This species was previously considered to have a relatively extensive native range comprising several perialpine lakes of the upper Danube region, but its distribution is now restricted to Lake Starnberg (Freyhof et al. 2023). Its name has been widely applied to whitefish stocks of probable hybrid and/or non-native origin (Schliewen et al. 2019; Freyhof et al. 2023).

In some published literature, it is treated as a subpopulation of the Bourget Whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) or a member of the "Coregonus lavaretus species complex", and referred to by the English vernacular names "Common Whitefish" or "European Whitefish" (see below).

Local authorities and scientists question the hypothesis that multiple species of Coregonus formerly existed in the Bavarian Danube drainage. While the diversity of coregonids in the area had been well-described by early 20^th century authors, decades of commercial translocation has resulted in the presence of multiple hybrid subpopulations today.

At the regional scale, the systematics of European ciscoes and whitefishes (Coregonus spp.) has been the subject of considerable debate since the turn of the 21^st century, with little indication of a definitive outcome.

It is widely accepted that non-anadromous members of this group have repeatedly undergone adaptive radiations in boreal, subarctic and perialpine lakes (Douglas et al. 1999, Østbye et al. 2005, Kahilainen and Østbye 2006, Harrod et al. 2010, Hudson et al. 2011).

Subpopulations inhabiting these systems largely diversified in the wake of the most recent glacial period 10,000-15,000 years ago. They are typified by parallel patterns of divergence in traits associated with foraging (i.e., gill raker counts, benthic vs. pelagic feeding ecology), physiology (i.e., growth rate, habitat depth partitioning) and reproductive ecology (i.e., reproductive timing and spawning habitat).

Up to six different sympatric forms sometimes referred to as “morphs”, "ecomorphs" or "ecotypes" have been recorded in perialpine lakes, and these radiations might be even more diverse in some large systems of northeastern Europe (Præbel et al. 2013, Doenz et al. 2018, Bitz‐Thorsen et al. 2020, Öhlund et al. 2020).

However, there exist significant differences in opinion regarding the taxonomic status of these forms.

In Northern Europe, including the United Kingdom, all except a handful of Irish subpopulations are usually regarded as belonging to two widely distributed species; Coregonus albula (ciscoes) and C. lavaretus (whitefishes), with the latter also frequently referred to as the "Coregonus lavaretus species complex” (Etheridge et al. 2012, Wanke et al. 2017, Häkli et al. 2018, Crotti et al. 2020). Within this comparatively uniform taxonomic concept, the catch-all English vernacular name “Vendace” is typically used for C. albula while "Common Whitefish" or "European Whitefish" are applied to C. lavaretus.

Conversely, researchers and fisheries authorities based in Central Europe have tended to treat the different forms as distinct taxa, leading to the recognition of more than 60 species across the European region (Kottelat and Freyhof 2007, Selz et al. 2020, De-Kayne et al. 2022, Selz and Seehausen 2023). Under this diverse taxonomic concept, the name “Vendace” is restricted to its original usage for the United Kingdom endemic Coregonus vandesius and the native range of C. lavaretus is limited to its type locality of Lake Bourget in France.

In the absence of a region-wide consensus, the Red List continues to follow the taxonomy provided by Fricke et al. (2024).

The Starnberg Whitefish was endemic to Lake Starnberg, southern Germany. The species has not been observed in the wild since the late 1800s. No ex situ subpopulations exist and this species is assessed as Extinct.

This species was endemic to Lake Starnberg (de. Starnberger See) in the upper Danube River system, southern Germany.

It was previously believed to inhabit lakes Ammer (de. Ammersee), Kochel (de. Kochelsee), Tegern (de. Tegernsee) and Schlier (de. Schliersee) in Germany, and lakes Traun (de. Traunsee), Hallstatt (de. Hallstätter See) and Wolfgang (de. Wolfgangsee) in Austria. However, molecular analyses indicate that the Lake Starnberg subpopulation is genetically distinct.

This species' extinction is understood to have taken place during the late 19^th century.

This species was pelagic and occupied the upper part of the water column at relatively shallow depths.

It usually spawned over gravel or rock substrata, sometimes along shorelines.

Evidence suggests that a second, small-bodied whitefish taxon may have occurred sympatrically with this species in Lake Starnberg but is also now extinct.

This species' extinction is believed to have been driven by pollution which drove eutrophication of Lake Starnberg, plus hybridisation with stocked non-native whitefish species.

It is believed to have been introduced elsewhere where it also hybridised extensively with other whitefish species.

This species was fished commercially and it is believed to have been stocked into other lakes.