Paddlefishes
Family: Polyodontidae
The Paddlefish is a large, primitive fish related to sturgeon. It is characterized by a long, spatulate snout, many fine gill rakers, and a virtually scaleless body. Like sturgeon, its backbone extends into the upper lobe of its tail. There are two species worldwide, one in the Mississippi River drainage; the other in the Yangtze River drainage in China. The native range of paddlefish in New York is the Allegheny River watershed and its presence is supported by only a few early accounts. It was extirpated from New York but was recently reintroduced and a population is establishing itself once again. It is rare.
