Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Shortnose cisco (Coregonus reighardi), recorded as Critically Endangered
Shortnose cisco (Coregonus reighardi). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Shortnose cisco

Coregonus reighardi

The shortnose cisco is a North American freshwater whitefish in the salmon family Salmonidae.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Coregonus reighardi
Taxonomy
Salmoniformes · Salmonidae · Coregonus

Appearance

Reaching a maximum recorded length of 36 cm (14 in) and a maximum recorded weight of 540 g (1 lb 3 oz), the shortnose cisco is distinguished from the other whitefishes by its thicker body (nearly circular in cross-section), short head (the source of the fish's common name), and small eye. The shortnose cisco is a North American freshwater whitefish in the salmon family Salmonidae.

Range and habitat

One of the members of the broader Coregonus artedi species complex of ciscoes, it is native to the Great Lakes of Canada and the United States. The last reported population was restricted to Georgian Bay off Lake Huron in Canada. In 2024, the United States Geological Survey announced that the species had been rediscovered in Lake Superior.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Breeding

Like many Coregonus species, the shortnose cisco is poorly understood, and little is known about its breeding or life-cycle except that it spawns in the spring at the lake bottom. The oldest specimen collected was eight years of age.

In crisis

Its population has been declining and it has disappeared from some of its earlier haunts. It is thought that declines in the population of this fish may be linked with the arrival of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), in the Great Lakes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the conservation status of this fish as "critically endangered", and possibly extinct.

Shortnose cisco is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Shortnose cisco, Wikidata item Q869102. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Riedling (Coregonus danneri), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Riedling

Coregonus danneri
Photograph of Atlantic whitefish (Coregonus huntsmani), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Atlantic whitefish

Coregonus huntsmani
Photograph of Sand Whitefish (Coregonus arenicolus), recorded as EndangeredEN

Sand Whitefish

Coregonus arenicolus
Photograph of Coregonus macrophthalmus (Coregonus macrophthalmus), recorded as EndangeredEN

Coregonus macrophthalmus

Coregonus macrophthalmus

Quick answers

What is Shortnose cisco?
The shortnose cisco is a North American freshwater whitefish in the salmon family Salmonidae. One of the members of the broader Coregonus artedi species complex of ciscoes, it is native to the Great Lakes of Canada and the United States.
What is the conservation status of Shortnose cisco?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Coregonus reighardi. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Shortnose cisco live?
One of the members of the broader Coregonus artedi species complex of ciscoes, it is native to the Great Lakes of Canada and the United States.
Why is Shortnose cisco in crisis?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the conservation status of this fish as "critically endangered", and possibly extinct.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Coregonus reighardi?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Shortnose cisco a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.