[Freshwater fish] Order Cypriniformes Family Cyprinidae(Minnows or carps) Subfamily Opsariichthyinae(synonym/Ex-danioninae) Dark chub Nipponocypris temminckii(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846). 20 cm TL synonym; Zacco temminckii Korean name/gal-gyeo-ni(갈겨니) Japanese name/가와무쓰(カワムツ) Dorsal spines 3, Dorsal soft rays 7. Anal spines 3, Anal soft rays 9~10. LL/46-56. TRa(scales above lateral line) /10.5~12.5.
Distribution; Asia/Korean Peninsula, Japan, and China, occurrence in Taiwan doubtful. Korea/almost of all streams south of Yalu river that flow to west and south coasts including streams flow to east coasts in southern region of the Peninsula. General; Usual body length 13∼20cm. Body elongated and compressed. Similar to Pale chub(Zacco platypus), but has larger head. Upper jaw slightly longer than lower jaw. Posterior end of upper jaw reaches front margin of eye. Eye large, but smaller than Korean dark chub(Nipponocypris koreanus). Semicircular red mark on upper arear of pupil. Snout short and tip slightly blunted. Absent in barbels. Rays in center area of anal fin longer than the rest rays. Anal fin long in length, but shorter than Pale chub. Often confused with Pale chub, but easily distinguished by stripe and bars; Dark chub has a lateral dark stripe on body side, where as the Pale chub has multiple vertical bars on body side. Lateral line complete, curved down in the anterior part. Scales smaller than Pale chub and Korean dark chub.
Greenish brown dorsally, silvery white ventrally, but lower ventral area yellow. A broad dark brown lateral stripe on body side from head to peduncle. Eye black. Without red bar on front part of pectoral fin. Nuptial color is colorful; in spawning season, the anal fin grows longer, male show yellow color almost all over the body; and reddish color on abdomen side, on base part of anal fin, and on top part of dorsal fin; blackish red color below the chin. Male with pearl marks on snout, around eye, cheek and anal fin.
Inhabit clear streams in mid and upper reaches, swim in surface or mid depth. Vulnerable to pollution, can’t survive in reservoir or river bottom touched by human machines. Found in clearer water in more upper reaches than Pale chub; water where Dark chub occurs is a barometer of high quality environment. Prefer waters surrounded by wood. Feed mainly on aquatic insects and dropped terrestrial insects including attached algae. Spawn in May to July. Lay eggs onto sand and gravel bottom they dig up. Utilized as food.
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