RFLP analysis of mtDNA from Xingguo red common carp( C . carpio var. singuonensis ) , glass red common carp( C . carpio var. wananensis ) , purse red common carp( C. carpio var. wayuanensis ) and Oujiang color common carp( C. carpio var. color ) was conducted by 13 restriction endonucleases. 17 restrict ion morphs in all red carps were detected and in which 5 morphs were polymorphic and were def ined as 5 kinds of haplotypes. The average nucleotide diversity ( ..) in Xingguo red common carp, glass red common carp, purse red common carp and Oujiang color common carp was 0. 0087, 0. 0059, 0. 0094 and 0. 0286 respectively, which indicated there was the greatest genetic diversity in Oujiang color carp. Oujiang color carp would have originated f rom a maternal ancestor mainly composed of haplotype II, 115 thousand and 95 thousand years ago respectively. Glass red carp and purse red carp would have originated from a maternal ancestors mainly composed of haplotype I, 50- 65 thousand and 20 thousand years ago respectively.