How to Identify Salmon, Trout, and Other Species

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

How to Identify Salmon, Trout, and Other Species Dorsal fin Adipose Filaments fin Gill rakers HOW TO IDENTIFY SALMON, Caudal fin TROUT, AND OTHER SPECIES COMMONLY FOUND IN ALASKA Rays Left pectoral fin Left pelvic fin Anal fin ALASKA’S WILD SALMON ARE FOUND IN BOTH FRESH AND SALTWATERS King (Chinook) Salmon Silver (Coho) Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Oncorhynchus kisutch Small black spots on back Small black spots usually occur and both lobes of tail. Gum only on upper lobe of tail and on line on lower jaw black. Less back. Gum line on lower jaw not than 25 gill rakers, 15-17 black. Scales large; less than 25 anal fin rays.The largest of gill rakers, 13-15 anal fin rays. Size all Pacific salmon, 30-55 24-28 inches. inches. Sockeye (Red) Salmon Pink (Humpback) Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka Oncorhynchus gorbuscha No distinct black spots on Large oval black spots on back back or tail; over 30-40 long, and on both lobes of tail; scales very fine, serrated and closely small; usually over 12 anal fin rays; spaced gill rakers over 12 males develop a pronounced hump anal fin rays. Relatively large during spawning. Size 15-24 inches. eye, Size 18-24 inches. Chum (Dog) Salmon Steelhead Oncorhynchus keta Oncorhynchus mykiss Sea-run rainbow trout with bluish No distinct black spots on gray back and bright silvery sides. back or tail; 18-28 smooth, Small black spots on back, sides and short, stout, and widely tail. Pink/red coloration develops spaced gill rakers; usually after returning to fresh water to over 12 anal fin rays. Size spawn. Size several inches to over 24-32 inches. 40 inches. Rainbow Trout Dolly Varden/Arctic Char Oncorhynchus mykiss Salvelinus malma, S. alpinus Freshwater residents. Green Round, red, pink or yellow spots to bluish black with silvery to on sides, tail slightly forked; 8-12 yellowish-green sides. Broad anal fin rays; no dark green wavy pinkish band along side and marks on back or dorsal fin. Arctic black spots on back, sides, char occur from Bristol Bay to polar and tail. Upper jaw usually regions. does not extend past eye. Lake Trout Cutthroat Trout Salvelinus namaycush Oncorhynchus clarki Body dark green to grayish Spots on body dark brown or black; with oval irregular white 8-12 anal fin rays, no red band on to yellowish spots on sides sides; red to orange slash on under- and back, tail deeply forked; side of lower jaw; upper jaw extends 8-12 anal fin rays; no dark well behind eye in adults. green wavy marks on back or dorsal fin. Arctic Grayling Burbot Thymallus articus Lota lota Dorsal fin much longer than Two dorsal fins and one anal fin in whitefish (especially in present; no adipose fin as in trouts, males) and fan-like. Rows of salmon, grayling and whitefish; pelvic reddish to orange and/or purple fins very far forward and just under to green spots on dorsal fin; head; body long and tapering; barbel sides of fish are black spotted; on chin. scales larger than in trouts. Northern Pike Whitefish Whitefish are distinguished Esox lucius from the trout and salmon by the Dorsal and anal fins positioned small, weak, or absent teeth and rearward; no adipose fin as in trouts, the presence of large scales; dis- salmon, grayling and whitefish; long tinguished from Arctic grayling flattened jaws with large mouth and Several common species that occur in AK are the by the much smaller dorsal fin. many sharp teeth, sides are yellowish round and humpback whitefish, least cisco, and gray. sheefish. A sheefish is shown. SALTWATER SPECIES COMMONLY FOUND IN ALASKA FLATFISH Pacific Halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis Arrowtooth Flounder More elongated than most Atheresthes stomias flatfishes, with width being Large mouth and numerous sharp about one-third the length. teeth. Little arching of lateral line. Adults have both eyes on their dark or upper side. Col- Upper eye reaches top of head. or on the dark side tends to Length to 34 inches. assume the coloration of the ocean bottom. The underside is lighter, often white. Starry Flounder Rock Sole Platichthys stellatus Lepidopsetta bilneata Black and yellow to or- Lateral line arched over pectoral ange bands on fins. Length fin. Jaw does not extend below to 36 inches. middle of eye. Length to 24 inches. ROCKFISH More than 30 species occur in Alaska’s coastal waters, and about a dozen are commonly taken in Alaska sport fisheries, including