 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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