MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 187 



shallow water and spawn in the summer. They form a staple food for lish- 

 eaters like mantas and gars. 



Similar Species: The green fry, Jenkinsia lainprotaenia, is a small-mouthed 

 greenish member of the herring family which schools densely, sometimes with 

 anchovies, in tropical waters. 



SALMON AND TROUT: Family Salmonidae 



This well-known family is chiefly characteristic of fresh water of the north 

 temperate and arctic zones, and all of its species at least breed there (with the 

 exception of the closely related deep-sea viper fishes). A few of the larger ones, 

 however, spend most of their lives at sea, where their migrations and habits 

 are poorly known. Salmons and trout all have large mouths armed with power- 

 ful teeth. The bodies are elongate, powerful, not much compressed, and bear 

 a small adipose (fatty) fin between the dorsal fin and the tail. Silver is the 

 predominant color, but there are beautiful red, green, and blue iridescences 

 that make these fishes verv striking. 



The name "salmon" was first applied to the Atlantic species, which is actuallv 

 a large trout, genus SaUno. The true salmons, genus Oncorhynchus, are all of 

 the North Pacific. Nevertheless, species of both genera have very similar habits 

 and will be considered as a unit. Most live predaceous, fish-eating lives in the 

 sea (some of the species are plankton feeders) until thev mature at an age of 

 about 3 to 5 years. Then, in the spring or summer, depending upon the location 

 and the species, they begin their fabled trek up the streams. The males become 

 grotesquely hook-jawed, humpbacked, and reddened, and the females become 

 heavy with roe. They lay several thousand eggs in shallow riffle areas. Then 

 the parents die exhausted, thin, and covered with fungus-infested wounds 

 CSahno species do not die after spawning). One cannot help marveling at this 

 life-giving, yet still hugelv destructive, process as one surveys the literally 

 thousands of pounds of highly aromatic, dead fish which line the breeding 

 streams after spawning is complete. 



Descriptions and distributions follow. Coloration is given for the species when 

 at sea; in fresh water it is much redder. 



GENUS ONCORHYNCHUS 



Spawns only once. Mouths black inside. Head large. Long anal fin with twelve 

 to ninteen rays. 



Fig. 93. King salmon. 



