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Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica) — Salmonidae

Ohrid trout

Salmo letnica
Family: Salmonidae
EN · Endangered

The Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica) is a freshwater fish of the family Salmonidae that grows up to 76 cm.

Length
76 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Crepuscular
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Highly prized

Description

The Ohrid trout is a trout of the family Salmonidae reaching about 76 cm and endemic to ancient Lake Ohrid. Like other trout it has a streamlined, silvery body with fine dark spots and an adipose fin between the dorsal and tail fins. The Ohrid trout forms a species-rich complex with several forms that spawn in different seasons, on gravel along the shores or at underwater springs. It lives in the deep, clear water of the lake and feeds on zooplankton, crustaceans, insects and small fish. Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest lakes in the world, with many endemic species. Through overfishing, pollution and introduced exotics the Ohrid trout has declined sharply and is assessed as Endangered (EN).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Ohrid trout?

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

Where does the Ohrid trout live?

The Ohrid trout lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Ohrid trout get?

The Ohrid trout grows to a maximum of about 76 cm.

Is the Ohrid trout dangerous to humans?

No, the Ohrid trout is harmless to humans.

Is the Ohrid trout edible?

Yes, the Ohrid trout is a highly prized food fish.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Ohridforel inferred
English name
Ohrid trout verified
Scientific name
Salmo letnica
Family
Salmonidae
Other names
Ohrid trout; Pestani trout; Salmon verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater verified
Substrate
Open water verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Solitary verified
Territorial
No verified
Activity
Crepuscular inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized verified
Fishing method
Plaatselijk een gewaardeerde maar streng gereguleerde vangst; vissen op de soort is sterk aan banden gelegd sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Salmo

More from the family Salmonidae

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