# Bighead carp (*Hypophthalmichthys nobilis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/bighead-carp  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), also called Bighead, is a bony fish in the family Cyprinidae and subfamily Xenocypridinae. It belongs to the genus Hypophthalmichthys, order Cypriniformes and class Teleostei, with the scientific name authority (Richardson, 1845). In its global assessment, the IUCN Red List places the bighead carp in the Data Deficient (DD) category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Data Deficient (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Cypriniformes
- family: Cyprinidae
- genus: Hypophthalmichthys
- species: *Hypophthalmichthys nobilis* (Richardson, 1845)

Synonyms: *Aristichthys nobilis*, *Hypophthalmichthys mantschuricu*, *Hypophthalmichthys nobilis*, *Hypophthalmichthys simoni*, *Hypothalmichthys nobilis*, *Leuciscus nobilis*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the bighead carp?

The bighead carp is a bony fish. It belongs to the family Cyprinidae in the order Cypriniformes.

### What is the scientific name of the bighead carp?

The scientific name of the bighead carp is Hypophthalmichthys nobilis. It is placed in the genus Hypophthalmichthys.

### Who named the bighead carp and when?

The scientific name authority for the bighead carp is written as (Richardson, 1845).

### Is the bighead carp endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the bighead carp as Data Deficient (DD) in its global assessment.

### What other names does the bighead carp have?

The bighead carp is also called Bighead in English.

### What subfamily does the bighead carp belong to?

The bighead carp belongs to the subfamily Xenocypridinae within the family Cyprinidae.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/bighead-carp