The Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis), also known as the giant yellow croaker, is a critically endangered species of marine and brackish water fish in the family Sciaenidae (the drums or croakers). It is one of the largest croaker species, reaching lengths of up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and weights of up to 100 kg (220 lb).
Taxonomy and Description
The species was first described by Albert W. Herre in 1932 as Nibea taipingensis. It was later reclassified into the genus Bahaba. Synonyms include Otolithes lini (Herre, 1935), Nibea flavolabiata (Lin, 1935), and Bahaba flavolabiata (Lin, 1935). It belongs to the order Perciformes and the family Sciaenidae. Phylogenetic studies based on mitochondrial DNA indicate that the Chinese bahaba is closely related to the genera Collichthys and Pseudosciaena.
Distribution and Habitat
The Chinese bahaba is endemic to the coastal waters of China, with a geographical range extending from the Yangtze River estuary southward to the Pearl River estuary, including the waters of Hong Kong and Macau. Its natural habitats include shallow seas, subtidal aquatic beds, rocky shores, and estuarine waters. It enters estuaries to spawn and was historically seasonally numerous in these habitats, including the estuaries of the Yangtze River, the Min River, and the Pearl River, as well as the coast of Zhoushan Island.
Behavior and Biology
The Chinese bahaba is a benthopelagic fish that feeds primarily on crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs. Like other Sciaenidae species, it is capable of producing sound through the contraction of sonic muscles that vibrate the swim bladder. Research conducted during the reproduction season has identified two distinct types of vocalizations: "single drum" calls, which occur as series of trains with rapid pulses, and "fast drum trains" calls, which are longer signals. Both call types have a mean peak frequency of approximately 78–79 Hz. Single drum calls occur mainly before dawn, while fast drum trains occur after dawn and before midnight.
Studies on early development show that mature eggs have a terminal yolk and a single oil globule, with fertilized eggs averaging 1.14 mm in diameter. Embryonic development lasts approximately 27 hours and 10 minutes at 22.5 °C. After 70 days, larvae develop into young fish with a mean total length of approximately 98 mm.
Conservation Status
The Chinese bahaba is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (assessed 2020). Annual catches of 50 tonnes were recorded in the 1930s, but this declined to 10 tonnes per year by the 1950s and 1960s, when few large fish were caught. The species was considered commercially extinct by 1997.
The primary threat is overfishing, driven by the extremely high value placed on its swim bladder for use in traditional Chinese medicine. A large swim bladder from a mature specimen can fetch prices exceeding its weight in gold. Degradation of estuarine spawning habitats has also contributed to the decline. As the population of Chinese bahaba declined, trade shifted toward the closely related totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) of Mexico, which is also now seriously threatened.
Protection
The Chinese bahaba was listed as a Grade II State Protected Species in China in 1988 and was upgraded to Grade I (first-class national protected animal) in 2021. A part of the Pearl River estuary has been protected since 2005. However, enforcement challenges remain, and illegally caught individuals continue to be sold at high prices. In Hong Kong, the species has no legal protection despite its rarity, and scientists at the University of Hong Kong and the World Wildlife Fund have recommended its protection to the local government.
In January 2025, Chinese scientists launched a conservation project in Huidong County, Guangdong Province, aimed at developing advanced species detection devices, monitoring systems, and breeding and stock enhancement techniques to support wild population recovery.
Scientific Research
The Chinese bahaba has been the subject of significant genomic research. A chromosome-level genome assembly was published, comprising 686.86 Mb of genome sequences anchored onto 24 chromosomes, with 22,100 protein-coding genes annotated. Phased genome assemblies have also been produced to study haplotype-specific genetic load, providing insights for conservation planning. Additional research has examined early growth and developmental characteristics, as well as vocalization behavior during the reproduction season.
