Julie McGilpin
Order assignment
Esociformes – (Latin esox-, ‘voracious’)
Taxonomic status – Superclass: Gnathostomata (jaw fishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Esociformes
Families: Esocidae (pikes), Umbridae (mudminnows)
4 genera, 10 species
VT species: Esox (Northern pike, Redfin pickerel, Muskellunge,
Chain pickerel)
Umbra (Central mudminnow)
Description – dorsal and anal fins are placed posteriorly, long, slender bodies, no adipose
fin
Maxilla is toothless (but present on other bones in mouth)
No breeding tubercules
No pyloric caeca
Pikes can grow up to 6 feet, while mudminnows are usually
less than 15 cm.
Habitat – fresh water, lakes or slow moving rivers with dense vegetation.
Distribution – North America, Europe, Asia
Ecology and life history – Generally sit and wait ambush predators (known for their
voraciousness)
Pikes spawn in dense vegetation, and hatch after about two weeks. For the first few
weeks, they feed on small organisms before turning to fish.
Mudminnows survive dry periods by burrowing into the mud
Additional details The muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is a highly prized game fish in
North America. Alaskan blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) is commonly used as food
for sled dogs.
Recent research – A 2008 study examined climate change and its effect on the evolution
of growth in Esociformes. Several findings suggested that temperature influenced
speciation in the order (Newbrey et al. 2008).
References used –
Bond, C. E. 1996. Biology of Fishes, 2nd. ed. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth
Newbrey, M.G, M.V.H. Wilson, and A.C. Ashworth. 2008. Climate change and evolution
of growth in late Cretaceous to recent North American Esociformes. Mesozoic
Fishes 4 - Homology and Phylogeny: 311-350.
www.fishbase.org
www.vfishandwildlife.com