View source for Coregonus vandesius

{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{other uses of|vendace|Vendace (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = CoregonusVandesius.jpg
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{Cite iucn| author = Freyhof, J. | author2 = Kottelat, M. | title = ''Coregonus vandesius'' | year = 2008 | page = e.T135640A4168717 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T135640A4168717.en | access-date = 10 January 2018 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
| genus = Coregonus
| species = vandesius
| authority = ([[John Richardson (naturalist)|J. Richardson]], 1836)
| synonyms = 
''Coregonus gracilior'' <small></small><!-- Coregonus gracilior redirects here -->
}}

'''''Coregonus vandesius''''', the '''vendace''' {{IPAc-en|'|v|E|n|d|ei|s}}, is a [[freshwater whitefish]] found in the [[United Kingdom]]. Population surveys since the 1960s have revealed a steady decline, and the fish is no longer present in some of its previous habitats, but is still present in [[Bassenthwaite Lake]] and [[Derwent Water]]. The main threats it faces are [[eutrophication]] and the introduction of alien species of fish that eat its eggs. The [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] has rated its conservation status as "[[Endangered species|endangered]]".

==Taxonomy==
Most authorities now consider ''Coregonus vandesius'' a subjective synonym of ''[[Coregonus albula]]'',  a more widespread North European freshwater whitefish species.<ref name=Winfield/> Both taxa are also known by the [[common name]] vendace. The status, however, remains controversial, and [[FishBase]] still lists ''C. vandesius'' as a separate species <ref name=FB>{{FishBase species | genus=Coregonus | species=vandesius | month=January | year=2010}}</ref> reflecting the recent treatment of the European freshwater fish fauna by Kottelat & Freyhof (2007).<ref>{{cite book|author=Kottelat, M. |author2= Freyhof, J. |year=2007|title=Handbook of European Freshwater Fishes}}</ref> Another synonym of British ''C. vandesius'' is ''C. gracilior''.<ref name=FB/>

The name "vendace" ([[Scots language|Scots]] {{lang|sco|vengis, vangis, venace}}) is borrowed from [[Neo-Latin]] {{lang|la|vandesius}} (which referred to the [[Leuciscus leuciscus|common dace]] ''Leuciscus leuciscus''), from [[Middle French]] {{lang|frm|vandoise, vendese, vendoise}}, probably of [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] origin; cf. [[Old Irish]] {{lang|sga|find}} "white."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vendace|title=Definition of VENDACE|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=3 July 2021|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607145335/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vendace|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tuBZAAAAMAAJ&q=vendace+vandoise|title=Zeitschrift Für Anglistik und Amerikanistik|year=1968}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VigsBojU2c4C&q=vendace+vandoise&pg=PT277|title=An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English|first=Ernest|last=Weekley|date=18 July 2012|publisher=Courier Corporation|isbn=9780486122861|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Biology==
''Coregonus vandesius'' inhabits deep, cold lakes and uses [[plankton]]ic [[crustacean]]s, such as [[copepod]]s, as its primary food source. The fish does not migrate and has a life span of about six years. The species is now Britain's rarest fish.<ref name=Winfield>{{cite journal| url=http://www.sekj.org/PDF/anz41-free/anz41-155.pdf| title=Conservation ecology of the vendace in Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water, U.K.| author=Winfield, Ian J.| author2=Fletcher, Janis M.| author3=James, J. Ben| journal=Annales Zoologici Fennici| volume=41| year=2004| pages=155–164| access-date=28 February 2008| archive-date=4 December 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204123723/http://www.sekj.org/PDF/anz41-free/anz41-155.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==
The vendace has only ever been known as a native species at four sites in Britain: [[Bassenthwaite Lake]] and [[Derwent Water]] in the English [[Lake District]], and the [[Castle Loch, Lochmaben|Castle Loch]] and [[Mill Loch]] in [[Lochmaben]], Scotland.<ref name=iceage>{{cite news| title=Ice Age fish thrives in new home| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7266730.stm| work=BBC NEWS| date=2008-02-27| accessdate=2010-01-02| archive-date=2 March 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302190437/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7266730.stm| url-status=live}}</ref> The species was thought to have died out at all these sites except Derwent Water. The Castle Loch population disappeared in the early part of the 20th century, and the Mill Loch population disappeared in the 1990s. The fish had not been recorded at Bassenthwaite Lake since 2001, but was recently rediscovered in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/extinct-fish-found-in-the-lake-district-after-millions-spent-on-cleanup-work-9782933.html |title=Extinct fish found in the Lake District after millions spend on cleanup work|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925030052/http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/extinct-fish-found-in-the-lake-district-after-millions-spent-on-cleanup-work-9782933.html |archive-date=25 September 2015|access-date= 9 October 2014}}</ref> The decline is thought to be caused by predation of [[introduced species]] and by pollution.<ref name=iceage/> For example, a water treatment work near the lake had been overflowing with raw sewage at times of high water levels, causing severe [[algae bloom]]s that were depleting the lake's oxygen supply, but the plant was to be renovated in 2004 to prevent this.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Algae threatens rare fish| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2513699.stm| work=BBC NEWS| date=2002-11-27| accessdate=2010-01-02| archive-date=26 June 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626102931/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2513699.stm| url-status=live}}</ref>

==Status==
This fish has a restricted range, with a total area of occupancy of less than {{cvt|500|km2|mi2}}. The current population trend is unknown, and the main threats are thought to be [[eutrophication]] and the introduction of alien species. The [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] has rated its conservation status as being "[[Endangered species|endangered]]".<ref name=iucn/>

''Coregonus vandesius'' was introduced to [[Loch Skeen]] in [[Dumfries and Galloway]], Scotland, in the 1990s as an attempt at [[ex-situ conservation]] after the severity of habitat deterioration at Bassenthwaite was noticed. This has proved largely successful, and Loch Skeen now has nearly ten times the number of vendace per hectare as Derwent Water, according to a survey carried out by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.<ref name=iceage/> A population was also introduced into [[Sprinkling Tarn]], a mountain [[Tarn (lake)|tarn]] 10 miles from Derwentwater, in 2011, to create a refuge for the species in cooler water.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2011-04-12|title=Llamas move fish to cooler waters in Lake District|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-13042511|access-date=2021-07-03|archive-date=7 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607011816/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-13042511|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Whitefish}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2997229}}

[[Category:Coregonus|vandesius]]
[[Category:Freshwater fish of Europe]]
[[Category:Fish described in 1836]]
[[Category:Taxa named by John Richardson (naturalist)]]