Family Coregonidae 



HENRY B. BIGELOW 



Museum of Comparative Zoology 

 Harvard University 



Characters. The same as those in the Salmonidae, but with: Teeth minute, if 

 present at all ; Scales relatively large, not more than 1 3 scales in a transverse series 

 from origin of dorsal fin to lateral line (at least 19 among Salmonidae); and Parietal 

 BONES of skull meeting in the midline (not meeting among Salmonidae). 



Remarks. The Whitefishes are widespread in middle and high latitudes in lakes 

 and streams throughout Eurasia and North America. They spawn in fresh water and are 

 confined there throughout the greater part of their geographic range, though in many 

 places they run down into brackish water and out into salt water. 



Genera. "The taxonomy of this group has been particularly confusing" (5: 276) 

 and seems likely to continue so, as to both genera and species. Thus, Jordan, et ah., 

 reported five genera: Stenodus, Leucichthys (with three subgenera), Coregonus, Pro- 

 sopium, and Irillion for North America (4: 61-66). Norman, however, recognized 

 only Stenodus and Coregonus on a world-wide basis (7: 104), an extreme simplifica- 

 tion that does not accord with the weight of present-day opinion. 



Key to Genera Recognized for North America 



I a. Teeth distinct, in bands on jaws and palatines; a patch on vomer and another 

 on tongue. Stenodus Richardson 1936. 



Sheefish or Inconnu. 

 Fresh and brackish waters of northern 

 Europe and Asia, from White Sea 

 (Mezen R.) eastward to western Be- 

 ring Sea drainages (Bay of Korf); Kus- 



3 5* 



547 



