What is "lake whitefish"

Whitefish \White"fish`\, n. (Zo["o]l.)

1. Any one of several species of Coregonus, a genus of excellent food fishes allied to the salmons. They inhabit the lakes of the colder parts of North America, Asia, and Europe. The largest and most important American species ( Coregonus clupeiformis) is abundant in the Great Lakes, and in other lakes farther north. Called also lake whitefish, and Oswego bass.

2. The menhaden.

3. The beluga, or white whale.

   Note: Various other fishes are locally called whitefish, as the silver salmon, the whiting (a), the yellowtail, and the young of the bluefish ( Pomatomus saltatrix).

n. found in the Great Lakes and north to Alaska [syn: Coregonus clupeaformis]

The lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeiformis) is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. The lake whitefish is sometimes referred to as a "humpback" fish due to the small size of the head in relation to the length of the body. It is a valuable commercial fish, and also occasionally taken by sport fishermen. Smoked, refrigerated, vacuum-packed lake whitefish fillets are available in North American grocery stores. Other vernacular names used for this fish include Sault whitefish, gizzard fish, common whitefish, eastern whitefish, Great Lakes whitefish, humpback whitefish, inland whitefish and whitefish. The scientific genus name Coregonus (co-regg'-on-us) means "angle eye" in Greek and the species name clupeiformis means " herring-shaped" in Latin.