Hypophthalmichthys

Hypophthalmichthys is a genus of large cyprinid fish consisting of three species. The name comes from Greek ὑπό, (hypó) 'below'; ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmós), 'eye'; ἰχθῦς (ichthŷs), 'fish', thus 'fish with eyes below', referring to the fact that the fish has its eyes below the mouth line. Members of this genus are native to fresh water in East Asia, ranging from Siberia to Vietnam, but have been widely introduced outside their native range, where often considered invasive. They are also known as bighead carp, though that term is also locally used for individual species, particularly Hypophthalmichthys nobilis. The three currently recognized species in the genus are: