whitefishes

Several species in the Yenisey and Lena Rivers that prefer warmer boreal-plain habitats (e.g., roach, ide, common dace – Leuciscus leuciscus baicalensis, European perch, and ruffe – Gymnocephalus cernuus) are likely to move into the northern mouth areas of these rivers that are currently dominated by whitefishes and chars.

Climate change effects on arctic freshwater fish populations 2009

However, the suite of species present differs between clear (e.g., preferred by chars) and sediment rich (e.g., preferred by whitefishes) rivers.

Freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic 2009

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Bear Lake sustained a commercial fishery for whitefishes and cutthroat trout.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

Thus, whitefishes, graylings, trout, and salmon all have a complexity of genetic material that unites them as a group and distinguishes them from most other fishes.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

The small mouth of whitefishes limits the size of the food items they can consume, but the inconnu or sheefish, a member of the subfamily Coregoninae, is a large to 50 pounds/23 kg, predatory species.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

Also, whitefishes are typically more oriented near the bottom.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

Prosopium fossils dated to about 5 million years ago appear to be highly similar to the present mountain and round whitefishes.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

In the genus Prosopium, there are three widely distributed species of whitefishes, only one of which, the round whitefish, might be confused with the mountain whitefish.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

Likewise the Bonneville cutthroat trout, native to Bear Lake, in Utah and Idaho, is a specialized predator on sculpins and whitefishes.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

By 50 million years ago, the major branching leading to the whitefishes and graylings had probably occurred, thus leading to modern lines of trout, salmon, and char of the subfamily Salmoninae.

Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002