What is Esox?
{{redirect|Pike|the weapon|Pike (weapon)}} {{Taxobox | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Upper Cretaceous|recent|ref=<ref name=FB>{{FishBase family|family=Esocidae|year=2008|month=December}}</ref>}} | image = Esox lucius1.jpg | image_caption = [[Northern pike]] (''E. lucius'') | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Actinopterygii]] | ordo = [[Esociformes]] | familia = [[Esocidae]] | genus = ''Esox'' | genus_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[Systema Naturae |1758]] | parent_authority = [[Georges Cuvier|G. Cuvier]], 1817 | taxon = Esox | authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]] | type_species = ''[[Northern pike|Esox lucius]]'' | type_species_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]] | subdivision_ranks = [[Species]] | subdivision = }} '''''Esox''''' is a [[genus]] of [[fresh water]] [[fish]]. It is the only living genus in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Esocidae]]. The oldest known example of an ''Esox'' is ''[[Esox tiemani]]''.<ref name=Nelson205>Joseph S. Nelson, ''Fishes of the World'' (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2006), p. 205</ref> It dates to about 62 [[million]] years ago and was found in [[Alberta]], [[Canada]].<ref name=Nelson205/> They are commonly called [[pike]] and pickerel. They are found in the [[north]]ern parts of [[North America]], [[Europe]] and [[Asia]].<ref name=Page60>Lawrence M. Page; Brooks M. Burr, ''Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico'' (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011), p. 60</ref> One [[species]], ''Esox lucius'', the [[Northern pike]], is found in both Europe and North America.<ref name=Page60/> Esox are large [[predatory]] fish with a long [[Cylinder|cylindrical]] [[body]]. They have a [[green]] color (various shades) with [[yellow]] [[eyes]]. Pike and pickerel share a forked tail [[fin]] and a large pointed head.<ref name=Page60/> Their [[fin|dorsal]] and [[fin|anal fins]] are located far back on their bodies.<ref na