Distribution of Fishes in the Red River of the North Basin on Multivariate Environmental Gradients

Esocidae

Northern Pike

Esox lucius Linnaeus, the northern pike, was listed as Lucius lucius by Woolman (1896), who reported it from the Park, Goose, Sheyenne, Mustinka, and Otter Tail Rivers (Figure A53). Hankinson (1928) collected specimens from the Red and Sheyenne Rivers, and Hubbs and Schultz found the species in the Maple and Sheyenne Rivers in 1926 (UMMZ 1994). The northern pike has been taken from every major tributary in the Red River basin. The species has been common in the Red River and the lower reaches of its tributaries and also the upper, headwater reaches. The northern pike has occurred at 39% of the stream sites sampled in the Red River basin since 1962 (Table 4). It has been most common in the NGP and NMW ecoregions, where it has been taken at 51% and 60% of stream sites sampled, respectively.

Figure A53. Distribution of the northern pike in streams of the Red River of the North basin.

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