northern pike
(Esox lucius)
This species is Native to certain parts of the United States but may be invasive to others
Origin
Native to the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins stretching east to Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, west to Alaska, and south into Nebraska, Missouri, and Pennsylvania.
Life Cycle
Adult E. lucius migrate into tributaries to spawn in calm, shallow water with emergent vegetation. Spawning occurs after ice melts, with temperatures between 46–50°F (8–10°C), and lasts anywhere from a couple of days to a month. Juveniles move into submerged, floating vegetation until maturation.
Distribution
Introduced into the Hudson River Basin, E. lucius spread to the lower Hudson River. Introductions also took place in the Chesapeake Basin in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia; Elkhead Reservoir of the Yampa River drainage in Colorado where they invaded the Green River basin of Colorado and Utah; widespread in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
Control Efforts
Prevention is the most effective management strategy for E. lucius.
Native to the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins stretching east to Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, west to Alaska, and south into Nebraska, Missouri, and Pennsylvania.
Life Cycle
Adult E. lucius migrate into tributaries to spawn in calm, shallow water with emergent vegetation. Spawning occurs after ice melts, with temperatures between 46–50°F (8–10°C), and lasts anywhere from a couple of days to a month. Juveniles move into submerged, floating vegetation until maturation.
Distribution
Introduced into the Hudson River Basin, E. lucius spread to the lower Hudson River. Introductions also took place in the Chesapeake Basin in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia; Elkhead Reservoir of the Yampa River drainage in Colorado where they invaded the Green River basin of Colorado and Utah; widespread in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
Control Efforts
Prevention is the most effective management strategy for E. lucius.
Maps
EDDMapS Distribution - This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts, herbaria, and literature. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
State Lists - This map identifies those states that have this species on their invasive species list or law.
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Animalia |
| Phylum: Chordata |
| Subphylum: Vertebrata |
| Class: Actinopterygii |
| Subclass: Neopterygii |
| Infraclass: Teleostei |
| Order: Esociformes |
| Family: Esocidae |
| Genus: Esox |
| Esox lucius |
References
Common Name Reference: Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database.
Scientific Name Reference: Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database.