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Polyodon spathula (Walbaum, 1792)

Mississippi paddlefish
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Polyodon spathula
Picture by Moreau, J.


United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Mississippi paddlefish, Paddlefish
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: commercial | Ref: Missouri Department of Conservation, 2008
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Known from Mississippi River basin from southwestern New York to Montana and south to Louisiana; Gulf Slope drainagaes from Mobile Bay in Alabama, to Galveston Bay in Texas. Formerly in Great Lakes basin, probably extirpated (Ref. 86798). Also 276, 5723, 10294. Status of threat: vulnerable; status same as 1989. Criteria: 1,2 (http://fisc.er.usgs.gov/afs/) (Ref. 81264).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 2011
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Nomi Comuni | Sinonimi | Catalog of Fishes(Genere, Specie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons and paddlefishes) > Polyodontidae (Paddlefishes)
Etymology: Polyodon: Greek, polys = a lot of + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335);  spathula: Polyodon, many toothed, perhaps due to the numerous gill rakers because adult paddlefish lack teeth, although young fish has many small teeth, and spathula meaning spatula, due to its elongated snout (Ref. 79012).
  More on author: Walbaum.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecologia

; acqua dolce demersale; potamodromo (Ref. 51243); distribuzione batimetrica 2 - ? m.   Subtropical; 10°C - 18°C (Ref. 2060); 49°N - 29°N, 112°W - 77°W (Ref. 86798)

Distribuzione Stati | Aree FAO | Ecosystems | Presenze |
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