Abstract: In order to investigate the differences in volatile substances of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) meat from various habitats, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to detect and compare the volatile substances of bighead carp meat from five different habitats, including Hongmen Reservoir, Junshan Lake, Zhelin Lake, Datang Reservoir, and Nanxin culture pond. The results showed that a total of 56 volatile substances were detected in bighead carp meat from five habitats, including 12 aldehydes, 8 ketones, 15 alcohols, 8 hydrocarbons, 13 aromatic and other substances. Moreover, hexyl aldehyde, heptyl aldehyde, nonyl aldehyde, n-hexyl alcohol, 1-octene-3-alcohol, and heptadecane were common chemicals found in bighead carp meat of all habitats. Utilizing relative odor activity value (ROAV), aldehydes, alcohols, and phenols were identified as the key odor substances in bighead carp meat. Cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA) results showed the cumulative contribution rate of PC1 and PC2 reached 73.5%. Moreover, the volatile substance composition and odor of bighead carp meat from macro-aquatic habitats were similar. Meanwhile, the odor was significantly better than that of bighead carp meat from high-density aquaculture habitats. On the whole, significant differences were observed in the composition, content of volatile compounds, and key odor substances among bighead carp meat from different habitats (P<0.05). This study would provide valuable insights in aquaculture and product processing of bighead carp culture.