United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Mississippi paddlefish, Paddlefish
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: commercial | Ref: Missouri Department of Conservation, 2008
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Extirpated from Great Lakes basin, Galveston Bay and Sabine R. drainages, Texas, and Calcasieu drainage, Louisiana (Ref. 5723). Also Ref. 276, 10294. Status of threat: vulnerable; status same as 1989. Criteria: 1,2 (http://fisc.er.usgs.gov/afs/) (Ref. 81264).
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons and paddlefishes) > Polyodontidae (Paddlefishes)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

匙吻鲟, Spatule d'Amérique, Espátula, ... more

Main reference

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott. 1991. (Ref. 3814)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 221 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 90.7 kg (Ref. 3221); max. reported age: 55 years (Ref. 46974)

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 2 - ? m

Climate / Range

Temperate; 10°C - 18°C (Ref. 2060), preferred ?; 50°N - 30°N

Distribution

North America: Mississippi River system, including the Missouri River into Montana, the Ohio River, and their major tributaries. At least one country reports adverse ecological impact after introduction. International trade restricted (CITES II, since 11.6.92).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Snout long, canoe-paddle-shaped; gill cover with large, fleshy, pointed flap (Ref. 86798).

Inhabits slow-flowing water of large rivers, usually in water deeper than 1.3 m. Feeds on plankton. The extended upper jaw (= paddle) may help to channel plankton into the mouth. Threatened due to over harvesting, habitat loss and pollution (Ref. 58490).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Vulnerable (VU) (A3de)

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 1.2500 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.4 ±0.45 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=6-9; tmax=30)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Very high vulnerability (85 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Unknown

Polyodon spathula (Walbaum, 1792)