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Sander vitreus

(Mitchill, 1818)

Walleye

G5Secure Found in 12 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101703
Element CodeAFCQC05020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderPerciformes
FamilyPercidae
GenusSander
COSEWICPS:X
Synonyms
Stizostedion vitreum(Mitchill, 1818)
Other Common Names
Doré jaune (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
A range-wide analysis of genetic variation in Sander vitreus indicated that the "blue pike" (S. v. glaucus) is not a valid taxon (Haponski and Stepien 2014); previously, has been variously regarded as a full species (S. glaucus) or as a subspecies or color phase of vitreus (Robins et al. 1991). Hybridizes with S. canadensis (Lee et al. 1980).

Electrophoretic analyses (Murphy 1990) and mitochondrial DNA comparisons (Billington et al. 1992, Billington and Strange 1995) have confirmed the genetic uniqueness of the upper Tombigbee River population (Mississippi and Alabama); the relationships among this population and those of other Gulf Coast drainages (e.g., Apalachicola River of Florida and Georgia, and Pearl River, Mississippi) are unknown and need further study (Billington and Strange 1995; Federal Register, 13 March 1995). See record for Southern Walleye (Stizostedion sp. 1).

Genus includes three species in Europe and two species in North America (Nelson 1984).

MtDNA data indicate that S. vitreus and S. canadensis separated about 2.75 million years ago (Faber and Stepien 1998).

Genus changed from Stizostedion to Sander by Nelson et al. (2003).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-08-17
Change Date1996-09-25
Range Extent Comments
Native to St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Arctic, and Mississippi River basins from Quebec to Northwest Territories, and south to Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas; widely introduced elsewhere in U.S., including Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific drainages; uncommon or locally common (Page and Burr 1991). Subspecies/form glaucum (blue pike) of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, lower Niagara River, and Lake Huron (where formerly rare at most) has not been reported since 1970 and is presumed to be extinct. Native southern walleye historically occurred in all eight Mobile Basin drainages in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, and in a small area of Tennessee (USFWS, Federal Register 12 September 1995).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of subpopulations and locations.
Threat Impact Comments
Decline of subspecies/form GLAUCUM (blue pike) was due to degradation of Lake Erie, introduced fishes, overfishing, and hybridization with subspecies VITREUM (Miller et al. 1989). Potential habitat throughout the Mobile River basin may have been affected or eliminated due to impoundment of approximately 1000 miles of river habitat and/or by extensive stream channelization and desnagging; erosion due to headcutting, a proposed channelization project, and proposed impoundments pose additional threats; potential threats to stream habitat quality include various point source effluents (e.g., coal surface mining and sand/gravel mining) as well as sediments, nutrients, and toxicants from nonpoint runoff; excessive harvest at spawning sites in Alabama may reduce reproduction; threats from dam construction, channelization, and water pollution recently may have been stabilized, but illegal gravel mining and headcutting remain problematic in some areas (USFWS, Federal Register, 13 March 1995, 12 September 1995).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Lakes; pools, backwaters, and runs of medium to large rivers; generally in moderately deep waters. Avoids bright light. Generally in quiet water when not spawning. Often in beds of aquatic vegetation, in holes among tree roots, or in or near similar cover by day. A pH of 8-9 is most suitable. Adults avoid temperatures above 24 C, if possible. Greatest population densities under moderately turbid conditions or in deep clear lakes with strong deepwater forage base (Sublette et al. 1990). See McMahon et al. (1984) for further details, including a habitat suitability index model. Spawns in turbulent rocky areas in rivers, boulder to coarse gravel shoals of lakes, along riprap on dam face of reservoirs, and flooded marshes (Becker 1983, Sublette et al. 1990). Eggs are broadcast and abandoned, adhesive but may drift great distances. Larvae initially are pelagic, soon become bottom dwellers. Adults tend to return to formerly used spawning (and feeding) areas.

Ecology

Summer wanderings usually limited to 3-5 miles but occasionally moves much farther (Scott and Crossman 1973). In North Platte River drainage of Wyoming, preyed on fingerling trout and competed with trout for forage, especially crayfishes (see Sublette et al. 1990).

Reproduction

Spawns in spring and (in north) early summer. Eggs hatch in 26 days at 4.4 C, 7 days at 14 C. Males sexually mature generally in 2-4 years, females in 3-8 years, depending on growth rate (Becker 1983, Scott and Crossman 1973). Females spawn a maximum of about 8 times in their lifetime; maximum age generally around 10 years (Bart and Page 1992).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoSNANo
Navajo NationSNANo
GeorgiaSNRYes
NebraskaS5Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
WyomingSNANo
MinnesotaSNRYes
VirginiaS4Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
MississippiS2Yes
IowaS5Yes
KansasS5Yes
South DakotaS5Yes
IndianaS4Yes
OhioS5Yes
IdahoSNANo
District of ColumbiaSNANo
MichiganS5Yes
New MexicoSNANo
UtahSNANo
ArizonaSNANo
IllinoisS3Yes
OklahomaSNANo
MassachusettsSNANo
MontanaSNANo
New HampshireSNANo
New JerseySNANo
ArkansasS4Yes
NevadaSNANo
WisconsinS5Yes
LouisianaSNANo
North CarolinaS5Yes
DelawareSNANo
OregonSNANo
TennesseeS5Yes
South CarolinaSNANo
MarylandSNAYes
WashingtonSNANo
ConnecticutSNANo
MissouriSNRYes
New YorkSNRYes
KentuckyS4Yes
TexasS5Yes
VermontS5Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
NunavutSUYes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
SaskatchewanS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
OntarioS5Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
QuebecS4Yes
Roadless Areas (12)
Minnesota (7)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Kawishiwi Lake To SawbillSuperior National Forest15,305
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
Tait LakeSuperior National Forest6,327
Wood LakeSuperior National Forest596
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
WellsvilleWasatch-Cache National Forest1,717
Washington (2)
AreaForestAcres
Abercrombie - HooknoseColville National Forest33,862
Salmo - Priest BColville National Forest11,869
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