Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae

Genus: Coregonus

Species: Coregonus muksun (Pallas, 1814)

Climate Zone

Location

• Arctic Ocean basin, from Kara to Kolyma drainages. Introduced or stocked in many lakes in northern and central Russia (Ref. 59043).

Biology

Anadromous, semi-anadromous, lacustrine, lacustrine-riverine, and riverine stocks have been reported. Most stocks are migratory, spending most of year at sea, sometimes rather far from coast (Ref. 59043). Stays mainly in the lower reaches of the rivers (Ref. 593) with slow current, large lakes and their tributaries, floodplain lakes, deltas and estuaries, marine waters with salinity up to 6-10%. Enters rivers in July - August and reaches spawning sites by October - November. In larger rivers, moves upriver up tp 2000 km (average speed 20 km/day). Spawns for the first time at 6-14 years, 47-50 cm SL. Spawns in rapids or shallows, at 1-2°C, when rivers start freezing. Adults leave spawning sites in winter (Ref. 59043). Eggs are buried in unguarded nests (Ref. 205). Eggs hatch in 150-180 days; peak hatching usually in April. Juveniles feed on plankton in winter (during which they do not cease active foraging) and benthic invertebrates in summer (Ref. 59043). Status of threat: Important commercial species but rapidly declining (Ref. 59043).

Habitat

freshwater

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless