July 1955, graduated from the Department of Biology, Sichuan University. In the meantime, he was assigned to work at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and then successively served as Research Intern, Research Assistant, Research Associate, Professor, Deputy Director and Director of Ichthyologic Laboratory at IHB.  

Prof. Cao published dozens of academic papers, and he is currently Chairman of the Academic Committee of Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Ichthyologic Branch of both Chinese Society of Oceanology and Limnology and China Zoological Society, and member of the 8th National Committee of the Chinese people’s Political Consultative Conference.  

In October 1997, Professor Cao was elected as Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences.  

1. Cao Wen-xuan, Chen Yi-yu, Wu Yun-fei, and Zhu Song-quan. Origin and evolution of schizothoracine fishes in relation to the upheaval of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Geological and ecological studies of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Proc.Symp.Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau. 1981, Ⅱ：1053-1060. 

2. He, S., Cao, W., Chen, Y. The uplift of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and the vicariance speciation of glyptosternoid fishes (Siluriformes: Sisoridae). Science in China Series C: Life Sciences. 2001, 44(6): 644–651. 

3. Zhuang, P., Kynard, B., Zhang, L., Zhang, T., Cao, W. Ontogenetic Behavior and Migration of Chinese Sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 2002, 65(1): 83-97. 

4. Zhuang, P., Kynard, B., Zhang, L., Zhang, T., Cao, W. Comparative Ontogenetic Behavior and Migration of Kaluga, Huso Dauricus, and Amur Sturgeon, Acipenser Schrenckii, from the Amur River. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 2003, 66(1): 37-48. 

5. Ye, S., Li, Z., Sithan Lek-Ang, Feng, G., Sovan Lek, Cao, W. Community structure of small fishes in a shallow macrophytic lake (Niushan Lake) along the middle reach of the Yangtze River, China. Aquatic Living Resources. 2006, 19:349-359. 

6. Shao, Y., Wang, J., Qiao, Y., He, Y., Cao, W. Morphological Variability Between Wild Populations and Inbred Stocks of a Chinese Minnow, Gobiocypris rarus. Zoological Science. 2007, 24(11):1094-1102. 

7. Jiang, W., Liu, H., Cao, W., Duan, Z. Seasonal Variation in Drifting Eggs and Larvae in the Upper Yangtze, China. Zoological Science. 2010, 27(5): 402-409. 

8. He, Y., Wang, J., Lek Sovan, Cao, W., Lek-Ang Sithan. Structure of endemic fish assemblages in the upper Yangtze River Basin. River Research and Applications. 2011, 27: 59-75. 

9. Wu, J., Wang, J., He, Y., Cao, W. Fish assemblage structure in the Chishui River,a protected tributary of the Yangtze River. 2011, 65 (400) :170-181. 

10. Liu, F., Wang, J., Cao, W. Long-term changes in fish assemblage following the impoundments of the Three Gorges Reservoir in Hejiang, a protected reach of the upper Yangtze River. Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems. 2013, 64 (407) :06. 

11. Zhu, X., Zhang, F., Cao, W. Isolation and characterization of 28 polymorphic microsatellite loci in black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). Conservation Genet Resour. 2013, 5(2): 469-472. 

12. Wang, C., Zhang, F., Cao, W., Wang, J. The identification of apolipoprotein C-I in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rar) and its expression following cadmium exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2013, 35(3): 419-426. 

13. Xiong, Y., Tang, Q., Xin J., Wang, Q., Zhu, S., Cao, W. First feeding and subsequent growth performances in piscivorous larvae of Chinese perch Siniperca chuatsi (Perciforms: Sinipercidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes. 2013, 96(12): 1353–1359. 

14.  Yan, T., Cao, W. Threatened fishes of the world: Schizothorax longibarbu Fang, 1936 (Cyprinidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes. 2013, 96: 1227. 

15.  Liu, C., Gao, X., Wang, H., Liu, H., Cao, W. Danley, P.Reproductive characteristics of Ancherythroculter nigrocauda, an endemic fish in the upper Yangtze River, China. Fisheries Science. 2013,79(5): 799-806. 

16.  Li, M., Gao, X., Yang, S., Duan, Z., Cao, W., Liu. H. Effects of Environmental Factors on Natural Reproduction of the Four Major Chinese Carps in the Yangtze River, China. Zoological Science. 2013, 30(4):296-303. 

17.  Mu, H., Li, M., Liu, H., Cao, W. Analysis of fish eggs and larvae flowing into the Three Gorges Reservoir on the Yangtze River, China. Fisheries Science. 2014, 80(3): 505-515. 

18. Wang, C., Zhang, F., Cao, W., Wang, J. The identification of metallothionein in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) and its expression following heavy metal exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2014, 37: 1283-1291. 

19. Wang, J., Liu, F., Zhang, X., Cao, W., Liu, H., Gao, X. Reproductive biology of Chinese minnow Hemiculterella sauvagei Warpachowski,1888 in the Chishui River, China. Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 2014, 30: 314-321. 

20.  Zhang, X., Gao, X., Wang, J. et al. Extinction risk and conservation priority analyses for 64 endemic fishes in the Upper Yangtze River, China. Environ Biol Fish. 2015, 98: 261. 

21. Li, M., Duan, Z., Gao, X. et al. Impact of the Three Gorges Dam on reproduction of four major Chinese carps species in the middle reaches of the Changjiang River. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 2016, 34: 885.  

22. Zhang, F., Liu, F., Qin, Q. et al. Diet composition and trophic guild structure of fish assemblage in headwaters of the Chishui River, a tributary of the upper Yangtze River, China. Environ Biol Fish. 2018, 101: 1235.