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Lota lota

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Burbot

G5Secure Found in 12 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101577
Element CodeAFCMA01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderGadiformes
FamilyGadidae
GenusLota
Other Common Names
Lotte (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
The only freshwater member of the family (Nelson 1984).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-08-17
Change Date1996-09-20
Range Extent Comments
Widely distributed in both hemispheres south to about 40 degrees north latitude (south to Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Missouri, Wyoming, and Oregon).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of subpopulations and locations.
Threat Impact Comments
Localized threats may exist, but on a range-wide scale no major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Common in deep (to at least 90 m) cold waters of lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers. In summer, stays in deep cold waters but may move into shallower water at night. Life history may be confined to lakes or rivers or may migrate between lake and riverine habitats; all three patterns may occur within a single river basin. Often exhibits a post-spawning movement into tributary rivers in late winter and early spring. Spawns usually in lakes but may move into rivers to spawn. River-spawning populations prefer low-velocity areas in main channels or in side channels behind deposition bars (see USFWS 2003). Broadcasts eggs usually over sand or gravel (sometimes silt) in up to about 10 ft of water (Scott and Crossman 1973).

Reproduction

Spawns mainly in winter in North America. Eggs hatch in about a month. Individuals spawn annually or in alternate years. Usually sexually mature in 3-4 years (males) or 4-5 years (females) (see USFWS 2003).
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IndianaS2Yes
KansasSUYes
UtahSNANo
New HampshireS5Yes
OhioS3Yes
IowaS3Yes
VermontS3Yes
OregonSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
IdahoS1Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
KentuckyS2Yes
WisconsinS5Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
IllinoisS1Yes
WyomingS3Yes
MichiganS4Yes
MaineS4Yes
ConnecticutS1Yes
AlaskaS5Yes
MassachusettsS1Yes
WashingtonS3Yes
NebraskaS1Yes
South DakotaS5Yes
New YorkS3Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
QuebecS5Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
SaskatchewanS5Yes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
NunavutS5Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
LabradorS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Roadless Areas (12)
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Elmwood IslandChippewa National Forest42
Montana (5)
AreaForestAcres
Anderson MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest31,501
Big LogHelena National Forest8,954
Devils TowerHelena National Forest7,144
North Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest52,227
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Wyoming (5)
AreaForestAcres
0401018Ashley National Forest6,157
0401019Ashley National Forest6,202
0401021Ashley National Forest5,152
0401035Ashley National Forest5,465
0401036Ashley National Forest6,309
References (34)
  1. Bailey, M.M. 1972. Age, growth, reproduction and food of the burbot, <i>Lota lota</i> (Linnaeus), in southwestern Lake Superior. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 101(4):667-674.
  2. Becker, G. C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1,052 pp.
  3. 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.
  4. Burr, Brooks M. (Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University) and Donovan B. Henry. 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. June 2000.
  5. Clemens, H.P. 1951a. The food of the burbot, <i>Lota lota maculosa</i> (LeSueur) in Lake Erie. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 80(1951):163-173.
  6. Cooper, E. L. 1983. Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 243 pp.
  7. Cox, Kenneth M. (District Fisheries Biologist, VT Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.
  8. Cross, F. B., and J. T. Collins. 1995. Fishes in Kansas. Second Edition, revised. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History. xvii + 315 pp.
  9. Fago, D. 2000. Relative abundance and distribution of fishes in Wisconsin. Fish Distribution Database to year 2000. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
  10. Fish, M.P. 1927. Contribution to the natural history of the burbot, <i>Lota maculosa</i> (LeSueur). Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences 14(3):1-20.
  11. Halliwell, David B. (Maine Department of Environmental Protection). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. June 2000.
  12. Harlan, J. R., E. B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew. 1987. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323 pp.
  13. Hartel, Karsten E. (Dept. of Ichthyology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.
  14. Holton, G. D., and H. E. Johnson. 1996. A field guide to Montana fishes. 2nd edition. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana State Parks and wildlife Interpretive Association, Helena, Montana. 104 pp.
  15. Lawler, G. H. 1963. The biology and taxonomy of the burbot, <i>Lota lota</i>, in Heming Lake, Manitoba. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 20(2):417-433.
  16. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  17. Master, L. L. and A. L. Stock. 1998. Synoptic national assessment of comparative risks to biological diversity and landscape types: species distributions. Summary Report submitted to Environmental Protection Agency. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 36 pp.
  18. Nelson, J. S. 1984. Fishes of the world. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York. xv + 523 pp.
  19. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  20. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  21. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  22. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  23. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  24. Pflieger, W. L. 1975. The fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation. Columbia, Missouri. viii + 343 pp.
  25. Robins, C.R., and E.E. Deubler, Jr. 1955. The life history and systematic status of the burbot, <i>Lota lota lacustris</i> (Walbaum), in the Susquehanna River system. New York State Museum Circular 39:1-49.
  26. 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.
  27. Scott, W. B., and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Bulletin 184. 966 pp.
  28. Simpson, J. and R. Wallace. 1982. Fishes of Idaho. The University Press of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 238 pp.
  29. Smith, C. L. 1985. The inland fishes of New York State. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, New York, xi + 522 pp.
  30. Smith, P. W. 1979. The fishes of Illinois. University of Illinois Press, Urbana. 314 pp.
  31. Trautman, M. B. 1981. The fishes of Ohio. Second edition. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, Ohio. 782 pp.
  32. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 11 March 2003. 12-month finding for a petition to list the Kootenai River burbot (<i>Lota lota</i>) as threatened or endangered. Federal Register 68(47):11574-11579.
  33. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 28 September 2001. 90-day finding and commencement of status review for a petition to list the lower Kootenai River burbot as threatened or endangered. Federal Register 66(189):49608-49611.
  34. Whittier, Thomas R. 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.