yelloweye, black, dusky, quillback, copper, tiger, china, canary, redstripe, silvergray, rougheye and shortraker rockfish. These fish are characterized by having bony plates or spines on the head and body, a large mouth, and pelvic fins attached forward near the pectoral fins. The spines are venomous, and although not extremely toxic, can cause pain and infection. Some species are brightly colored, and many are difficult to distinguish from one another. Black Rockfish Yelloweye Rockfish Sebastes melanops Sebastes ruberrimus Often misnamed “black bass”. Also called red snapper. Orange Dark gray to black with dusky red and orange yellow, with bright white belly. Jaw extends to rear yellow eye. Size up to 36 inches. of eye. Up to 25 inches. This is a non-pelagic rockfish; bot- tom dwelling and found on or near the ocean floor. Dusky Rockfish Copper Rockfish Sebastes ciliatus Sebastes caurinus There are both dark colored Olive brown to copper with pink species (uniformly black, no or yellow blotches, white on sides white belly), and light dusky and belly. Up to 22 inches. Non- rockfish (brownish body col- pelagic. or, whitish belly). OTHER SALTWATER SPECIES Lingcod Kelp Greenling Ophiodon elongatus Hexagrammos decagrammus Brown to reddish-brown In the same family as lingcod, but with spots or blotches. Sharp lacking rigid spines on the dorsal fin. teeth. Elongated body, large Male kelp greenling have irregular head and mouth, no barbel. blue spots; females are various shades Single dorsal fin, notched past of golden yellow on their heads and the middle of its length. Can fins. Only grow to about 21 inches. grow to 5 ft. Pacific Cod, Tomcod, and Pollock Sablefish, also known as “Black Cod” Anoplopoma fimbria All have three distinct dorsal fins, and two anal fins. No rigid spines on their fins. Small teeth. Pacific cod and tomcod have a prominent Sablefish, commonly known as black cod, have a streamlined, barbel beneath their chin; on pollock it is very small or absent. Pacific elongated body, black to dark gray above fading to gray or white in cod grow to 40 inches. the belly, with two dorsal fins and small teeth. Larger fish found in deep water, can grow to 40 inches. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. The department administers all programs and activities in ation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire further information please write to ADF&G, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811- 5526; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 300 Webb, Arlington, VA 22203; or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington DC 20240. For information on alternative formats for this and other department publications, please contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) 907-465-6077, (TDD) 907-465-3646, or (FAX) 907-465-6078..
Recommended publications
  • The Wingtips of the Pterosaurs: Anatomy, Aeronautical Function and Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology Xxx (2015) Xxx Xxx 3 Ecological Implications
    Our reference: PALAEO 7445 P-authorquery-v11 AUTHOR QUERY FORM Journal: PALAEO Please e-mail your responses and any corrections to: Article Number: 7445 E-mail: [email protected] Dear Author, Please check your proof carefully and mark all corrections at the appropriate place in the proof (e.g., by using on-screen annotation in the PDF file) or compile them in a separate list. Note: if you opt to annotate the file with software other than Adobe Reader then please also highlight the appropriate place in the PDF file. To ensure fast publication of your paper please return your corrections within 48 hours. For correction or revision of any artwork, please consult http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions. We were unable to process your file(s) fully electronically and have proceeded by Scanning (parts of) your Rekeying (parts of) your article Scanning the article artwork Any queries or remarks that have arisen during the processing of your manuscript are listed below and highlighted by flags in the proof. Click on the ‘Q’ link to go to the location in the proof. Location in article Query / Remark: click on the Q link to go Please insert your reply or correction at the corresponding line in the proof Q1 Your article is registered as a regular item and is being processed for inclusion in a regular issue of the journal. If this is NOT correct and your article belongs to a Special Issue/Collection please contact [email protected] immediately prior to returning your corrections. Q2 Please confirm that given names and surnames have been identified correctly.
