Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) fish species and information / pictures of Lake whitefish - Coregonus clupeaformis

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) fish species information

Scientific Name
Coregonus clupeaformis

Common Name
Lake whitefish

Biology
Primarily a lake dweller (Ref. 27547). Also found in large rivers and enters brackish water (Ref. 5723). Nerito-pelagic (Ref. 58426). Appears to be rather sedentary, at least in the Great Lakes (Ref. 27547). Movement in large lakes generally consists of 4 stages: movement from deep to shallow water in the spring; movement back to deep water in the summer as the shoal water warms; migration to shallow-water spawning areas in the fall and early winter; and post-spawning movement back to deeper water (Ref. 27547). Forms separate populations in large lakes (Ref. 27547). Adults feed mainly on aquatic insect larvae, mollusks and amphipods (Ref. 1091, 3849), but also other fishes and fish eggs, including their own (Ref. 1998). Extensive hatchery programs for the propagation have been carried out on the Great Lakes and other areas for years (Ref. 3746, 3849). Va

Classification

Classified By
Mitchill, 1818
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Salmons (Salmoniformes)
Family
Salmonids (Salmonidae)

Distribution

Region
North America
Distribution
North America: throughout Alaska and most of Canada south into New England, the Great Lakes basin, and central Minnesota. This species was stocked into high Andean lakes in two countries in southern Latin America (Ref. 1739). Probably conspecific with Coregonus lavaretus (Ref. 7506). Belongs to Coregonus clupeaformis complex (Ref. 27547).
Range
71°N - 40°N

Environment

Climate
Temperate
Water Temperature From
Unknown °C
Water Temperature To
Unknown °C
Depth From - meters
18 m
Depth To - meters
128 m
Zone
demersal
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 18 - 128 m (Ref. 3849)
Trophic Level
3.14 s.e. 0.37 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
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
100.0 cm
Common Length
54.1 cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Vulnerability
Moderate to high vulnerability (48 of 100)
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.06-0.19; tmax=50)
Threat To Humans
  Harmless
IUCN Red List Status
  Not Evaluated