Rudd

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For other uses of Rudd, please see Rudd (disambiguation).

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Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Scardinius
Species:	S. erythrophthalmus

Binomial name

Scardinius erythrophthalmus
(Linneaus, 1758)

The Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) is a small fish, a widespread member of the family Cyprinidae.

The rudd is a bentho-pelagic freshwater fish, widely spread in Europe and middle Asia, around the basins of the North, Baltic Black, Caspian and Aral seas. It has been artificially introduced to Ireland, USA, Morocco, Madagascar, Tunisia, New Zealand, Canada and Spain.

Morphologically, this species is very similar to the Roach (Rutilus rutilus), with which it can be easily confused. It can be identified by eye colour (deep blood-red as opposed to yellow) or counting the soft rays in the dorsal fin (8-9 compared to 10-12). Confusingly, these species can hybridise, producing intermediate forms. The rudd can also hybridise with the carp bream Abramis brama.

In New Zealand and Canada it is considered a pest fish due to impacts on native species.