Families: 2 - Esocidae (“pikes”, “pickerel”, and “mudminnows”) and Umbridae (“Umbra mudminnows”)
Anatomy: broad and flat head; long and slender body; relatively large posterior dorsal fin and anal fins; large, lobed pectoral fins; large caudal fin
Diet: sight-based ambush predators, taking any animal they can fit in their mouth
Habitat: weedy freshwater habitats in North America and northern Eurasia
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous
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Voting ended onJul 5, 2025
Propaganda under the cut:
Pikes and mudminnows were split from Salmoniformes in the early 21st century. However, more recent studies have placed them back under Salmoniformes. I apparently wasn’t following that tree when I made this list so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ too late now. Yay fish taxonomy.
The Alaska Blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) (image 2) is famous for its ability to breathe atmospheric oxygen through a modified esophagus. Specifically, the esophagus of a blackfish can be subdivided into a non-respiratory and a respiratory section. Alaska Blackfish do retain a hydrostatic swim bladder, which seems unnecessary, unless it is important in maintaining neutral buoyancy in the cold winter months under the ice cover.
Pikes (genus Esox) are named after the pole-weapon known as the pike (from the Middle English for 'pointed').
The Northern Pike (Esox lucius) (see gif above) and the Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) are capable of interbreeding and hybridizing, creating the “Tiger Muskellunge”. These hybrids grow faster and stronger than their parent fish, and are also less susceptible to disease. Male Tiger Muskies are often sterile, but females are fertile, and may breed back into one of their parent species.
The Muskellunge is the largest Esociforme, with some having reached up to 1.8 m (6 ft) and almost 30 kg (70 lb). Anglers often seek large muskies as trophies or for sport, as they are known to be challenging to catch.
Like a fingerprint, each individual pike has unique mottled and striped markings
The Olympic Mudminnow (Novumbra hubbsi) (image 3) is the state of Washington’s only known endemic freshwater fish species.
Widespread loss of wetland habitat, agricultural impacts, channelization, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species have led to the formerly abundent European Mudminnow (Umbra krameri) (image 4) being classified as vulnerable to extinction within its native range.
...a species of mudminnow (Umbridae) a group of fish closely related to pike and muskellunge. Olympic mudminnow are the sole species in the genus Novumbra and are endemic to the western lowlands of Washington, specifically the Chehalis River basin, Deschutes River basin, and parts of the Olympic Peninsula. Olympic mudminnow typically inhabit dark areas along the bottoms of rivers (typically with mudbeds and dense vegetation) and will feed on fish larvae, eggs, and a variety of small invertebrates. N. hubbsi are known for their remarkable tolerance for low oxygen levels with individuals occurring in areas with very low oxygen concentrations.
