Big White Fish

Anabarilius polylepis is a benthopelagic fish found in the upper Yangtze River Basin, Jinshajiang River sub-basin, and Lake Dian situated on the high elevation plateau, where the Yangtze originates. The upper Yangtze basin is considered the part from the headwaters to the Three Gorges area, or a catchment area of approximately one million square kilometers; this upper basin is quite mountainous. The upper Yangtze basin consists chiefly of Paleozoic limestone and terrigenous sedimentary rock, with some granitic material. Several endemic benthopelagic associates are found in the Yangtze, including: Liobagrus kingi, Bangana rendahli, Pseudogyrinocheilus prochilus, Sinocyclocheilus grahami and Siniperca roulei. The demersal fish Silurus meridionalis also is found as a Yangtze River endemic species.

Analsoft rays: 12 - 15

Anabarilius polylepis is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae, that is endemic to Yunnan, China. It only occurs in Dian Lake and Songhuaba reservoir in Kunming. It was once a major commercial fish species, but it has not been confirmed in the lake since the 1970s. Its decline is attributed to many factors: introduced fish species, decreasing water quality, the loss of macrophytes (partly caused by the introduced grass carp), over-fishing, and the loss of breeding sites due to siltation and blocked access.

Anabarilius polylepis grows to 22.7 cm (8.9 in) standard length. It lives in the uppermost ten metres of the water column and feeds mainly on aquatic insects, plankton, and plant fragments.