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Humpback (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) — Salmonidae

Humpback

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Family: Salmonidae

The Humpback (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Salmonidae that grows up to 76 cm.

Length
76 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
0.0–250.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The pink salmon is the smallest and most abundant Pacific salmon of the family Salmonidae from the northern Pacific. The species grows to about 76 cm and has a silvery sea body with large black spots on the back and tail; spawning males develop a conspicuous hump on the back and hooked jaws. It is anadromous: it lives in the sea and after about two years runs up coastal streams to spawn, after which all individuals die (semelparity). As a predator it feeds at sea on plankton, small fishes and crustaceans. The pink salmon is an extremely important commercial fish. It is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Humpback?

The Humpback has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Humpback live?

The Humpback lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Humpback get?

The Humpback grows to a maximum of about 76 cm. On average the species is around 51 cm.

Is the Humpback dangerous to humans?

No, the Humpback is harmless to humans.

Is the Humpback edible?

Yes, the Humpback is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Rode zalm sourced
English name
Humpback verified
Scientific name
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Family
Salmonidae
Other names
Humpback salmon verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
76.0 verified
Average length (cm)
50.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
250.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
levensduur_max_jaar
3.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Oncorhynchus

More from the family Salmonidae

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