    [Show full text]
  • Atlantic Salmon Alert
    ALERT FOR ATLANTIC SALMON IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA WATERS Please report any observations of this non-native species to the nearest ADF&G office. Over the past few years, ADF&G has verified harvests of Atlantic salmon in Southeast Alaska salt waters. Atlantic salmon are not native to the Pacific Ocean; they are raised in areas along the West Coast outside of Alaska, and their presence in Southeast Alaska waters is biologically undesirable. Anglers have reported catching Atlantic salmon in several of Southeast Alaska's freshwater systems. Alaska sport fishing regulations do not limit harvest of Atlantic salmon, but if you catch one, you can help us determine their status by bringing the entire fish to the nearest ADF&G office for biological sampling. The illustrations below will help you distinguish Atlantic salmon from native Alaska species. Irregular-shaped spots on back, dorsal fin, Small black spots Uniform spots on tail Steelhead Trout King Salmon and tail Silver Short head Square tail Small eye tail Slender lateral Thick caudal 8-12 anal fin rays Wide caudal Black mouth with profile black gums 13-19 anal fin rays Photograph courtesy of Washington Department Washington Photograph courtesy of Wildlife. of Fish and Atlantic Salmon Black x-shaped No spots on tail Caudal is slender spots above lateral or “pinched” line, large scales Large black spots on gill May, or may cover not, have spots on tail Upper lip does not Spots on tail extend past rear of 8-12 anal fin Body tapered at head and tail eye rays Tydingco. Troy Atlantic salmon photographs
    [Show full text]
  • BONY FISHES 602 Bony Fishes
    click for previous page BONY FISHES 602 Bony Fishes GENERAL REMARKS by K.E. Carpenter, Old Dominion University, Virginia, USA ony fishes constitute the bulk, by far, of both the diversity and total landings of marine organisms encoun- Btered in fisheries of the Western Central Atlantic.They are found in all macrofaunal marine and estuarine habitats and exhibit a lavish array of adaptations to these environments. This extreme diversity of form and taxa presents an exceptional challenge for identification. There are 30 orders and 269 families of bony fishes presented in this guide, representing all families known from the area. Each order and family presents a unique suite of taxonomic problems and relevant characters. The purpose of this preliminary section on technical terms and guide to orders and families is to serve as an introduction and initial identification guide to this taxonomic diversity. It should also serve as a general reference for those features most commonly used in identification of bony fishes throughout the remaining volumes. However, I cannot begin to introduce the many facets of fish biology relevant to understanding the diversity of fishes in a few pages. For this, the reader is directed to one of the several general texts on fish biology such as the ones by Bond (1996), Moyle and Cech (1996), and Helfman et al.(1997) listed below. A general introduction to the fisheries of bony fishes in this region is given in the introduction to these volumes. Taxonomic details relevant to a specific family are explained under each of the appropriate family sections. The classification of bony fishes continues to transform as our knowledge of their evolutionary relationships improves.
    [Show full text]
  • Amblyopsidae, Amblyopsis)
    A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeys 412:The 41–57 Hoosier(2014) cavefish, a new and endangered species( Amblyopsidae, Amblyopsis)... 41 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.412.7245 RESEARCH ARTICLE www.zookeys.org Launched to accelerate biodiversity research The Hoosier cavefish, a new and endangered species (Amblyopsidae, Amblyopsis) from the caves of southern Indiana Prosanta Chakrabarty1,†, Jacques A. Prejean1,‡, Matthew L. Niemiller1,2,§ 1 Museum of Natural Science, Ichthyology Section, 119 Foster Hall, Department of Biological Sciences, Loui- siana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA 2 University of Kentucky, Department of Biology, 200 Thomas Hunt Morgan Building, Lexington, KY 40506, USA † http://zoobank.org/0983DBAB-2F7E-477E-9138-63CED74455D3 ‡ http://zoobank.org/C71C7313-142D-4A34-AA9F-16F6757F15D1 § http://zoobank.org/8A0C3B1F-7D0A-4801-8299-D03B6C22AD34 Corresponding author: Prosanta Chakrabarty ([email protected]) Academic editor: C. Baldwin | Received 12 February 2014 | Accepted 13 May 2014 | Published 29 May 2014 http://zoobank.org/C618D622-395E-4FB7-B2DE-16C65053762F Citation: Chakrabarty P, Prejean JA, Niemiller ML (2014) The Hoosier cavefish, a new and endangered species (Amblyopsidae, Amblyopsis) from the caves of southern Indiana. ZooKeys 412: 41–57. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.412.7245 Abstract We describe a new species of amblyopsid cavefish (Percopsiformes: Amblyopsidae) in the genus Amblyopsis from subterranean habitats of southern Indiana, USA. The Hoosier Cavefish, Amblyopsis hoosieri sp. n., is distinguished from A. spelaea, its only congener, based on genetic, geographic, and morphological evi- dence. Several morphological features distinguish the new species, including a much plumper, Bibendum- like wrinkled body with rounded fins, and the absence of a premature stop codon in the gene rhodopsin.
