Ptychocheilus lucius Girard, 1856
Colorado pikeminnow
Ptychocheilus lucius
photo by The Native Fish Conservancy

 Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Leuciscinae
 Max. size:  180 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 12 years
 Environment:  demersal, potamodromous
 Distribution:  North America: Colorado River drainage in USA (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California) and Mexico. Now mostly restricted to Utah and Colorado; and extirpated from the southern portion of the range by the construction of large dams.
 Diagnosis:  Anal soft rays: 9-9. Scales very small with 76-97, usually 80-87 scales on lateral line and 18-23 scales above lateral line; dorsal fin usually with 9 rays; anal fin with 9 rays (Ref. 86798).
 Biology:  Inhabits pools of medium to large rivers. Large individuals usually occur in deep, flowing rocky or sandy pools (Ref. 86798).
 IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (D2) (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Froese, Rainer - 01.05.91
 Modified by: Torres, Armi G. - 06.11.14
 Checked by: Palomares, Maria Lourdes D. - 11.02.94

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