Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fish species and information / pictures of Pink salmon - Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fish species information

Scientific Name
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

Common Name
Pink salmon

Biology
An anadromous species which inhabits ocean and coastal streams (Ref. 5723). Epipelagic (Ref. 58426). Pelagic at the sea. In freshwater, lives in montane and piedmont rivers with moderate to fast current and gravel bottom. Spawns in riffles or at head of riffles in shallow water with current up to 1.5 m/s, and clean coarse gravel (Ref. 59043). Spends 18 months at sea after which spawning migration to the natal river or stream occurs; but because the species is less certain of its homing and there is a certain degree of wandering, streams as much as 640 km from natal streams may be used (Ref. 1998, 27547). Upon emerging from the gravel, fry immediately move downstream and remain inshore for a few months before going out to sea. Fry may feed on nymphal and larval insects while in fresh water, but may not feed at all. In the sea, young feed on copepods and larv

Classification

Classified By

Walbaum, 1792

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Salmons (Salmoniformes)

Family

Salmonids (Salmonidae)

Distribution

Region

Arctic and Pacific drainages from Mackenzie River delta, Northwest Territories, Canada to Sacramento River drainage, in California, USA

Distribution

Arctic and Pacific drainages from Mackenzie River delta, Northwest Territories, Canada to Sacramento River drainage, in California, USA; occasionally as far as La Jolla, southern California; also in northeast Asia (Ref. 5723). On Asia side, from North Korea to Jana and Lena drainages in Artic Russia. In Bering Sea north of about 40?N and from Bering Strait northeast to Point Barrow and northwest to Lena estuary (Ref. 59043). Introduced elsewhere. Occasionally hybridizes with Oncorhynchus keta producing fertile offspring (Ref. 28983).

Range

79°N - 29°N, 5°E - 114°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

21 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

250 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 250 m (Ref. 50550)

Trophic Level

4.19 s.e. 0.71 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

76.0 cm

Common Length

50.5 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (37 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; tmax=3; Fec=800)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated