Cyprinus fuxianensis
Overview
Cyprinus fuxianensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Cyprinus. The species is only known from Fuxian Lake in Yunnan. It has been impacted by habitat degradation, overfishing, and introduced species. It has declined by over 80% in the past 21 years. It was not recorded in a survey in 1995; IUCN considers it as Critically Endangered and possibly extinct.
Cyprinus fuxianensis faces severe threats from water pollution and eutrophication in Fuxian Lake, its only known habitat. Introduced fish species compete for resources and alter the lake's ecosystem dynamics. Agricultural runoff and urban development around the lake have degraded water quality, while overfishing has reduced population numbers to critically low levels.
Habitat
This endemic carp is restricted to Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, China, one of the deepest freshwater lakes in the country. The species inhabits the clear, oligotrophic waters of this high-altitude lake system at approximately 1,720 meters elevation.
