Scientific Name
Osmerus spectrum

Common Name
Pigmy smelt

Biology
Lives in small, deep, thermally stratified lakes. When this species occurs with Osmerus mordax, it usually spawns later in the year, feeds on smaller food items, grows more slowly, matures earlier in life, and has a shorter life span.

Classification

Classified By

Cope, 1870

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Smelts (Osmeriformes)

Family

Smelts (Osmeridae)

Distribution

Region

North America

Distribution

North America: Heney Lake in southern Quebec, Lake Utopia in southern New Brunswick in Canada, Wilton Pond and Green Lake in southern Maine, USA. Introduced into Meach and Ouimet lakes in southern Quebec. May be present in other lakes in eastern Canada and New England, USA.

Range

59°N - 37°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Freshwater; benthopelagic

Trophic Level

3.35 s.e. 0.45 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

17.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6251 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Data deficient (DD)