    [Show full text]
  • Thailand's Shrimp Culture Growing
    Foreign Fishery Developments BURMA ':.. VIET­ ,' . .' NAM LAOS .............. Thailand's Shrimp ...... Culture Growing THAI LAND ,... ~samut Sangkhram :. ~amut Sakorn Pond cultivation ofblacktigerprawns, khlaarea. Songkhla's National Institute '. \ \ Bangkok........· Penaeus monodon, has brought sweep­ ofCoastal Aquaculture (NICA) has pro­ , ••~ Samut prokan ing economic change over the last2 years vided the technological foundation for the to the coastal areas of Songkhla and establishment of shrimp culture in this Nakhon Si Thammarat on the Malaysian area. Since 1982, NICA has operated a Peninsula (Fig. 1). Large, vertically inte­ large shrimp hatchery where wild brood grated aquaculture companies and small­ stock are reared on high-quality feeds in .... Gulf of () VIET­ scale rice farmers alike have invested optimum water temperature and salinity NAM heavily in the transformation of paddy conditions. The initial buyers ofNICA' s Thailand fields into semi-intensive ponds for shrimp postlarvae (pI) were small-scale Nakhon Si Thammarat shrimp raising. Theyhave alsodeveloped shrimp farmers surrounding Songkhla • Hua Sai Songkhla an impressive infrastructure ofelectrical Lake. .. Hot Yai and water supplies, feeder roads, shrimp Andaman hatcheries, shrimp nurseries, feed mills, Background Sea cold storage, and processing plants. Thailand's shrimp culture industry is Located within an hour's drive ofSong­ the fastest growing in Southeast Asia. In khla's new deep-waterport, the burgeon­ only 5 years, Thailand has outstripped its Figure 1.-Thailand and its major shrimp ing shrimp industry will have direct competitors to become the region's num­ culture area. access to international markets. Despite ber one producer. Thai shrimp harvests a price slump since May 1989, expansion in 1988 reached 55,000 metric tons (t), onall fronts-production, processingand a 320 percent increase over the 13,000 t marketing-continues at a feverish pace.
    [Show full text]
  • Krill Oil and Astaxanthin
    Krill Oil and Astaxanthin Krill are small reddish-color crustaceans, similar to shrimp, that abound in cold Arctic waters. They survive in such cold, frigid temperatures because of their natural anti- freeze, the polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are bound to molecules called phospholipids (especially phosphatidyl choline) that act to help transport nutrients into cells and change the structure of animal cell membranes. Studies show that these combined fatty acids have better absorption into the cell membranes throughout the body, especially the brain, as compared to other types of fish oils. Although it has less EPA/DHA content than most fish oils, krill oil seems to be almost twice as absorbable. Unlike fish oil, krill oil also contains a very potent antioxidant, astaxanthin, which helps prevent krill oil from oxidizing (turning rancid). Astaxanthin is a red pigment found in different types of algae and phytoplankton. It is astaxanthin that gives salmon and trout their reddish color. It is considered to be one of the most potent natural antioxidants, almost 50 times stronger than beta-carotenes found in fruits and vegetables and 65 times better as an anti-oxidant than vitamin C. Krill oil is composed of 40% phospholipids, 30% EPA and DHA, astaxanthin, vitamin A, vitamin C, various other fatty acids, and flavanoids (anti-oxidant compounds) Human studies indicate krill oil is powerful at decreasing inflammation throughout the body, especially in the brain. It reduces C-reactive protein, a marker for heart disease. Tests indicate it has a powerful anti-inflammatory remedy for rheumatoid as well as osteoarthritis.
