Sauger

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Sauger

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Percidae
Genus:	Sander
Species:	S. canadensis

Binomial name

Sander canadensis
(Griffith and Smith, 1834)

See also Sauger (disambiguation).

The Sauger (Sander canadensis) is a freshwater Perciform fish of the family Percidae which resembles its close relative the walleye. Saugers, however, are usually smaller and will tolerate waters of higher turbidity than will the walleye. In many parts of their range, saugers are sympatric with walleyes. They may be distinguished from walleyes by the distinctly spotted dorsal fin, by the lack of a white splotch on the caudal fin, by the rough skin over their gill, and by their generally more brassy color, or darker (almost black) color in some regions. The average sauger in an angler's creel is 300 to 400 g (0.75 to 1 lbs) in weight but the world record was 8.1 kg (17 lbs, 12 ounces.) Saugers are more typical of rivers whereas walleyes are more common in lakes and reservoirs. The sauger is highly prized as a food fish.

Hybridization between saugers and walleyes is not unknown; the hybrids, referred to as saugeyes, exhibit traits of both species. Being intermediate in appearance between the two species, saugeyes are sometimes difficult to differentiate, but they generally carry the dark blotches characteristic of the sauger.