# Common carp (*Cyprinus carpio*)

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

The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a bony fish in the family Cyprinidae, subfamily Cyprininae, within the order Cypriniformes. It has a representative body length of 53 cm, and our sources report body lengths from 26 to 80 cm. Its main foods are insect, mollusca, palinuridae, worm and zooplankton. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 26 cm – 80 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | insect, mollusca, palinuridae, worm, zooplankton |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Cypriniformes
- family: Cyprinidae
- genus: Cyprinus
- species: *Cyprinus carpio* Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms: *Carpio carpio*, *Carpio carpio gibbosus*, *Carpio vulgaris*, *Cyprinus acuminatus*, *Cyprinus alepidotus*, *Cyprinus angulatus*, *Cyprinus atrovirens*, *Cyprinus bithynicus*, *Cyprinus carpio anatolicus*, *Cyprinus carpio aralensis*, *Cyprinus carpio brevicirri*, *Cyprinus carpio carpio*, *Cyprinus carpio caspicus*, *Cyprinus carpio communis*, *Cyprinus carpio communis*, *Cyprinus carpio elongatus*, *Cyprinus carpio fluviatilis*, *Cyprinus carpio haematopterus*, *Cyprinus carpio lacustris*, *Cyprinus carpio longicirri*, *Cyprinus carpio monstrosus*, *Cyprinus carpio oblongus*, *Cyprinus carpio specularis*, *Cyprinus carpio var. caspicus*, *Cyprinus carpio var. elongatus*, *Cyprinus carpio var. gibbosus*, *Cyprinus carpio var. haematopterus*, *Cyprinus carpio var. lacustris*, *Cyprinus carpio var. oblongus*, *Cyprinus chinensis*, *Cyprinus cirrosus*, *Cyprinus conirostris*, *Cyprinus coriaceus*, *Cyprinus elatus*, *Cyprinus festetitsii*, *Cyprinus hungaricus*, *Cyprinus macrolepidotus*, *Cyprinus macrolepidotus*, *Cyprinus macrolepidotus*, *Cyprinus mahuensis*, *Cyprinus melanotus*, *Cyprinus nordmannii*, *Cyprinus nudus*, *Cyprinus regina*, *Cyprinus regius*, *Cyprinus rex*, *Cyprinus rexcyprinorum*, *Cyprinus rondeletii*, *Cyprinus specularis*, *Cyprinus specularis*, *Cyprinus thermalis*, *Cyprinus tossicole*, *Cyprinus viridescens*, *Cyprinus vittatus*

## Common questions

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

The common carp is a bony fish in the family Cyprinidae and the order Cypriniformes.

### How big is the common carp?

The common carp has a representative body length of 53 cm. Our sources report body lengths from 26 to 80 cm.

### What does the common carp eat?

Its main foods are insect, mollusca, palinuridae, worm and zooplankton.

### Is the common carp endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

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

The scientific name of the common carp is Cyprinus carpio, in the genus Cyprinus.

### Who named the common carp?

The common carp was named by Linnaeus, 1758.

### What are other names for the common carp?

Other English names for the common carp are Carp, Mud sucker, Deniz carp, Great carp and Buglemouth.

## 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: Common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-carp