Global patterns and clines in the growth of common carp Cyprinus carpio

This review provides a meta‐analytical assessment of the global patterns and clines in the growth of Cyprinus carpio as measured by length‐at‐age (Lt) or von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) parameters, mass–length relationship (W–Lt) and condition factor, based on literature data. In total, 284 studies were retrieved spanning 91 years of research and carried out on 381 waterbodies–locations in 50 countries in all five continents. Although native C. carpio achieved larger (asymptotic) size relative to its non‐native counterpart, the latter grew faster during the first 7 years of life. Lentic populations (especially in natural lakes) also achieved larger sizes relative to lotic ones and the same was true for populations in cold and temperate v. arid climates. Unlike previous studies (on much more restricted datasets), only weak latitudinal clines in instantaneous growth rate, Lt at age 3 and mortality were observed globally and this was probably due to the presence of counter‐gradient growth variation at all representative age classes (i.e. 1–10 years). Slightly negative allometry was revealed by the W–Lt and the related form factor tended to distinguish the more elongated and torpedo‐shaped body typical of the wild form from the deeper body of feral‐domesticated C. carpio. Existing population dynamics models for C. carpio will benefit from the comprehensive range of waterbody type × climate class‐specific VBGF parameters provided in the present study; whereas, more studies are needed on the species' growth in tropical regions and to unravel the possibility of confounding effects on age estimation due to both historical and methodological reasons.