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Salmonidae

(Family)

Overview

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Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only living family currently placed in the order Salmoniformes. It includes salmon, trout, chars, freshwater whitefishes and graylings. The Atlantic salmon and trout of genus Salmo give the family and order their names.

Salmonids have a relatively primitive appearance among the teleost fish, with the pelvic fins being placed far back, and an adipose fin towards the rear of the back. They are slender fish, with rounded scales and a forked tail. Their mouths contain a single row of sharp teeth.^2] Although the smallest species is just 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long as an adult, most are much larger, and the largest can reach 2 metres (6.6 ft).^[1]

All salmonids spawn in fresh water, but in many cases, the fish spend most of their life at sea, returning to the rivers only to reproduce. This type of life cycle is described as anadromous. They are predators, feeding on small crustaceans, aquatic insects, and smaller fish.^[2]

Evolution

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Current salmonids arose from three lineages: whitefish (Coregoninae), graylings (Thymallinae), and the char, trout and salmons (Salmoninae). Generally, it is accepted that all three lineages share a suite of derived traits indicating a monophyletic group.^[3]

Salmonidae first appear in the fossil record in the middle Eocene with the fossil Eosalmo driftwoodensis first described from fossils found at Driftwood Creek, central British Columbia. This genus shares traits found in the Salmoninae, whitefish and grayling lineages. Hence, E. driftwoodensis i s an archaic salmonid, representing an important stage in salmonid evolution.^[3]

A gap appears in the salmonine fossil record after E. driftwoodensis; until the late Miocene (~7 m.y.a.) trout-like fossils appear in Idaho, in the Clarkia Lake beds.^[4] Several of these species appear to be Oncorhynchus?the current genus for Pacific salmon and some trout. The presence of these species so far inland established that Oncorhynchus was not only present in the Pacific drainages before the beginning of the Pliocene (~5?6 m.y.a.), but also that rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Pacific salmon lineages had diverged before the beginning of the Pliocene. Consequently, the split between Oncorhynchus and Salmo (Atlantic salmon) must have occurred well before the Pliocene. Suggestions have gone back as far as the early Miocene (~20 m.y.a.).^[3]^[5]

Classification

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Together with the closely related Esociformes (the pikes and related fishes), Osmeriformes (e.g. smelts) and Argentiniformes, the Salmoniformes comprise the superorder Protacanthopterygii.

The Salmonidae (and Salmoniformes) are divided into three subfamilies and around ten genera:^[1]

Order Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae
- Subfamily: Coregoninae
  - Coregonus - Whitefishes (70 species)
  - Prosopium - round whitefishes (6 species)
  - Stenodus - inconnu (1 species)
- Subfamily: Thymallinae
  - Thymallus - Graylings (12 species)
- Subfamily: Salmoninae
  - Brachymystax - lenoks (3 species)
  - Hucho (5 species)
  - Oncorhynchus - Pacific salmon and trout (14 species)
  - Salmo - Atlantic salmon and trout (29 species)
  - Salvelinus - Char and trout (e.g. Brook trout, Lake trout) (49 species)
  - Salvethymus (1 species)
  - Acantholingua (1 species)

Timeline of genera

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ss="reference">[4] Several of these species appear to be Oncorhynchus?the current genus for Pacific salmon and some trout. The presence of these species so far inland established that Oncorhynchus was not only present in the Pacific drainages before the beginning of the Pliocene (~5?6 m.y.a.), but also that rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Pacific salmon lineages had diverged before the beginning of the Pliocene. Consequently, the split between Oncorhynchus and Salmo (Atlantic salmon) must have occurred well before the Pliocene. Suggestions have gone back as far as the early Miocene (~20 m.y.a.).^[3]^[5]

Classification

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Together with the closely related Esociformes (the pikes and related fishes), Osmeriformes (e.g. smelts) and Argentiniformes, the Salmoniformes comprise the superorder Protacanthopterygii.

