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Structured Inquiry Search — preview

• Home
• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
• Subphylum Vertebrata
• Superclass Gnathostomata
• Class Actinopterygii
• Order Esociformes
• Family Esocidae

• Information
• Pictures
• Classification

By Tanya Dewey

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Esociformes

Family: Esocidae

Members of this Family

There are 5 species of pikes found only in colder freshwater lakes and rivers of the northern hemisphere. These are distinctive looking fish, with duckbill-like snouts and long, tubular bodies. They grow up to 1.8 meters and 35 kilograms and are voracious predators, eating other fish (including other pikes) and vertebrates such as frogs, birds, and small mammals. They can eat animals up to one third of their own size. Pikes are popular with sport fishermen as they put up a fight when caught and are good to eat.

For More Information

Find Esocidae information at

• Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (author), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

To cite this page: Dewey, T. . "Esocidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Esocidae.html

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

Sponsored in part by the Interagency Education Research Initiative,
the Homeland Foundation and the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants DUE-0633095 and DRL-0628151.
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