Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae

Genus: Coregonus

Species: Coregonus maraena (Bloch, 1779)

Climate Zone

Location

• Europe: In the Baltic Sea: Swedish coast (including Bothnian Gulf, not in Gotland); in southern Baltic, extending from the Schlei to Gulf of Finland. Southeast North Sea Basin: Ems, Weser and Elbe drainages and small rivers of Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Landlocked in several lakes in Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Introduced and transplanted in many drainages within its native range and outside westward to Rhine drainage (Ref. 59043). Apparent abundance in Germany, Poland and Scandinavia results from the massive stocking programs without which the populations would rapidly decline. Usually known as C. lavaretus in the Baltic Sea basin. North Sea population might represent a distinct species (Ref. 59043).

Biology

Forages along coasts. Also reported from deep, oligo-mesotrophic lakes. Feeds on benthic prey (crustaceans, molluscs, large insect larvae, small fish). Spawns in shallow water, in rapids or small rivers or over firm sediments in lowland rivers and estuaries. Northernmost stocks undertake the longest migrations between spawning and foraging grounds. In the northern part of the range, individuals may travel as much as 700 km between these areas (Ref. 59043). Growth parameters from Russia suggest a maximum age of 20 years (Ref. 56506) . Members of the genus Coregonus readily hybridise with other Coregonus species and populations (Ref. 89548).

Habitat

freshwater

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Threat to Humans

Harmless