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Esox niger

Lesueur, 1818

Chain Pickerel

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101187
Element CodeAFCHD01040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderEsociformes
FamilyEsocidae
GenusEsox
Other Common Names
Brochet maillé (FR)
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Certain populations formerly were regarded as distinct species, Esox reticulatus and E. crassus (Lee et al. 1980).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2011-12-01
Change Date1996-09-13
Edition Date2011-12-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
Range includes the North American Atlantic Slope from Nova Scotia (where introduced) to southern Florida; Gulf Coast west to Red River drainage, Oklahoma, and Sabine Lake drainage, Texas; Mississippi River basin north to Kentucky and Missouri; has expanded through man-made waterways around periphery of native range; introduced into drainages of lakes Ontario and Erie and in other drainages west to Colorado (Page and Burr 2011).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat includes vegetated lakes, swamps, and backwaters and quiet pools of creeks and small to medium rivers (Page and Burr 2011); ranges from clean shallow heavily vegetated shoal water to deeper parts of lakes and larger mountain streams; this fish tolerates warm water, acidity to pH 3.8, and salinity to 22 ppt (Lee et al. 1980). It may enter brackish water in winter. Spawning occurs on flooded benches of streams, lakes, and ponds. Eggs sink and stick to bottom or vegetation.

Ecology

Solitary except when breeding. Often sedentery in summer.

Reproduction

Spawns in late winter and spring, sometimes in fall. Eggs hatch in 6-12 days. Sexually mature in first year in some in south, usually in third or fourth year in north.
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickSNANo
Nova ScotiaSNANo
QuebecS3Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
FloridaS5Yes
LouisianaS5Yes
MississippiS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
NebraskaSNANo
KentuckyS3Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
MaineS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
District of ColumbiaS1Yes
New HampshireS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
New YorkS5Yes
ConnecticutS5Yes
West VirginiaS3Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
VermontS5Yes
New JerseyS5Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
Rhode IslandS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
TexasS1Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
GeorgiaS4Yes
MassachusettsS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (2)
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Irish Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest1,226
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
References (43)
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  2. Burr, B. M., and M. L. Warren, Jr. 1986a. Distributional atlas of Kentucky fishes. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Scientific and Technical Series No. 4, Frankfort, Kentucky. 398 pp.
  3. Coffie, P. A. 1998. Status of the chain pickerel, <i>Esox niger</i>, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 112:133-140.
  4. Cooper, E. L. 1983. Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 243 pp.
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  6. Crossman, E. J. and G. E. Lewis. 1973. An annotated bibliography of the chain pickerel, ESOX NIGER (Osteichthys: Salmoniformes). Misc. Puybl. R. Ont. Mus. Life Sci. pp. 1-87.
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