Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758

[N]—Northern pike

Taxonomy. Original description: Esox lucius Linnaeus,1758:314 [Europe; possible syntypes:BMNH1853.11.12.114 (1, skin)]. Type catalog: Wheeler 1958:209].— Afghanistan synonyms: None.—Revisions: Berg (1948: 458).— Illustration: Berg (1948: 459, fig. 274).

Status in Afghanistan. First record from Afghanistan by Berg (1948: 463); confirmed by Coad (1981: 8).— Afghanistan materials: None.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Afghanistan: Pitnyak (Amu Darya River system, into Aral Sea).—General distribution:Circumpolar in Northern Hemisphere:North America, Europe, and northern Asia; widely introduced elsewhere.—Habitat: This species usually occurs in clear small lakes, shallow vegetated areas of larger lakes, marshes, creeks, and small to large rivers. It moves to deeper, cooler water in the summer. Spawning occurs in shallow flooded marshes associated with lakes, inlet streams to those lakes, or rivers; spawning habitat is basically a flooded area with emergent vegetation. Freshwater, brackish.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Afghanistan: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (NatureServe 2018).—Threats: No major threats are known.—Moderate sensitivity to human activities.—Keystone species.—Decline status: Stable.—Low priority for conservation action.