The Salmonidae (and Salmoniformes) are divid ed into three subfamilies and around ten genera:^[1]

Order Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae
- Subfamily: Coregoninae
  - Coregonus - Whitefishes (70 species)
  - Prosopium - round whitefishes (6 species)
  - Stenodus - inconnu (1 species)
- Subfamily: Thymallinae
  - Thymallus - Graylings (12 species)
- Subfamily: Salmoninae
  - Brachymystax - lenoks (3 species)
  - Hucho (5 species)
  - Oncorhynchus - Pacific salmon and trout (14 species)
  - Salmo - Atlantic salmon and trout (29 species)
  - Salvelinus - Char and trout (e.g. Brook trout, Lake trout) (49 species)
  - Salvethymus (1 species)
  - Acantholingua (1 species)

Timeline of genera

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Notes

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^ ^a ^b ^c Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2008). "Salmonidae" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
^ ^a ^b McDow ell, Robert M. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 114?116. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
^ ^a ^b ^c McPhail, J.D.; Strouder, D.J. (1997). "Pacific Salmon and Their Ecosystems: Status and Future Options". The Origin and Speciation of Oncorhynchus. New York, New York: Chapman & Hall.
^ Smiley, Charles J. "Late Cenozoic History of the Pacific Northwest". Association for the Advancement of Science: Pacific Division. http://www.sou.edu/aaaspd/TableContents/LateCenHist.pdf/. Retrieved 2006-08-08. ^{[dead link]}
^ Montgomery, David R. (2000). "Coevolution of the Pacific Salmon and Pacific Rim Topography". Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington. http://duff.ess.washington.edu/grg/publications/pdfs/salmonevolution.pdf/. Retrieved 2006-08-08. ^{[dead link]}

b>Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only living family currently placed in the order Salmoniformes. It includes salmon, trout, chars, freshwater whitefishes and graylings. The Atlantic salmon and trout of genus Salmo give the family and order their names.

Salmonids have a relatively primitive appearance among the teleost fish, with the pelvic fins being placed far back, and an adipose fin towards the rear of the back. They are slender fish, with rounded scales and a forked tail. Their mouths contain a single row of sharp teeth.^2] Although the smallest species is just 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long as an adult, most are much larger, and the largest can reach 2 metres (6.6 ft).^[1]

All salmonids spawn in fresh water, but in many cases, the fish spend most of their life at sea, returning to the rivers only to reproduce. This type of life cycle is described as anadromous. They are predators, feeding on small crustaceans, aquatic insects, and smaller fish.^[2]

Evolution

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Current salmonids arose from three lineages: whitefish (Coregoninae), graylings (Thymallinae), and the char, trout and salmons (Salmoninae). Generally, it is accepted that all three lineages share a suite of derived traits indicating a monophyletic group.^[3]

Salmonidae first appear in the fossil record in the middle Eocene with the fossil Eosalmo driftwoodensis first described from fossils found at Driftwood Creek, central British Columbia. This genus shares traits found in the Salmoninae, whitefish and grayling lineages. Hence, E. driftwoodensis is an archaic salmonid, representing an important stage in salmonid evolution.^[3]

A gap appears in the salmonine fossil record after E. driftwoodensis; until the late Miocene (~7 m.y.a.) trout-like fossils appear in Idaho, in the Clarkia Lake beds.^[4] Several of these species appear to be Oncorhynchus?the current genus for Pacific salmon and some trout. The presence of these species so far inland established that Oncorhynchus was not only present in the Pacific drainages before the beginning of the Pliocene (~5?6 m.y.a.), but also that rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Pacific salmon lineages had diverged before the beginning of the Pliocene. Consequently, the split between Oncorhynchus and Salmo (Atlantic salmon) must have occurred well before the Pliocene. Suggestions have gone back as far as the early Miocene (~20 m.y.a.).^[3]^[5]

Classification

[ Back to top ]

Together with the closely related Esociformes (the pi kes and related fishes), Osmeriformes (e.g. smelts) and Argentiniformes, the Salmoniformes comprise the superorder Protacanthopterygii.

The Salmonidae (and Salmoniformes) are divided into three subfamilies and around ten genera:^[1]

Order Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae
- Subfamily: Coregoninae
  - Coregonus - Whitefishes (70 species)
  - Prosopium - round whitefishes (6 species)
  - Stenodus - inconnu (1 species)
- Subfamily: Thymallinae
  - Thymallus - Graylings (12 species)
- Subfamily: Salmoninae
  - Brachymystax - lenoks (3 species)
  - Hucho (5 species)
  - Oncorhynchus - Pacific salmon and trout (14 species)
  - Salmo - Atlantic salmon and trout (29 species)
  - Salvelinus - Char and trout (e.g. Brook trout, Lake trout) (49 species)
  - Salvethymus (1 species)
  - Acantholingua (1 species)

