Growth and Morphometry of Four British Columbia Populations of Pygmy Whitefish (Prosopium coulteri)

Abstract

A comparison is made of the growth, morphometry, age at maturity, food, and depth distribution of pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulteri) in four British Columbia lakes. In Tacheeda and Cluculz Lakes where the species is of the usual dwarfed variety, the fish exists sympatrically with two other whitefishes, the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) and the lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). These slow-growing pygmy whitefish differ markedly in morphometry and depth distribution from the "giant" pygmy whitefish of McLeese and Maclure Lakes which live in the absence of other whitefishes. The possibility that differences in the populations might be due to interspecific competition is discussed.