Carp is an ancient freshwater fish, and according to molecular phylogeny and fossil evidence, the ancestor of carp may have appeared in the Cretaceous period, about 193 million years ago, and the East Asian endemic taxa of carp began to diverge in the Miocene, about 23 million years ago.
1. The domestication history of carp
The domestication of carp dates back to the Neolithic period, about 4,000 years ago.
The mainland is the origin of carp and the first country to start carp farming. According to ancient documents and archaeological finds, carp occupies an important place in the history and culture of the continent and is regarded as a symbol of auspiciousness, wealth, and longevity. After thousands of years of domestication and development, carp has formed a variety of species.
Carp was introduced to Japan around the 5th century BC and became a traditional food and ornamental fish in Japan. Japanese koi fish are artificially selected and crossed from Chinese koi fish, and are known as "flowers in the water" due to their variety of colors and patterns.
Carp was introduced to Europe around the 4th century BC and became an important edible and ornamental fish in Europe. After a long period of domestication and adaptation, European carp has formed species and types that are different from those of Asia, such as royal carp, mirror carp, etc.
2. Why did carp not enter the list of "four big fish".
Although carp was domesticated very early, why is there no carp in the famous "four big fish" in the history of the mainland?
One of the reasons for the widespread spread is that the carp committed the taboo of the Tang Dynasty's "Li surname", resulting in the carp being banned from fishing and breeding, and it can not even be called "carp", but can only be called "Chigong". This led to the decline of carp farming and the shift to other species such as herring, grass carp, silver carp and bighead carp.
Of course, there are other reasons why carp didn't make it to the list of the four big fish.
For example, carp is not popular in the south. Due to the different water conditions and eating habits in the southern region, carp is not loved by people in the south. Southerners prefer to eat fish with delicate flesh and few spines, such as sea bass, pomfret, etc.
Because the carp likes to feed on the bottom of the water, it has a strong earthy smell, and the breeding and consumption in the southern region are very low, which affects its status and reputation in the country.
3. The distribution range of carp is wider than that of the four major carp and has become the favorite of anglers
Although it did not become one of the "four major fish", it did not affect the status of carp in the natural ecosystem. They are more widely distributed than any of the four major fish, and are found on almost every continent and country in the globe.
The domestication and introduction of common carp has contributed to the expansion of its range.
The domestication of carp is a kind of human intervention in order to meet the needs of food and ornamentation. After a long period of domestication, the biological characteristics and behavioral habits of carp have changed, so that they have adapted to different environments, and even become an invasive species in some areas, affecting the local ecosystem.
In addition, carp is a highly diverse and adaptable fish, which shows rich variation in morphology, color, size, ecology, behavior, etc., allowing it to cope with different environmental stresses, such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, etc., so as to survive and reproduce in various waters.
Due to its wide range, it is only natural that fishing enthusiasts consider carp to be one of the most common target fish. Anglers can catch carp in different seasons, times, places and other conditions, except for crucian carp, white stripes and other miscellaneous fish, carp is almost all fishing enthusiasts must face a kind of fish.
Carp also have a certain degree of social and intelligence, so that they have learned a lot of escape methods in the long-term confrontation with anglers, and gradually become cunning. Carp are very intelligent fish that are extremely vigilant and can be very wary of unfamiliar or unsafe environments, making it difficult to take the bait.
Carp is difficult to catch, which is also a recognized fact for many anglers.
The carp has been domesticated for thousands of years, and although it did not become one of the four major fish, it unexpectedly became the "favorite" of anglers. The process of carp fishing is a pleasure and a challenge. Faced with cunning carp, anglers need to constantly adjust their strategies and skills in order to catch them successfully.
Such a game process is a kind of enjoyment for anglers.
In order to catch carp, anglers need to be well prepared. For example, choosing the right bait, tackle and fishing position is crucial. In the process of carp fishing, beginner anglers can gradually acquire the correct skills and experience.
Carp, relying on their adaptability, has successfully occupied the backbone of the water ecological chain, and has also created many obsessive anglers, bringing infinite happiness to many anglers.
In this respect, carp is successful enough compared to other fish.