Pygmy whitefish
📖 Overview
Adults inhabit lakes and rivers of mountainous areas . They feed mainly on crustaceans and aquatic insect larvae . Minimum depth reported from Ref. 1998.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 14; Vertebrae: 49 - 55. Body elongate, almost cylindrical. Head elongate, its length slightly greater than body depth; eye relatively large, its diameter greater than snout length; snout bluntly rounded, overhanging mouth, not obviously pointed, a single flap of skin present between nostrils. Nuptial tubercles developed in both males and females, but more conspicuous in males, and occur on top of head, on scales on back and sides, and on paired fins. Body is brownish above, silvery on sides and white below. Dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins usually clear, anal and pelvic whitish and immaculate, a faint dark spot sometimes present on base of caudal fin. A series of 12 - 14 similar spots present along the midline of the back, and 7 - 14 dark, round or oval parr marks with diffuse borders present along the lateral line of young and sub adults, although some Alaskan forms retain parr marks even on largest fish.: elongated; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Pygmy whitefish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Moves to spawning grounds in the early winter and presumably back into deeper water after spawning. Spawns at night, presumably the eggs are broadcast, settling into interstices in the gravel. Hatching occurs the following spring .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous ; depth range 18 - 168 m , usually 55 - 70 m . Temperate; 59°N - 47°N North America: three disjunct areas: Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada and Michigan, USA; Yukon River drainage in Yukon, Canada to Columbia River drainage in western Montana and Washington, USA; and Chignik, Naknek and Wood River drainages in southwest Alaska.
🌿 Ecology
crustaceans and aquatic insect larvae (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-action 8-9ft fly rod
- 5-8 lb tippet
- floating or sinking-tip line
- seams and current breaks in rivers
- tributary mouths
- undercut banks
- deep pools during high sun
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Strict bag and size limits vary by jurisdiction. Barbless hooks required in many rivers.
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Pygmy whitefish |
| 🇫🇷French | ménomini pygmée |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coregonus coulteri | Eigenmann & Eigenmann | 1892 | Synonym |
| Prosopium snyderi | Myers | 1932 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 5 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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