Teleostei (teleosts) >
Hiodontiformes (Mooneyes) >
Hiodontidae (Mooneyes)
Etymology: Hiodon: From Greek letter "gamma, "y", due to the shape of the teeth; Greek, odous = teeth; bone forming the base of the tongue (Ref. 45335); alosoides: alosoides --- shadlike, referring to its general shape and similarity to Alosa, Clupeidae (Ref. 1998).
More on author: Rafinesque.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Temperate; 69°N - 31°N
North America: western Ontario to the Mackenzie River as far down as Aklavik. In the east, it extends southwest below the Great Lakes, through the Ohio and Mississippi River drainages. In the, west it occurs southeast from western Alberta, through eastern Montana and Wyoming, to Oklahoma.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 52.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 31.0 cm OT male/unsexed; (Ref. 3221); max. published weight: 1.7 kg (Ref. 4699); max. reported age: 14 years (Ref. 12193)
Occurs in deep, open pools and channels of turbid, lowland rivers; small lakes and impoundments (Ref. 5723, 10294). Feeds on surface and aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks, small fishes, frogs, shrew, and mice (Ref. 10294). Migrates upstream in the spring to spawn and feed. Moves downstream in the fall. Mainly nocturnal. Preyed upon by birds, some mammals, and other fishes. Marketed smoked.
Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman, 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. 184: xi+1-966. (Ref. 1998)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00832 (0.00454 - 0.01523), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.2 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 9.2 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 5,761).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (63 of 100).
