Plants and Animals
Sander vitreus glaucus Blue pike
Key Characteristics
The bluepike has a grayish-blue body and silvery to milk-white belly without brassy or yellow mottling or overcast. The pelvic fins are transparent in small young but silvery-blue in larger fish. They have distinct dusky blotches on the webbing between the last three dorsal spines. The tip of the lower caudal lobe and the anterior tip of the anal fins are milk-white.
Status and Rank
US Status: No Status/Not Listed
State Status: X - Presumed extirpated (legally 'threatened' if rediscovered)
Global Rank: G5TX
State Rank: SX - Presumed extirpated
Occurrences
| County | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|
Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
The bluepike once occurred in large, deep, clear open waters of rivers and lakes.
Natural Community Types
- Great lake, pelagic, midwater
- Mainstem stream (3rd-4th order), riffle
- River (5th-6th order), run
- River (5th-6th order), riffle
For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.
Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.
Management Recommendations
The bluepike is presumed extirpated in Michigan. Reasons for extirpation include: degradation of Lake Erie, exotic species, overfishing, and hybridization with subspecies.
Active Period
Spawning from first week of May to fourth week of May
Survey Methods
Gill nets
Survey Period: From first week of April to first week of October
Seines
Survey Period: From first week of April to first week of October
References
Survey References
- Murphy, B.R. and D.W. Willis, eds. 1996. Fisheries Techniques, 2nd ed. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda. 732pp.
Technical References
- Bailey, R.M., W.C. Latta, and G.R. Smith. 2004. An Atlas of Michigan Fishes. Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, No. 192, Ann Arbor. 215p.
- Evers, D.C. 1994. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife of Michigan. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. 412pp.
- NatureServe. 2005. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 4.5. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer
- Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bulletin 184, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa. 966pp.
- Smith, C.L. 1985. The inland fishes of New York State. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany. 522pp.
- Trautman, M.B. 1981. The Fishes of Ohio. Ohio State University Press, Columbus. 782pp.