Pygmy Whitefish

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Pygmy whitesifh
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Superorder: Protacanthopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Genus: Prosopium
Species: P. coulterii
Binomial name
Prosopium coulterii
Synonyms
  • Prosopium coulteri

The Pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulterii) is a fish of the genus Prosopium in the trout/salmon family Salmonidae.

Apparently, these fishes are remnants from the last ice age. In North America they are distributed across the northern tier of the United States, throughout western Canada and north into southeast Alaska. Pygmy whitefish are also found in the Ekityki Lake in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russian Federation.

In North America Pygmy whitefish have historical distribution in 15 lakes and current distribution in nine. Washington State is at the extreme southern edge of their native range. Natural history data of the species is limited.

[edit] References

  • Molly Hallock and Paul E. Mongillo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife "Washington State Status Report" (1998).
  • IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 13 December 2007.