Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)

Scientific name: Esox masquinongy Mitchill, 1824

Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)

The Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is a freshwater fish of the family Esocidae.

Biology

Lives in clear vegetated lakes, quiet pools and backwaters of creeks and small to large rivers. Solitary, lurking hunter on other fishes as well as on ducklings, muskrats, and snakes. Oviparous, spawn in spring as the ice melts.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Esox masquinongy
Family
Esocidae (Pikes)
Order
Esociformes (Pikes and Mudminnows)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
183
Common length
95.0
Environment
Freshwater; demersal; non-migratory
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
North America: Native to St. Lawrence River - Great Lakes, Hudson Bay (Red River), and Mississippi River basins. Introduced elsewhere in the USA. Native populations are protected in portions of Tennessee and Ohio.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.07-0.15; tmax=30)

More other freshwater fish

See all other freshwater fish

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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