United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Bonnetmouth, Bowfin, Choupique
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: commercial | Ref: Missouri Department of Conservation, 2008
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Type locality: Charleston, South Carolina (Ref. 79012). Found in tidal tributaries of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia (Ref. 4639), Great Lakes drainage, Mississippi Basin north to Minnesota, and adjacent areas of Hudson Bay drainage of northwestern Minnesota (Ref. 10294); introduced into Gunpowder and Sassafras rivers in Maryland (Ref. 4639). A popular fish sold in live fish markets. Found in 3 out of 6 live fish markets near the Lakes Erie and Ontario (Ref. 53249). Also Ref. 27549, 93252.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman, 1998
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Amiiformes (Bowfins) > Amiidae (Bowfins)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Freshwater dogfish, Beaverfish, Poisson-castor, ... more

Main reference

Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. (Ref. 5723)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 109 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 53.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 9.8 kg (Ref. 4699); max. reported age: 30 years (Ref. 72462)

Length at first maturity
L_m ?, range 38 - 68 cm

Environment

Freshwater; demersal

Climate / Range

Temperate; 15°C - 20°C (Ref. 2060), preferred ?; 47°N - 25°N

Distribution

North America: St. Lawrence River, Lake Champlain drainage of Quebec and Vermont west across southern Ontario to the Mississippi drainage in Minnesota.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 42-53; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 12; Vertebrae: 80 - 90. Branchiostegal rays: 10-12. Body is long and robust. Head is conic, mouth large, with maxillary extending well past eye; jaws wit strong, conical teeth; anterior nostrils at base of short barbels. Dorsal fin origin at 1/3 of total length; anal fin origin at midpoint of dorsal base; pelvic fins inserted at midpoint of body. Pigmentation: Dark olive above combines with lighter color on sides to form reticulated pattern; venter cream or greenish; head yellow to brown with darker horizontal bars; lower fins vivid green; caudal light olive with irregular darker vertical bars. Adult males with prominent yellow to orange bordered black spot at upper caudal base, less intense or absent in females.

Found in swampy, vegetated lakes and rivers (Ref. 10294, 46234). Air-breather that can withstand high temperatures, which enables it to survive in stagnant areas; even known to aestivate; lethal temperature is 35.2°C (Ref. 46234). A voracious and opportunist feeder, it subsists on fishes including other sport fishes, frogs, crayfish, insects, and shrimps. It uses scent as much as sight and captures food by means of gulping water.Small juveniles eat microcrustaceans and insects (Ref. 93252). Males are always smaller than females which live longer. Apparently somewhat migratory during spawning season (Ref. 4639). Eggs are adhesive, attached to decaying vegetation and upright weeds (Ref. 4639). Larvae are found in nest, remaining attached to roots or lying on bottom until adhesive organ is absorbed, thereafter in tight "swarm" guarded by male parent outside nest (Ref. 4639). A 'living fossil' and lone survivor species of Family Amiidae.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 2.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.8 ±0.67 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14; tm=3-5; tmax=12; Fec=23,600)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Unknown

Amia calva Linnaeus, 1766