92 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



Esox L. Pike: pickerel. With the characters of the family: 

 5 species; all important food and game tishes. 



Key to the Species of Esox 



ai Opercle not scaly on the lower half. 



bi Cheeks entirely scaly E. lucius. 



b2 Cheeks not scaly on the lower half E. masquinongy. 



a2 Opercle and cheek entirely scaly. 



bi Rays of dorsal fin 14 E. reticulalus. 



bo Rays of dorsal fin 11 or 12. 



Ci In the Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes basin E. v.ermiculatus. 



C2 In Atlantic coastwise streams E. americanus. 



E. lucius L. Common Pike (Fig. 44). Length up to 1,200 mm.; 

 weight up to 40 lbs.; head 3.4; depth 5; color bluish or greenish gray, 



Fig. 44. — Esox lucius {from Jordan &= Evermann). 



with many irregular whitish or yellowish spots arranged in more or less 

 longitudinal lines; median fins with irregular black spots; rays of dorsal 

 fin 16 or 17; anal 13 or 14; scales 123; branchiostegals 14 to 16: northern 

 America, Europe and Asia; southward to New York and the Ohio 

 River; northward to Alaska; very common. 



E. masquinongy Mitchill. Muscalonge; muskallunge. Length 

 900 mm.; extreme length 2,500 mm.; extreme weight 100 lbs.; head 3.6; 

 depth 6; color dark gray; sides with numerous black spots; lower por- 

 tion of cheek and opercle without scales; rays of dorsal fin 17; anal 15; 

 scales 150; branchiostegals 17 to 19: Great Lakes region and upper 

 Mississippi Valley, and northwards; not common; occasionally in the 

 Ohio Valley as far south as North Carolina. 



Subspecies of E. masquinongy 



E. m. ohiensis (Kirtland). Sides with narrow dark cross bars which 

 split up into diffuse spots: Ohio River basin; Lake Chautauqua. 



E. m. immaculatus Jordan & Evermann. Body unspotted: northern 

 Wisconsin; common. 