    [Show full text]
  • Rainbow Trout
    Aboriginal Aquaculture Association • FinfishFinfish Facts Facts Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss - Latin name) The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea-run rainbow trout (anadromous) usually returning to freshwater to spawn after two to three years at sea; rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species. The fsh are often called salmon trout. Several other fish in the salmonid family are called trout; some are anadromous like salmon, whereas others are resident in freshwater only. The species has been introduced for food or sport to many countries, and every continent except Antarctica. The first rainbow trout hatchery was established on San Leandro Creek, a tributary of San Francisco Bay, in 1870, with trout production beginning in 1871. Today, they are farmed in many countries throughout the world. Since the 1950s, commercial production has grown exponentially, particularly in Europe and recently in Chile. In Chile and Norway, ocean cage production of steelheads has expanded to supply export markets. Inland production of rainbow trout to supply domestic markets has increased in countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Denmark and Spain. Other significant producing countries include the USA, Iran, Germany and the United Kingdom. Rainbow Trout Farming in BC Rainbow trout fillets Nutrition Facts for Rainbow Trout: per 3.5 oz (100 g) cooked weight Energy 131 calories Protein 18.4 g Total fat 5.8 g Trout Production • 2010 Saturated fat .09 g Cholesterol 56.0 mg Total carbohydrates 0 g Sodium 39.0 mg Omega-3 1.1 g Source: Seafood Business Rainbow Trout Life Cycle: Alevins Rainbow Trout begin their lives at a domestic Brood Stock facility.
    [Show full text]
  • Sport-Fish-Identification.Pdf
    Walleye Walleye have two distinct fins on their back, the first with large spines. Lake Sturgeon They have a yellow-olive back, brassy, silvery sides with yellow spots, a white underside, and white on the lower lobe of the tail. Dusky vertical Lake Sturgeon are a Threatened Species due to population size and bars are often found on the body as well. concerns with viability. Lake Sturgeon have a large brown or grey body covered with tough, leather- like tissue and five rows of bony plates. They have a shark-like, upturned tail and a pointed snout with four barbels. Sauger Lake Whitefish are olive-green to blue on the back, with silvery sides.They Sauger are a Threatened Species due to hybridization, habitat Lakehave a small Whitefish mouth below a rounded snout, and a deeply forked tail. degradation and overharvest. Sauger are golden olive on the back with silver-yellow sides and a white underside. They also have a large spiny dorsal fin, distinct rows of spots on the dorsal fins and three or four dusky vertical bars on the body. Mountain Whitefish have large scales, no spots and small mouths with no Burbot Mountainteeth. Their general Whitefish body colour is a bronze-white or greenish white. Burbot have a slim, brownish black body with smooth skin, a flattened head, and a fin that stretches along the back half of the body. Distinctive barbels hang from the lower jaw and nostrils. Goldeye Northern Pike Goldeye have prominent eyes with bright yellow pupils, a blunt head, and Northern Pike are a long, slender fish with duck-like jaws and a long, flat a deep, compressed body.
    [Show full text]
  • Median Fin Patterning in Bony Fish: Caspase-3 Role in Fin Fold Reabsorption
    Eastern Illinois University The Keep Undergraduate Honors Theses Honors College 2017 Median Fin Patterning in Bony Fish: Caspase-3 Role in Fin Fold Reabsorption Kaitlyn Ann Hammock Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/honors_theses Part of the Animal Sciences Commons Median fin patterning in bony fish: caspase-3 role in fin fold reabsorption BY Kaitlyn Ann Hammock UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for obtaining UNDERGRADUATE DEPARTMENTAL HONORS Department of Biological Sciences along with the HonorsCollege at EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY Charleston, Illinois 2017 I hereby recommend this thesis to be accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirement for obtaining Undergraduate Departmental Honors Date '.fHESIS ADVI 1 Date HONORSCOORDmATOR f C I//' ' / ·12 1' J Date, , DEPARTME TCHAIR Abstract Fish larvae develop a fin fold that will later be replaced by the median fins. I hypothesize that finfold reabsorption is part of the initial patterning of the median fins,and that caspase-3, an apoptosis marker, will be expressed in the fin fold during reabsorption. I analyzed time series of larvae in the first20-days post hatch (dph) to determine timing of median findevelopment in a basal bony fish- sturgeon- and in zebrafish, a derived bony fish. I am expecting the general activation pathway to be conserved in both fishesbut, the timing and location of cell death to differ.The dorsal fin foldis the firstto be reabsorbed in the sturgeon starting at 2 dph and rays formed at 6dph. This was closely followed by the anal finat 3 dph, rays at 9 dph and only later, at 6dph, does the caudal fin start forming and rays at 14 dph.
