Ptychocheilus oregonensis
Northern Pikeminnow
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cypriniformes (Carps and Minnows)
Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)
Ptychocheilus
Ptychocheilus oregonensis (Northern Pikeminnow)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. Mot deep bodied, greatest depth 16.6% (TL), belly gently rounded in mature individuals. Head moderately long, its length 22.8% (TL); eye small in adults, 17.6% of head length, but larger in young 7.6 cm long, when 25.2% of head length; snout long, 33.1% of head length of adults; interorbital width 29.6% of head length; mouth large, extending back to below anterior margin of eye. All fins clear. Pelvic axillary process usually a ridge. Peritoneum present. Nuptial tubercles fine, on head and back, on pectoral and pelvic fins and sometimes on the caudal fin. Dark green or green-brown dorsally becoming silvery white or cream ventrally. The lower fins of the males become yellow or yellow-orange during spawning period (Ref. 1998). Dorsal fin usually with 9 rays; anal fin with 8 rays; 48-72, usually 51-62, scales on back from head to dorsal fin; 64-79, usually 66-75, scales on lateral line; and 12-20 scales above lateral line (Ref. 86798). Striking features: none.
Distribution
North America: Pacific drainages from Nass River in British Columbia, Canada to Columbia River in Nevada, USA; Harney River basin in Oregon, USA; Peace River system (Arctic basin) in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. benthopelagic. Found in: streams, lakes.
Biology
Found in lakes, pools and occasionally in runs of small to large rivers. Large individuals occur in deep water (Ref. 5723, 86798). Feeds on fishes, terrestrial insects, plankton, aquatic insect larvae, and crustaceans while inshore; feeds mostly on fishes while offshore (Ref. 1998). Male squawfish, prickly sculpins, and newts prey on the eggs (Ref. 1998). Edible but not well appreciated (1998).
Max length: 63.0 cm TL; common length: 22.0 cm TL; max weight: 13000 g; max age: 11 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. A female is surrounded by males close to the bottom; eggs and sperm are released at the same time and eggs settle in the gravel.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-03-01. Resilience: Low (K=0.08-0.21).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish; aquarium: public aquariums.
References
Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman (1973) Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. 184: xi+1-966.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (1991) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.
Jeppson, P.W. and W.S. Platts (1959) Ecology and control of the Columbia squawfish in northern Idaho lakes. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 88(2):197-202.
Balon, E.K. (1975) Reproductive guilds of fishes: a proposal and definition. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 32(6):821-864.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (2011) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 663p.
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