The Chinese high-fin banded shark (''Myxocyprinus asiaticus'') is a popular freshwater aquarium fish
retrieved on: August 21, 2007 that belongs to the family

Catostomidae The Catostomidae are the suckers of the order Cypriniformes, with about 78 species in this family of freshwater fishes. The Catostomidae are almost exclusively native to North America. The only exceptions are '' Catostomus catostomus,'' found in ...

. It grows to about long and is unsuitable for most home aquariums.SeriouslyFish:
Myxocyprinus asiaticus
'' Retrieved 9 May 2013
retrieved on: August 21, 2007. In addition to Chinese high-fin banded shark, it is also known under many other common names, including Chinese banded shark, Chinese sailfin sucker, high-fin (also spelled ''hi-fin''Hi-Fin Banded Shark, ''Myxocyprinus asiaticus'', (Bleeker, 1865), AquariumCentral.com
retrieved on: August 21, 2007 ) banded loach, high-fin loach, Chinese high-fin sucker, sailfin sucker, topsail sucker, Asian sucker, Chinese sucker, wimple carp, wimple, freshwater batfish, Hilsa herring, rough fish, Chinese or Asian zebra high-fin shark, Chinese or Asian zebra high-fin sucker, Chinese emperor, Siamese sucker,
retrieved on: August 21, 2007 Chinese banded shark,Chinese banded shark (''Myxocyprinus asiaticus''), Aqua-Fish.net, 2007
retrieved on: August 21, 2007 and ''Entsuyui'' in

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

. Despite its common names, it bears no relation to real

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachi ...

s.Koga, James S
Chinese high fin banded shark
Cal Poly Pomona, September 2003. Retrieved on 21 August 2007 It has declined drastically due to

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

s (preventing its natural breeding

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

), overfishing,

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived ther ...

and collection for the aquarium trade. As a consequence it has been placed on the Chinese list of endangered species and is a state protected species.

Description

Young Chinese high-fin banded sharks normally possess brown bodies bearing three dark-colored slanting bands. During the breeding season, adult males are distinguished from adult females by their red coloration. Adult females are of dark purple color with a broad and vertical reddish area along the body. Juveniles of the Chinese high-fin banded sharks are also characterized by high and triangular

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through c ...

nage that extends up to the rear of the anal fin. The adult appearance is far less distinctive, as they are elongated in shape without the very high dorsal fin. The thick and fleshy lips bear small

papilla Papilla (Latin, 'nipple') or papillae may refer to: In animals * Papilla (fish anatomy), in the mouth of fish * Basilar papilla, a sensory organ of lizards, amphibians and fish * Dental papilla, in a developing tooth * Dermal papillae, part of ...

e without barbels. They have a single row of

pharyngeal teeth Pharyngeal teeth are teeth in the pharyngeal arch of the throat of cyprinids, suckers, and a number of other fish species otherwise lacking teeth.ugly duckling "The Ugly Duckling" ( da, Den grimme ælling) is a Danish literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875). It was first published on 11 November 1843 in '' New Fairy Tales. First Volume. First Collection'' ...

in reverse". The growth is fast; it typically reaches a length of about in its first year and by an age of three.Chen, P. (2008). ''Ecological niche modeling as a predictive tool: Asiatic freshwater fishes in North America.'' pp. 133-134. University of Kansas. Sexual maturity is reached when five to six years old and at least long. The maximum size reached by this fish is in lengthFishing World Records:
Myxocyprinus asiaticus
'' Retrieved 9 May 2013 and in weight.

Distribution and habitat

Chinese high-fin banded sharks are native to the

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

basin of China. They migrate into relatively fast flowing, shallow

headwaters The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

spawn Spawn or spawning may refer to: * Spawn (biology), the eggs and sperm of aquatic animals Arts, entertainment, and media * Spawn (character), a fictional character in the comic series of the same name and in the associated franchise ** '' Spawn: ...

, but spend the remaining time in the main river sections. The population in the Min River, a tributary of the Yangtze, may have been

extirpated Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...

. The species is widely cultured in China to supply the food industry.Lin, Y.; Y. Gong; Y. Yuan; S. Gong; D. Yu; Q. Li; and Z. Luo (2012). ''Dietary L-lysine requirement of juvenile Chinese sucker, Myxocyprinus asiaticus.'' Aquaculture Research, 44(10): 1539–1549. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2109.2012.03161.x

Life span

In its natural habitat, Chinese high-fin banded sharks live for more than 25 years and reaches sexual maturity when 5 to 6 years old.

References

External links

''Myxocyprinus asiaticus'' (Bleeker, 1865), Taxonomic Serial No.: 639710, Taxonomy, ITIS.gov
retrieved on: August 21, 2007

at Mongabay.com {{Taxonbar, from=Q1578992 Catostomidae Endemic fauna of China Freshwater fish of China Yangtze River Endangered fish Endangered fauna of Asia Fish described in 1865 Species endangered by damming Species endangered by pollution

Description

Distribution and habitat

Life span

See also

References

External links