Esox masquinongy Mitchill, 1824
Muskellunge
Muskellunge,  Allegheny River pike,  Barred muskie,  Great pike,  Lunge,  Mascalonge,  Muskie,  Ohio muskie,  Tiger,  White pickerel,  White pike,  Wisconsin muskie
Esox masquinongy
photo by Divino, J.N.

Family:  Esocidae (Pikes)
Max. size:  183 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 32 kg; max. reported age: 30 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater, non-migratory
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.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Lives in clear vegetated lakes, quiet pools and backwaters of creeks and small to large rivers (Ref. 205, 10294). Solitary, lurking hunter on other fishes as well as on ducklings, muskrats, and snakes. Oviparous, spawn in spring as the ice melts (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 December 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Recorded from Ohio River drainage (including Cumberland and Tennessee rivers), upper Mississippi River drainage, the Great Lakes, southern Hudson Bay tributaries, and some northern Atlantic Coastal drainages (Ref. 10294). Also Ref. 276, 3814. Status of Threat: Treated as endangered species by both the Wildlife Resources Agency and the Heritage Program (Ref. 10294).


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