Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) fish species and information / pictures of Colorado pikeminnow - Ptychocheilus lucius

Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) fish species information

Scientific Name
Ptychocheilus lucius

Common Name
Colorado pikeminnow

Biology
Inhabits pools of medium to large rivers. Large individuals usually occur in deep, flowing rocky or sandy pools.

Classification

Classified By

Girard, 1856

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Carps (Cypriniformes)

Family

Minnows or carps (Cyprinidae)

Distribution

Region

North America

Distribution

North America: Colorado River drainage in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California, USA and Mexico. Now mostly restricted to Utah and Colorado and extirpated from the southern portion of the range by the construction of large dams on the Colorado and Gila Rivers.

Range

42°N - 31°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243)

Trophic Level

2.72 s.e. 0.31 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

180 cm

Common Length

52.5 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Very high vulnerability (87 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tmax=12)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Vulnerable (VU) (D2)