Timeline of genera

[ Back to top ]

ss="reference">[4] Several of these species appear to be Oncorhynchus?the current genus for Pacific salmon and some trout. The presence of these species so far inland established that Oncorhynchus was not only present in the Pacific drainages before the beginning of the Pliocene (~5?6 m.y.a.), but also that rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Pacific salmon lineages had diverged before the beginning of the Pliocene. Consequently, the split between Oncorhynchus and Salmo (Atlantic salmon) must have occurred well before the Pliocene. Suggestions have gone back as far as the early Miocene (~20 m.y.a.).^[3]^[5]

Classification

[ Back to top ]

Together with the closely related Esociformes (the pikes and related fishes), Osmeriformes (e.g. smelts) and Argentiniformes, the Salmoniformes comprise the superorder Protacanthopterygii.

The Salmonidae (and Salmoniformes) are divided into three subfamilies and around ten genera:^[1]

Order Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae
- Subfamily: Coregoninae
  - Coregonus - Whitefishes (70 species)
  - Prosopium - round whitefishes (6 species)
  - Stenodus - inconnu (1 species)
- Subfamily: Thymallinae
  - Thymallus - Graylings (12 species)
- Subfamily: Salmoninae
  - Brachymystax - lenoks (3 species)
  - Hucho (5 species)
  - Oncorhynchus - Pacific salmon and trout (14 species)
  - Salmo - Atlantic salmon and trout (29 species)
  - Salvelinus - Char and trout (e.g. Brook trout, Lake trout) (49 species)
  - Salvethymus (1 species)
  - Acantholingua (1 species)

Timeline of genera

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Notes

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^ ^a ^b ^c Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2008). "Salmonidae" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
^ ^a ^b McDowell, Robert M. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 114?116. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
^ ^a ^b ^c McPhail, J.D.; Strouder, D.J. (1997). "Pacific Salmon and Their Ecosystems: Status and Future Options". The Origin and Speciation of Oncorhynchus. New York, New York: Chapman & Hall.
^ Smiley, Charles J. "Late Cenozoic History of the Pacific Northwest". Association for the Advancement of Science: Pacific Division. http://www.sou.edu/aaaspd/TableContents/LateCenHist.pdf/. Retrieved 2006-08-08. ^{[dead link]}
^ Montgomery, David R. (2000). "Coevolution of the Pacific Salmon and Pacific Rim Topography". Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington. http://duff.ess.washington.edu/grg/publications/pdfs/salmonevolution.pdf/. Retrieved 2006-08-08. ^{[dead link]}

References

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Behnke, Robert J. Trout and Salmon of North America, Illustrated by Joseph R. Tomelleri. 1st Chanticleer Press ed. New York: The Free Press, 2002. ISBN 0-7432-2220-2
Dushkina, L.A. Farming of Salmonids in Russia, Aquaculture & Fisheries Management; Jan1994, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p121-126
Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2004). "Salmonidae" in FishBase. October 2004 version.
"Salmonid ae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=161931. Retrieved 12 December 2004.
Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2004). "Salmoniformes" in FishBase. October 2004 version.
Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: p.560. http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class. Retrieved 2011-05-17.

Taxonomy

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The Family Salmonidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Subfamily (3): Coregoninae · Salmoninae · Thymallinae
Genus (24): Acantholingua · Argyrosomus · Brachymistax · Brachymystax · Coregonus · Cristivomer · Eosalmo · Hucho · Leucichthys · Onchorhynchus · Oncorhynchus · Oncorhyncus · Oncorynchus · Parasalmo · Prosopium · Salmo · Salmothymus · Salvelinus · Salvelis · Salvethymus · Smilodonichthyes · Smilodonichthys · Stenodus · Thymallus
Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1,049 species and subspecies in the Family Salmonidae.

Genera

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Acantholingua

Salmo ohridanus, also known by the local name as the belvica, is a species of freshwater salmonid fish, endemic to Lake Ohrid in Albania and Macedonia. [more]

Argyrosomus

Argyrosomus is a genus of fish in the drum family, Sciaenidae. They are large fish, with the largest, A. regius growing up to 230 cm in length. They are commonly targeted as game fish. [more]

Brachymistax

Brachymystax

Coregonus

Coregonus is a diverse genus of fish in the salmon family (Salmonidae). The type species is the common whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). The Coregonus species are known as whitefishes. It contains at least 68 described extant species. [more]

Cristivomer

Eosalmo

Hucho

Hucho is a genus of . [more]