    [Show full text]
  • Batoid Locomotion: Effects of Speed on Pectoral Fin Deformation in the Little Skate, Leucoraja Erinacea Valentina Di Santo1,*, Erin L
    © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | Journal of Experimental Biology (2017) 220, 705-712 doi:10.1242/jeb.148767 RESEARCH ARTICLE Batoid locomotion: effects of speed on pectoral fin deformation in the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea Valentina Di Santo1,*, Erin L. Blevins1,2 and George V. Lauder1 ABSTRACT more efficient at higher speeds and for long-distance translocations Most batoids have a unique swimming mode in which thrust is (Di Santo and Kenaley, 2016). Although many batoid species are generated by either oscillating or undulating expanded pectoral fins accurately described by these two extreme modes, several species that form a disc. Only one previous study of the freshwater stingray has fall into a continuum between 0.5 and 1.0 wave, and are defined as quantified three-dimensional motions of the wing, and no comparable ‘semi-oscillators’ (Schaefer and Summers, 2005). data are available for marine batoid species that may differ The mechanics of propulsion in cartilaginous fishes have been considerably in their mode of locomotion. Here, we investigate three- investigated over the years through studies of morphology, dimensional kinematics of the pectoral wing of the little skate, kinematics, hydrodynamics, muscle activity and energetics Leucoraja erinacea, swimming steadily at two speeds [1 and (Daniel, 1988; Di Santo and Kenaley, 2016; Donley and 2 body lengths (BL) s−1]. We measured the motion of nine points in Shadwick, 2003; Fontanella et al., 2013; Lauder, 2015; Lauder three dimensions during wing oscillation and determined that there are and Di Santo, 2015; Porter et al., 2011; Rosenberger and Westneat, significant differences in movement amplitude among wing locations, 1999; Rosenblum et al., 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Evaluating Coexistence of Fish Species with Coastal Cutthroat Trout in Low Order Streams of Western Oregon and Washington, USA
    fishes Article Evaluating Coexistence of Fish Species with Coastal Cutthroat Trout in Low Order Streams of Western Oregon and Washington, USA Kyle D. Martens 1,* and Jason Dunham 2 1 Washington Department of Natural Resources, 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA 98504, USA 2 U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: When multiple species of fish coexist there are a host of potential ways through which they may interact, yet there is often a strong focus on studies of single species without considering these interactions. For example, many studies of forestry–stream interactions in the Pacific Northwest have focused solely on the most prevalent species: Coastal cutthroat trout. To examine the potential for interactions of other fishes with coastal cutthroat trout, we conducted an analysis of 281 sites in low order streams located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and along the central Oregon coast. Coastal cutthroat trout and juvenile coho salmon were the most commonly found salmonid species within these streams and exhibited positive associations with each other for both presence and density. Steelhead were negatively associated with the presence of coastal cutthroat trout as well as with coho salmon and sculpins (Cottidae). Coastal cutthroat trout most frequently shared streams with juvenile coho salmon. For densities of these co-occurring species, associations between these two species were relatively weak compared to the strong influences of physical stream conditions Citation: Martens, K.D.; Dunham, J. (size and gradient), suggesting that physical conditions may have more of an influence on density Evaluating Coexistence of Fish Species with Coastal Cutthroat Trout than species interactions.
    [Show full text]
  • Bony Fish Guide
    This guide will help you to complete the Bony Fish Observation Worksheet. Bony Fish Guide Fish (n.) An ectothermic (cold-blooded) vertebrate (with a backbone) aquatic (lives in water) animal that moves with the help of fins (limbs with no fingers or toes) and breathes with gills. This definition might seem very broad, and that is because fish are one of the most diverse groups of animals on the planet—there are a lot of fish in the sea (not to mention rivers, lakes and ponds). In fact, scientists count at least 32,000 species of fish—more than any other type of vertebrate. Fish are split into three broad classes: Jawless Fish Cartilaginous Fish Bony Fish (hagfish, lampreys, etc.) (sharks, rays, skates, etc.) (all other fish) This guide will focus on the Bony Fish. There are at least 28,000 species of bony fish, and they are found in almost every naturally occurring body of water on the planet. Bony fish range in size: • Largest: ocean sunfish (Mola mola), 11 feet, over 5,000 pounds • Smallest: dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka pygmaea), ½ inch, a fraction of an ounce (This image is life size.) The following guide will help you learn more about the bony fish you can find throughout the New England Aquarium. Much of the guide is keyed to the Giant Ocean Tank, but can be applied to many kinds of fish. Even if you know nothing about fish, you can quickly learn a few things: The shape of a fish’s body, the position of its mouth and the shape of its tail can give you many clues as to its behavior and adaptations.
    [Show full text]