Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Giant salmon carp (Aaptosyax grypus), recorded as Critically Endangered
Giant salmon carp (Aaptosyax grypus). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Giant salmon carp

Aaptosyax grypus

Giant salmon carp is a minnow in the family Cyprinidae (order Cypriniformes) — Aaptosyax grypus, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Aaptosyax grypus
Taxonomy
Cypriniformes · Cyprinidae · Aaptosyax

The minnow

This fish can reach a length of 130 centimetres (51 in) and weight of 30 kilograms (66 lb).

Range and habitat

It is endemic to the middle reaches of the Mekong River in northern Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Its population is much reduced (>90%) as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation, and it is now considered Critically Endangered. Between 2004 and 2022 no confirmed sightings of adult individuals of this species were made, until a specimen was found at a fish market in Cambodia.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

Giant salmon carp is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Giant salmon carp, Wikidata item Q133980. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Also in this catalog

Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Giant salmon carp?
Giant salmon carp is a minnow in the family Cyprinidae (order Cypriniformes) — Aaptosyax grypus.
What is the conservation status of Giant salmon carp?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Aaptosyax grypus. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Giant salmon carp live?
It is endemic to the middle reaches of the Mekong River in northern Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand.
Why is Giant salmon carp in crisis?
Its population is much reduced (>90%) as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation, and it is now considered Critically Endangered.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Aaptosyax grypus?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Giant salmon carp a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.