Pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulterii)

Scientific name: Prosopium coulterii Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1892

Pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulterii)

The Pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulterii) is a freshwater fish of the family Salmonidae.

Biology

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 r

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Prosopium coulterii
Family
Salmonidae (Salmonids)
Order
Salmoniformes (Salmons)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
28.0
Common length
11.5
Depth range
18–168 m (59–551 ft)
Environment
Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 18 - 168 m, usually 55 - 70 m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
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. Former USSR: Russia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=1-2; tmax=9; Fec=103)

Sources

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

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