Scardinius

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Otomorpha
Subcohors: Ostariophysi
Sectio: Otophysa
Ordo: Cypriniformes
Superfamilia: Cyprinoidea

Familia: Cyprinidae
Subfamilia: Leuciscinae
Genus: Scardinius
Species: S. acarnanicus – S. elmaliensis – S. erythrophthalmus – S. graecus – †S. haueri – S. knezevici – †S. longipinnus – †S. ponticus – †S. prolixus – S. racovitzai – S. scardafa – †S. tchuensis
Name

Scardinius Bonaparte, 1837
Vernacular names
eesti: Roosärg

Scardinius is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae commonly called rudds. Locally, the name "rudd" without any further qualifiers is also used for individual species, particularly the common rudd (S. erythrophthalmus). The rudd can be distinguished from the very similar roach by way of the rudd's upturned mouth, allowing it to pick food items such as aquatic insects from the surface of the water with minimal disturbance.

The Greek rudd (S. graecus) is a similar fish, about 40 cm long. It occurs only in the southern tip of the Greek mainland. It lives in lakes and slow-flowing rivers, forming large schools. It spawns around April–June among underwater plants in shallow water. It feeds on small crustaceans, the larvae and pupae of insects, and on plant material. The majority of its food is taken at or near the surface of the water. The fish is not usually found in deep water. Very little is known about the biology of this species. It is important locally, both to anglers and commercial companies.[1]
Species

Scardinius acarnanicus Economidis, 1991
Scardinius dergle Heckel & Kner, 1858
Scardinius elmaliensis Bogutskaya, 1997
Scardinius erythrophthalmus (Linnaeus, 1758) (common rudd)
Scardinius graecus Stephanidis, 1937 (Greek rudd)
Scardinius hesperidicus Bonaparte, 1845
Scardinius knezevici Bianco & Kottelat, 2005
Scardinius plotizza Heckel & Kner, 1858
Scardinius racovitzai G. J. Müller, 1958
Scardinius scardafa (Bonaparte, 1837)

References

Freshwater Fishes of Britain and Europe, Rainbow Books, 1992, Elsley House, 24–30, Great Titchfield Street, London W1P 7AD. Originally published in 1983 as a Kingfisher Guide to Freshwater Fishes. ISBN 1 871745 88 8