WI; present only as a stray from further south or from illegal introduction | Carp, Silver | Not yet confirmed from WI waters, but well-established further south in the Mississippi River and likely to be encountered in WI in the future. |
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