silver carp
nounDefinition of silver carp
1
: the common carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio)
2
: carp sense 1a
3
: a freshwater cyprinid fish (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) that is olive to silver in color and has a ventral keel, that is noted for its habit of jumping above the water when disturbed, and that is native to eastern Asia and has been widely introduced into nonnative waters where it is often considered a pest
Note: Silver carp is considered an invasive species in the U.S. where it is has had a detrimental environmental impact due to its voracious appetite, especially for phytoplankton, and rapid reproduction.
Day by day, fishermen have lately been reporting sightings of the once-infrequently seen silver carp springing like torpedoes from rivers in the Mississippi basin when outboard motor boats pass.— Peter T. Kilborn, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2002