Leucichthys

Onchorhynchus

Oncorhynchus is a genus of fish in the family Salmonidae; it contains the Pacific salmons and Pacific trouts. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek onkos ("hook") and rynchos ("nose"), in reference to the hooked jaws of males in the mating season (the "kype"). [more]

Oncorhynchus

Oncorhynchus is a genus of fish in the family Salmonidae; it contains the Pacific salmons and Pacific trouts. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek onkos ("hook") and rynchos ("nose"), in reference to the hooked jaws of males in the mating season (the "kype"). [more]

Oncorhyncus

Oncorynchus

Parasalmo

Prosopium

Prosopium is a genus of freshwater whitefishes found in North America and parts of eastern Russia. It contains three fairly widespread species: the round whitefish, the pygmy whitefish, and the mountain whitefish. The remaining species, the Bonneville cisco, the Bonneville whitefish, and the Bear Lake whitefish are endemic to Bear Lake. [more]

Salmo

Salmo is a genus of fish in the salmon family (Salmonidae) that includes the familiar species Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). The natural distribution of the genus is chiefly European. Only the range of the Atlantic salmon extends to northern North America. The salmons and trouts of the Pacific basin belong to another genus, Onchorhynchus. [more]

Salmothymus

Salmothymus is a genus of in the Salmonidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Salvelinus

Salvelinus is a genus of salmonid fish often called char or charr; some species are called "trout". Salvelinus is a member of the subfamily of the Salmonidae family. Charr may be identified by light cream pink or red spots over a darker body. Scales tend to be small, with 115-200 along the lateral line. Pectoral, pelvic, anal, and lower aspect of caudal fin are trimmed in snow white or cream leading edges. [more]

Salvelis

Salvethymus

Salvethymus svetovidovi, also called the long-finned charr, is a species of salmonid fish. It is endemic to Elgygytgyn Lake in Chukotka, north-eastern Russia. The long-finned char is a morphologically aberrant type of char; when scientifically first described in 1990, it was placed as the single species in a new monotypic genus Salvethymus. It is closely related to the true chars in the genus Salvelinus, and probably is a sister lineage to the arctic char complex (Salvelinus alpinus). [more]

Smilodonichthyes

Smilodonichthys

Stenodus

Stenodus leucichthys is a species of freshwater whitefish in the family Salmonidae. It is also known variously by the common names sheefish, inconnu, connie, nelma and beloribitsa. There are two subspecies, sometimes considered distinct species, one of which lives in Eurasian and North American rivers of the Arctic basin, the other in the landlocked Caspian Sea basin. If only one species is recognised, the genus Stenodus would be monotypic. [more]

Thymallus

Thymallus is a genus of freshwater fish in the salmon family Salmonidae; it is the only genus of subfamily Thymallinae. The type species is Thymallus thymallus, the grayling. The species in the genus are generically called graylings, but without qualification this also refers specifically to T. thymallus. [more]

At least 48 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Thymallus.

More info about the Genus Thymallus may be found here.

References

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Behnke, Robert J. Trout and Salmon of North America, Illustrated by Joseph R. Tomelleri. 1st Chanticleer Press ed. New York: The Free Press, 2002. ISBN 0-7432-2220-2
Dushkina, L.A. Farming of Salmonids in Russia, Aquaculture & Fisheries Management; Jan1994, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p121-126
Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2004). "Salmonidae" in FishBase. October 2004 version.
"Salmonidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=161931. Retrieved 12 December 2004.
Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2004). "Salmoniformes" in FishBase. October 2004 version.
Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: p.560. http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class. Retrieved 2011-05-17.

Footnotes

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^ ^a ^b ^c Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2008). "Salmonidae" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
^ ^a ^b McDowell, Robert M. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 114?116. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
^ ^a ^b ^c McPhail, J.D.; Strouder, D.J. (1997). "Pacific Salmon and Their Ecosystems: Status and Fu ture Options". The Origin and Speciation of Oncorhynchus. New York, New York: Chapman & Hall.
^ Smiley, Charles J. "Late Cenozoic History of the Pacific Northwest". Association for the Advancement of Science: Pacific Division. http://www.sou.edu/aaaspd/TableContents/LateCenHist.pdf/. Retrieved 2006-08-08. ^{[dead link]}
^ Montgomery, David R. (2000). "Coevolution of the Pacific Salmon and Pacific Rim Topography". Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington. http://duff.ess.washington.edu/grg/publications/pdfs/salmonevolution.pdf/. Retrieved 2006-08-08. ^{[dead link]}

Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012