The Amur pike (''Esox reichertii''), also known as the blackspotted pike, is a pike native to the

Amur River The Amur River () or Heilong River ( zh, s=黑龙江) is a perennial river in Northeast Asia, forming the natural border between the Russian Far East and Northeast China (historically the Outer and Inner Manchuria). The Amur ''proper'' is ...

system in east

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

, as well as freshwater habitat on the island of

Sakhalin Sakhalin ( rus, Сахали́н, p=səxɐˈlʲin) is an island in Northeast Asia. Its north coast lies off the southeastern coast of Khabarovsk Krai in Russia, while its southern tip lies north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. An islan ...

. Closely related to the

northern pike The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (pikes). They are commonly found in brackish water, moderately salty and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). T ...

, it reaches a length of , a weight of , sporting a silvery body with small, black spots. Like other pike, this species is prized for sport fishing. It is not commonly found outside its native range. However, it was introduced to Glendale Lake, Cambria County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

(United States), by the

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is an independent state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the state of Pennsylvania within the United States of America. Unlike many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has a sepa ...

(PFBC) in 1968. The lake is just south of the native range of the northern pike. Pure Amur pike were last spawned in 1971. All of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission's brood stock was lost in the summer of 1976. That same year the world record Amur pike was caught from the lake. The year after, the PFBC also stocked 168 northern pike x Amur pike hybrids into the lake. With a lack of success, the Amur pike program was cancelled. Glendale Lake was chosen because its outflow leads into heavily polluted waters in which fish cannot survive. Pure northern pike are found in the lake today, however it is likely no pure or hybrid Amur pike remain. Some Amur pike escaped from the Benner Spring Fish Hatchery where the original eggs and subsequent brood stock were hatched and kept. The hatchery is in the Delaware River watershed, so it's possible Amur pike could be present in that river system. However, none have ever been caught and no signs of reproduction of Amur pike in the wild in America has been documented, even in Glendale Lake.

References

Esox reichertii ZipcodeZoo

External links

Amur pike
at USGS

Esox, Amur pike Amur River Freshwater fish of Asia Fish of East Asia Fish of Russia Freshwater fish of China Amur pike Amur pike {{esociformes-stub