Grass Pickerel
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Name and Code
Family
Esocidae - pikes and mudminnows
Species
Esox americanus vermiculatus
Taxonomic Authority
Lesueur 1846
Common Name(s)
Grass Pickerel
French Name
brochet vermiculé
Species Code
133
Family TSN
162137
Parent TSN
162140
Species TSN
162142
Conservation Status
Global Rank (GRank)
G5T5 (1997-01-01)
National Rank (NRank)
N3 (2013-01-16)
Provincial Rank (SRank)
S3 (2009-10-21)
COSEWIC Status
Special Concern (Nov 2014)
SARO Status
Special Concern (2015)
AFS Status
none
Status Notes
none
Ecological Value
Ontario Origin
native
General Abundance
uncommon
Tolerance
intermediate
Economic Importance
none
Length-Weight Regression Coefficents
Intercept (a)
-5.37
Slope (b)
3.08
Length Basis
FL
Habitat and Feeding
General Habitat(s)
lacustrine; riverine
Environment
benthopelagic
Trophic Class
invertivore/carnivore
Thermal Regime
warmwater
Habitat Preference
lakes, backwaters and sluggish pools of creeks and small rivers with mud bottom, aquatic vegetation and clear water; preferred water temperature 25.5°C
Reproduction
Reproductive Guild
Nonguarders: Open substratum spawners: Phytophils
Spawning Habitat(s)
lacustrine; riverine
Spawning Season
spring
Spawning Month(s)
March-May
Spawning Temperature (°C)
4-12
Fecundity
625-4,584
Nursery Habitat(s)
lacustrine; riverine
Size and Age
Adult Length (cm)
15.2-32.5 TL
Adult Weight (kg)
0.02-0.17
Age at Maturity (yrs)
2-3
Maximum Length (cm)
39.4 TL
Maximum Weight (kg)
0.45
Lifespan (yrs)
4-8
Ontario Records
Record Length (cm)
32.8 TL
Record Weight (kg)
0.204
Ontario Range Map
Grass Pickerel range
Ontario Distribution
lower Great Lakes and tributaries, including Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, Niagara River, Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River; isolated population occurs in the Severn River system
Photographs
Grass Pickerel photograph
Grass Pickerel photograph
Notes
subspecies of Redfin Pickerel; evidence of low intensity fall spawning; tolerant of water temperatures up to 29°C; often associated with Central Mudminnow and Green Sunfish; moderately intolerant of turbidity
Information Sources
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