Landlocked Salmon

Landlocked atlantic salmon, Freshwater salmon

Salmo salar

Ouananiche, saumon d'eau douce, saumon terrestre

Landlocked salmon is the confined freshwater form of Atlantic salmon ; landlocked salmon remain in lakes, while Atlantic salmon migrate to sea for part of their life cycle. Besides this difference, landlocked salmon and Atlantic salmon are the same species.

Body shape: Elongated and fusiform body, slightly compressed laterally.

Average size: Generally smaller (on average 0.9 to 1.8 kg) than anadromous Atlantic salmon.

Coloring:Dark spots on a pale background. Brown, green or blue back with large black dots; silvery sides; dorsal fin with large black dots; caudal fin rarely spotted with black dots.
During the spawning period: tanned or dark brown color; males with red dots on the flanks.
After spawning: dark coloring (black salmon).

Characteristic external features: Large mouth with strong teeth; sharp hook in front of lower jaw of spawning males; large and conspicuous scales; adipose fin far behind the dorsal fin; dorsal and pelvic fins in the center of the body length; caudal fin conspicuously forked in juveniles, slightly forked in adults.