Abstract
Differences in meristic characters and body proportions in five races of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, were studied to find racial characteristics.Individuals of each race were raised under different conditions: (1) in a pond fertilized with soy lees; (2) in running-water ponds with artificial feeding;or (3) in standing-water ponds with artificial feeding.Individuals of each race, even raised in different environments, are distinguishable in appearance. For the counts, the races were ranked on the basis of statistically significant differences on the mean found under nearly all these three conditions: mirror carp≈scaly German carp>Yamato carp>asagi carp>wild carp.For the proportional measurements, the rank was as follows: mirror carp>scaly German carp> asagi carp Yamato carp wild carp.Domesticated European carp had higher meristic counts and greater measurements than domesticated Japanese carp in almost all the items examined, and wild carp had the lowest counts and smallest measurements in many items.
