Bonneville whitefish
Encyclopedia
The Bonneville whitefish (Prosopium spilonotus) is a salmonid
fish
endemic
to Bear Lake on the Utah
-Idaho
border. It is one of three species of Prosopium
endemic to Bear Lake, the other two being the Bear Lake whitefish
and the Bonneville cisco
. The species is listed as a Wildlife Species of Concern by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
.
In appearance it is very similar to the closely related Bear Lake whitefish P. abyssicola. Generally whitish in color, its nose is more tapered than that of the Bear Lake whitefish, and its scales are smaller. Younger fish, up to 10 inches long, have a pattern of spots which then fades. They have been reported to reach a length of 56 cm and an age of eight years.
It generally inhabits mid-levels of the lake, where it primarily feeds on chironomid larvae and pupae, along with a variety of insects. The fish may also move into shallower waters, particularly during the winter months. Older fish also seem to be more likely to move into shallow water than younger ones.
They spawn from mid February through early March, over rocky or sandy areas. The female will stop to spawn, with 5-6 males in attendance, the total process lasting 5 to 15 seconds before the fish rejoin their school.
While some are caught on hook and line, they are not especially popular with anglers. A number are caught by gill nets deployed at depths of 40 to 100 feet.
Salmonidae
Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only living family currently placed in the order Salmoniformes. It includes salmon, trout, chars, freshwater whitefishes and graylings...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Bear Lake on the Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
-Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
border. It is one of three species of Prosopium
Prosopium
Prosopium is a genus of freshwater whitefishes found in North America and parts of eastern Russia. It contains three fairly widespread species: the round whitefish, the pygmy whitefish, and the mountain whitefish. The remaining species, the Bonneville cisco, the Bonneville whitefish, and the Bear...
endemic to Bear Lake, the other two being the Bear Lake whitefish
Bear Lake whitefish
The Bear Lake whitefish Prosopium abyssicola is a salmonid fish endemic to Bear Lake on the Utah-Idaho border. It is one of three species of Prosopium endemic to Bear Lake, the other two being the Bonneville whitefish and the Bonneville cisco. The species is listed as a Wildlife Species of Concern...
and the Bonneville cisco
Bonneville cisco
The Bonneville cisco is a species of cisco endemic to Bear Lake along the Utah-Idaho border, USA. It is one of three species of whitefish endemic to Bear Lake, the others being the Bear Lake whitefish and the Bonneville whitefish....
. The species is listed as a Wildlife Species of Concern by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is part of the Utah Department of Natural Resources for the state of Utah in the United States. The mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources is to serve the people of Utah as trustee and guardian of the state's wildlife, and to ensure its future and...
.
In appearance it is very similar to the closely related Bear Lake whitefish P. abyssicola. Generally whitish in color, its nose is more tapered than that of the Bear Lake whitefish, and its scales are smaller. Younger fish, up to 10 inches long, have a pattern of spots which then fades. They have been reported to reach a length of 56 cm and an age of eight years.
It generally inhabits mid-levels of the lake, where it primarily feeds on chironomid larvae and pupae, along with a variety of insects. The fish may also move into shallower waters, particularly during the winter months. Older fish also seem to be more likely to move into shallow water than younger ones.
They spawn from mid February through early March, over rocky or sandy areas. The female will stop to spawn, with 5-6 males in attendance, the total process lasting 5 to 15 seconds before the fish rejoin their school.
While some are caught on hook and line, they are not especially popular with anglers. A number are caught by gill nets deployed at depths of 40 to 100 feet.