Paddlefish Polyodon spathula
This species was found at 1 bioassessment site, 0 rapid fish bioassessment sites, 0 fisheries assessment sites, and 0 fisheries presence-only assessment sites. In total, it was collected at 1 distinct sites, or 0.1% of the 1522 total sites monitored by the bioassessment program. It is the 136th most commonly collected species.
The Paddlefish was collected in 1 bioassessment sampling session and 0 fisheries assessment sessions. It was present in 0 rapid bioassessment sessions and 0 presence-only sessions.
The biological assessment program has collected a total of 1 individual Paddlefish specimens, ranking it the #143 most collected fish.
Slate-gray to gray-blue above, fading to somewhat lighter beneath. They can easily be distinguished from all other Iowa fish by the immensely elongated snout, extremely long gill covers and shark-like mouth. The skeleton is largely cartilaginous. Jaws and palate of young fish are covered with numerous fine teeth, but the jaws become large, feeble and toothless as the fish reaches maturity. The body is naked, or scaleless.
HUC12 watersheds where this species has been found