The living habits and nutritional value of Dali Schizothorax (Dali Bowfish)

Schizothorax (Racoma) taliensis belongs to the order Cypriniformes, family Cyprinidae, subfamily Schizothorax, genus Schizothorax, and subgenus Schizothorax. Commonly known as: bow fish, pole fish. English name: Dali Schizothoracin.

Endangerment level: Endangered. China's national level II protected wildlife.

The body is slender, slightly flattened on the side, the head is small and short, the snout is short, and the length of the eye is the same. The oral cavity is located at the end of the mouth and the cleft is slightly inclined. The upper and lower lips are connected at the corner of the mouth, the lower lip is narrow, the posterior labial groove is interrupted at the meeting point in front of the mandible, and there is no keratinization on the edge of the mandible. The eyes are large; there are 2 pairs of barbels, and the jaw barbels are slightly longer than the muzzle barbels. The body is covered with fine scales, which are irregularly arranged and irregular in shape; the abdomen is exposed and scaleless from the gill isthmus to the base of the pelvic fin, or there are only a few traces of scales buried in the skin. The lateral line is slightly curved, with 96-108 lateral line scales. There is one row of large scales on each side of the anus and anal fin; the dorsal fin has a hard spine and its trailing edge has small serrations. The back of the body is light brown or yellowish brown, and the abdomen is grayish white or slightly yellowish. During the reproductive period, the anus of the female is particularly enlarged with a light red color, and the anal fin is long and thick. The male has a developed bead on the snout.

The Dali Schizothorax is different from other Schizothorax fishes in that it is a species adapted to living in a still water environment and moves in the upper and middle layers of the open water area of the lake. Animal food is mainly eaten by zooplankton, especially cladocerans, followed by copepods and insects, as well as a small amount of insect larvae and eggs. Occasionally, green algae and filamentous algae are also eaten. The reproductive season is between April and May. The broodstock fish form groups from the lake to tributaries or creeks, or gather around caves to lay eggs in the flowing water environment. The eggs sink on the sand and gravel at the bottom of the water. Generally, female fish are larger than male fish. During the reproductive period, female fish rarely eat or stop eating, and consume the abundant fat stored in the body.

Dali Schizothorax is a species endemic to my country and is distributed in the Erhai Lake of Yunnan and its affiliated water systems.

Dali Schizothorax is an economic fish special to Erhai Lake in Dali, Yunnan Province. Historically, it accounted for about 30% of the Erhai Lake catches. Although it is not large in size (the larger ones can reach 200-300 mm in length and 200-250 grams), the small ones can reach 200-300 mm in length and 200-250 grams. of only 50-100 grams), but the yield is large. The meat is thick and greasy, rich in nutrients, and has a plump taste. Its eggs are different from many species of Schizothorax subfamily. The eggs are non-toxic, delicious and can be eaten. Therefore, people like to eat them and they have always been called Yunnan's famous product. In addition to supplying local fresh food, it is processed and pickled and sold throughout the province, and some of it is exported. Its meat is used for medicinal purposes. When eaten fresh, it has the effects of nourishing, stopping bleeding, and detoxifying. It is mainly used to treat women's strain, metrorrhagia, phlegm-heat, wind pain, and erysipelas in children.

The spawning and activity places of Dali Schizothorax are mostly in lakeside shoals, lake streams and fish ditches and fish holes in lake bays. Since the 1970s, the water level of the Erhai Lake has dropped, and dozens of fish ditches and fish holes have dried up. In addition, exotic species have been introduced to eat a large number of their fish eggs, and excessive fishing has caused extremely serious damage to resources. It is now on the verge of extinction. extinct.

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