Burbot (Lota lota) fish species and information / pictures of Burbot - Lota lota

Burbot (Lota lota) fish species information

Scientific Name
Lota lota

Common Name
Burbot

Biology
The only member of the family which lives in freshwater. Crepuscular and nocturnal (Ref. 11941). Found in well oxygenated flowing waters and large lakes. Occurs from estuaries of large lowland rivers as well as from small mountain streams, preferring deep waters in summer (Ref. 59043). Also inhabit deep lakes and large rivers (Ref. 5723, 10294) with slow-moving current. Seek shelter under rocks, in crevices on the river banks, among roots of trees and dense vegetation (Ref. 30578, 10294). Those in rivers tend to congregate in deep holes throughout the year, except at spawning (Ref. 27547). Movements into shallower water during summer nights are related to feeding (Ref. 1998). Smaller individuals feed on insect larvae, crayfish, mollusks and other invertebrates with a changing preference for fishes in larger individuals (Ref. 1998, 10294). Source of oil.

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Cods (Gadiformes)

Family

Hakes and burbots (Lotidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumarctic in freshwater (Ref. 1371). Europe

Distribution

Circumarctic in freshwater (Ref. 1371). Europe: Loire drainage, France eastward to White, Barents and Arctic Sea basins; upper Volga drainage; western Caspian basin; rivers draining to Black Sea; Rh?ne drainage (France); in Italy native only in Po drainage; eastrward England (now extirpated). In Siberia eastward to River Lena. Reported that populations from eastern Siberia and North America belong to a different species, Lota maculosa (Ref. 59043).

Range

78°N - 40°N, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

4 °C

Water Temperature To

18 °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

700 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; brackish; ; pH range: 7.5 - ? ; dH range: 18 - ? demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 1 - 700 m (Ref. 1998)

Trophic Level

4.03 s.e. 0.69 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

152 cm

Common Length

40.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (66 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.05; tm=2-7; tmax=20)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)