Saber Carp

(Pelecus cultratus), also chekhon, a semianadromous or freshwater fish and frequently a school fish of the family Cyprinidae. The body is elongated and flattened. Its lateral line is irregular, with a considerable bend at the pectoral fin. The mouth is apical. The saber carp is generally 30–40 cm long, sometimes reaching 60 cm. It weighs between 300–400 g and 2 kg. It inhabits freshwaters and brackish waters, and it is distributed in the basins of the Baltic, Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas, in lakes, and in reservoirs. A pelagic fish, it lives in the depths of the water. It attains sexual maturity in the third to fifth year of life. Spawning occurs in May or June. Fecundity is about 30,000 eggs. The semianadromous forms winter in rivers. The diet consists of invertebrates and small fish. The saber carp is of commercial importance.