Cyprinus yilongensis

Cyprinus yilongensis is an extinct freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae. She was endemic in Yi Long Hu ( Yilongsee ) in the Chinese province of Yunnan.

Features

The length was 10 to 13 cm. The area above the eyes was orange, the head and the top were gray black or deep green. The flanks were silvery white. The breast and the pelvic fins were slightly yellowish. The head was cone- shaped and the muzzle pointed. The lower jaw protruded slightly. There were two pairs of barbels. The last simple ray of dorsal and anal fins was spine- shaped and serrated on the back edge.

Way of life

Cyprinus yilongensis mostly lived in the deep water of the lake where no Waterweed occurred. The diet consisted mainly of plankton. The spawning period was from April to May

Status

Cyprinus yilongensis was described in 1977 based on type specimens, collected 1963-1964. The extinction is probably due to overfishing, water pollution and on a temporary drying up of the Yi Long Hu for 20 days in 1981. After searching for the way in the years 1983 and 1984 were fruitless, it was officially declared extinct in 1993.