Classification

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Esociformes

Family: Esocidae

Genus: Esox

Species: Esox masquinongy X Esox lucius

 

Figure 2. Modified image from tolweb.org. Species classification of a tiger musky. Illustration by Bridget Stiles. 2013.

Domain:Domain: Tiger muskies are within the domain eukarya due to their eukaryotic cells, membrane bound organelles, and reproduction by mitosis.

Kingdom: Tiger muskies belong to the kingdom animalia because they are multicellular, heterotrophic, and do not possess a chitinous cell wall.

Phylum: According to the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Tiger muskies are a part of the phylum chordata because they have pharyngeal slits; which are openings that connect the inside of the throat to the outside of the neck, they have a dorsal nerve cord which are bundles of nerve fibers that run down the back, they also have a notochord which is a cartilaginous rod running underneath the spine that supports the nerve cord, and finally a post anal tail or an extension that passes the anal opening.

Figure 3. Modified image by hbwbiology.net. Phylum classification of tiger musky (chordata). Illustration by Bridget Stiles.2013.

Class: Tiger muskies belong to the class actinopterygii because they are ray finned fish meaning they have fins consisting of webbed skin that is supported by bony spines.

Order: Tiger muskies are part of the order esociformes which are an order of fish that are native to North America and northern Eurasia consisting of two families’ esocidae and umbridae. Esociformes have dorsal fins set low on the back and long flattened snouts (Etnier and Starnes 1993).

Family: Tiger muskies belong to the family esocidae which includes species of pike all of which eat other fish and share many physical characteristics including a long snout, a big mouth, and long sharp teeth; tiger muskies also have low set dorsal fins and split caudal fins (Etnier and Starnes 1993).

Genus: Tiger muskies are classified in the genus esox 

Species: Esox masquinongy X Esox Lucius the tiger musky does not have a specific species name do to the fact that it is a sterile hybrid. The common name tiger musky comes from the vertical stripes along their body that resembles a tigers’ stripes.

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