Wisconsin State Fish
Muskellunge (common name) Esox masquinongy (scientific name) Overview The muskellunge looks and behaves like a huge northern pike. It has an elongated body, a flat head, and its fins are set far back in its body. Muskellunge are light silver, brown, or green in color with dark vertical stripes or spots on the sides and white bellies. Females are longer and heavier than males. "Muskies" are highly prized by Midwestern anglers for their massive size, the difficulty of catching them, and their fighting ability. To feed, they lurk behind shaded spots or in weed beds and then explode forward to grab passing prey, which they then swallow whole. The muskellunge was designated the official fish of Wisconsin in 1955. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Length: Up to 59 in (150 cm); average of 36 in (90 cm) Weight: Up to 69.6 lbs (32 kg); average of 10 lbs (4.4 kg) LIFESPAN Up to 30 years HABITAT Clear, deep lakes and large, slow-moving rivers along weed edges, sand bars, or rock outcroppings. In summer, muskies have both a shallow habitat and a deeper one. Range: The Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada from Manitoba and North Dakota in the west to Ontario and upstate New York in the east. Water type: Freshwater Water temp: 33-78°F (0-23°C) Conservation Status: Least concern DIET Fish (including other muskellunge), frogs, crayfish, and occasionally young mice, shrews, muskrats, and ducklings. REPRODUCTION Fertilization: External Spawning frequency: Mid-April to mid-June Mating behavior: Distinct pairing Egg laying: The female will swim along the shoreline with one or two males following nearby. The eggs are scattered at random over weedy lake or river bottoms and fertilized by the male(s). Adults do not guard the eggs or young. USES Sport fish OTHER NAMES Muskie, lunge, maskinonge, great pike, leopard muskellunge TRIVIA The legislative effort to choose the muskellunge as the Wisconsin state fish started in 1939, was attempted again in 1941, and finally succeeded in 1955. Muskies eat a lot of fish that contain small amounts of toxins like PCBs, pesticides, and mercury; these accumulate in their body tissue, making them dangerous to eat.
	Click to enlarge an image Illustration of Muskellunge Close-up of Muskellunge Muskellunge in Natural Habitat Huge Muskellunge Cruising for Food CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Subclass: Neopterygii Order: Esociformes Family: Esocidae Genus: Esox Species: E. masquinongy
	Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press