Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

General data

Main name: Lake Whitefish
Local names: Humpback whitefish, Great Lakes whitefish, Gizzard fish, Sault whitefish, Eastern whitefish
Climates: Continental, Subpolar
Habitat: Freshwater
Native: North America
Distribution: St. Lawrence River, Lake Winnipeg

Classification

Genus: Coregonus - Whitefishes
Family: Salmonidae - Salmons and Trouts
Order: Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts
Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes

Description

The lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. The lake whitefish is sometimes referred to as a humpback fish due to the small size of the head in relation to the length of the body. It is a valuable commercial fish, and also occasionally taken by sport fishermen. Smoked, refrigerated, vacuum-packed lake whitefish fillets are available in North American grocery stores. Other vernacular names used for this fish include Otsego bass, Sault whitefish, gizzard fish, common whitefish, eastern whitefish, Great Lakes whitefish, humpback whitefish, inland whitefish and whitefish. Description Lake whitefish are similar in appearance to other whitefishes in the Coregoninae subfamily of the salmon family Salmonidae, such as the northern cisco (Coregonus artedi). As with all salmonids, they have an adipose fin. To the distinction from cisco, the lake whitefish has a snout which overhangs the short lower jaw, so that the mouth opens in a slightly inferior position. Thus the fish can feed on the bottom of lake beds or grab food particulates out of the water or from the surface of a water body. The cisco in turn has a short snout with a lower jaw that extends beyond the snout. Both the cisco and lake whitefish are discernible from the mooneye due to the small posterior dorsal adipose fin. Another notable feature of the lake whitefish is the presence of two small flaps in each nostril. Their coloration is typically silver to white with an olive to pale-green or brown dorsal hues. The ventral fins are white and the tail has a dark posterior edge. The tail fin of the lake whitefish is severely forked, making it a fast swimmer. Lake whitefish from inland lakes can reach a weight upwards of 5 pounds (2,300 g) (the largest Lake Whitefish caught on rod and reel is 15 pounds 6 oz from Clear Lake Ontario Canada on May 21, 1983 by Chris T. D. Webster according to the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward Wisconsin). On average, the lake whitefish weighs only 4 pounds. They can grow to 31 inches (79 cm) and commonly reach 20 inches (51 cm).

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Salmonidae - Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Salmo - Atlantic Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Hucho - Huchens->
    
    Salvelinus - Chars->
    
    Oncorhynchus - Pacific Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Thymallus - Graylings->
    
    Coregonus - Whitefishes->
    
    Common whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus)
    
    Vendace (Coregonus albula)
    
    Baikal omul (Coregonus migratorius)
    
    Bodensee whitefish (Coregonus wartmanni)
    
    Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)
    
    Alpine whitefish (Coregonus alpinus)
    
    Northern whitefish (Coregonus peled)
    
    Irish pollan (Coregonus pollan)
    
    Humpback whitefish (Coregonus pidschian)
    
    Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis)
    
    Broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus)
    
    Sardine cisco (Coregonus sardinella)
    
    Maraena Whitefish (Coregonus maraena)
    
    Coregonus albellus (Coregonus albellus)
    
    Longjaw cisco (Coregonus alpenae)
    
    Coregonus anaulorum (Coregonus anaulorum)
    
    Coregonus arenicolus (Coregonus arenicolus)
    
    Cisco (Coregonus artedi)
    
    Coregonus atterensis (Coregonus atterensis)
    
    Coregonus austriacus (Coregonus austriacus)
    
    Coregonus baerii (Coregonus baerii)
    
    Coregonus baicalensis (Coregonus baicalensis)
    
    Coregonus baunti (Coregonus baunti)
    
    Coregonus bavaricus (Coregonus bavaricus)
    
    Coregonus bezola (Coregonus bezola)
    
    Coregonus candidus (Coregonus candidus)
    
    Khadary-whitefish (Coregonus chadary)
    
    Powan (Coregonus clupeoides)
    
    Coregonus confusus (Coregonus confusus)
    
    Coregonus danneri (Coregonus danneri)
    
    Coregonus duplex (Coregonus duplex)
    
    Coregonus fatioi (Coregonus fatioi)
    
    Coregonus fera (Coregonus fera)
    
    Coregonus fontanae (Coregonus fontanae)
    
    Coregonus gutturosus (Coregonus gutturosus)
    
    Coregonus heglingus (Coregonus heglingus)
    
    Coregonus hiemalis (Coregonus hiemalis)
    
    Coregonus hoferi (Coregonus hoferi)
    
    Coregonus holsatus (Coregonus holsatus)
    
    Bloater (Coregonus hoyi)
    
    Atlantic whitefish (Coregonus huntsmani)
    
    Deepwater cisco (Coregonus johannae)
    
    Coregonus kiletz (Coregonus kiletz)
    
    Kiyi (Coregonus kiyi)
    
    Coregonus ladogae (Coregonus ladogae)
    
    Bering cisco (Coregonus laurettae)
    
    Coregonus lucinensis (Coregonus lucinensis)
    
    Coregonus lutokka (Coregonus lutokka)
    
    Gangfisch (Coregonus macrophthalmus)
    
    Peipsi whitefish (Coregonus maraenoides)
    
    Coregonus maxillaris (Coregonus maxillaris)
    
    Lacustrine fluvial whitefish (Coregonus megalops)
    
    Muksun (Coregonus muksun)
    
    Alaska whitefish (Coregonus nelsonii)
    
    Blackfin cisco (Coregonus nigripinnis)
    
    Coregonus nilssoni (Coregonus nilssoni)
    
    Coregonus nipigon (Coregonus nipigon)
    
    Coregonus nobilis (Coregonus nobilis)
    
    Houting (Coregonus oxyrinchus)
    
    Coregonus palaea (Coregonus palaea)
    
    Coregonus pallasii (Coregonus pallasii)
    
    Gwyniad (Coregonus pennantii)
    
    Coregonus pravdinellus (Coregonus pravdinellus)
    
    Shortnose cisco (Coregonus reighardi)
    
    Coregonus renke (Coregonus renke)
    
    Coregonus restrictus (Coregonus restrictus)
    
    Schelly (Coregonus stigmaticus)
    
    Coregonus subautumnalis (Coregonus subautumnalis)
    
    Coregonus suidteri (Coregonus suidteri)
    
    Coregonus trybomi (Coregonus trybomi)
    
    Tugun (Coregonus tugun)
    
    Amur whitefish (Coregonus ussuriensis)
    
    Coregonus vandesius (Coregonus vandesius)
    
    Coregonus vessicus (Coregonus vessicus)
    
    Valaam whitefish (Coregonus widegreni)
    
    Shortjaw cisco (Coregonus zenithicus)
    
    Coregonus zuerichensis (Coregonus zuerichensis)
    
    Coregonus zugensis (Coregonus zugensis)
    
    Prosopium - North American whitefishes->
    
    Parahucho - Sakhalin taimen->
    
    Brachymystax - Lenoks->
    
    Stenodus - Nelma whitefish->
    
    Salvethymus - Salvethymus->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->