Species learning profile
Common rudd
Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) is a freshwater fish associated with lake habitat in Europe. An upturned mouth lets it pick food from the water's surface.
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At a glance
- Eau
- Eau douce
- Habitat
- Lac
- Longueur maximale
- 61 cm
- Répartition
- Europe
- Famille
- Leuciscidae
- Ordre
- Cypriniformes
Observe
How to identify Common rudd
- An upturned mouth lets it pick food from the water's surface.
- Guide context: lake habitat in Europe.
- Reported maximum length: 61 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with lake habitat across Europe. Temperature, oxygen, depth, and shoreline cover divide a lake into very different living zones.
Behavior
Schools around warm, weedy margins
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Insects and aquatic plants.
Ecological role
Grazes vegetation and supplies prey for larger fish.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Common rudd peut atteindre environ 61 cm et vit souvent près de Lac.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Healthy lake populations depend on suitable temperature and oxygen, clean spawning areas, and balanced harvest and food webs.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Common rudd in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections