Salmo obtusirostris
Encyclopedia
Salmo obtusirostris, also known as the Adriatic trout, Adriatic salmon, and softmouth trout, is a species of salmonid fish endemic to the rivers of Western Balkans in southeastern Europe. The scientific name has changed several times through history; synonym
s include Thymallus microlepis, Salmothymus obtusirostris and Salar obtusirostris.
This species spawns in the early spring and is an obligatory freshwater
fish. They are an important game fish
.
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Montenegro
: the Neretva
, Vrljika, Jadro
, Zeta
and Krka
river drainages. In addition it has been introduced from the Jadro to the Zrnovnica
drainage in about 1960. The different populations are sometimes classified into subspecies:
and overfishing
. In the river Neretva, natural hybrids (named kosor by locals) between Adriatic and brown trout
can be found. Hybridization was also confirmed experimentally (Kosorić & Vuković. 1969). Adriatic trout prefers rivers with more water and wide riverbed. Adriatic and brown trout have different spawning times that overlap only slightly every few years, which is why natural hybridization is not widespread and both species live sympatrically in the same rivers.
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
s include Thymallus microlepis, Salmothymus obtusirostris and Salar obtusirostris.
This species spawns in the early spring and is an obligatory freshwater
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
fish. They are an important game fish
Game fish
Game fish are fish pursued for sport by recreational anglers. They can be freshwater or marine fish. Game fish can be eaten after being caught, though increasingly anglers practise catch and release to improve fish populations. Some game fish are also targeted commercially, particularly...
.
Distribution and subspecies
Salmo obtusirostris is found naturally in five drainages of the Adriatic Sea, in CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
: the Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
, Vrljika, Jadro
Jadro River
The Jadro River is a watercourse in Dalmatia, Croatia that discharges to the Adriatic Sea. The upper reaches of the Jadro River as well as its source are protected as an ichthyological nature reserve, partly due to the presence of an endemic species of soft-mouthed trout...
, Zeta
Zeta River
Zeta is a river in Montenegro. It starts near Nikšić, under the Planinica hill flows eastwards for until it confluences into the Morača River just north of Podgorica....
and Krka
Krka (Croatia)
Krka is a river in Croatia's Dalmatia region, famous for its numerous waterfalls. It is long and its basin covers an area of .Possibly the river called Catarbates by the ancient Greeks, it was known to the ancient Romans as Titius, Corcoras, or Korkoras.The river has its source near the border...
river drainages. In addition it has been introduced from the Jadro to the Zrnovnica
Žrnovnica
Žrnovnica is a settlement in Croatia, administratively part of the city of Split. The population is 2,524 .-References:...
drainage in about 1960. The different populations are sometimes classified into subspecies:
- Salmo obtusirostris oxyrhynchus: NeretvaNeretvaNeretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
and its tributaries the BunaBuna RiverBuna River may refer to:* Buna River in Bosnia and Herzegovina, left tributary of the Neretva* Bojana River in Albania and Montenegro, Buna in Albanian, which flows from Lake Shkodra into the Adriatic....
, the BregavaBregavaThe Bregava is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina that passes through the town of Stolac. It is a left tributary of the Neretva river.- See also :* Neretva* Stolac* Buna* Trebižat* Krupa* Hutovo Blato* Daorson* List of Illyrian cities...
, the RamaRamaRama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, the TrebižatTrebižatTrebižat is a village in Herzegovina, in Čapljina municipality, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Ethnic composition, 1991 census:total: 1,399* Croats - 1,371 * "Yugoslavs" - 11 * Bosniaks - 9...
in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and the Vrljika within both Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... - Salmo obtusirostris salonitana: the Jadro RiverJadro RiverThe Jadro River is a watercourse in Dalmatia, Croatia that discharges to the Adriatic Sea. The upper reaches of the Jadro River as well as its source are protected as an ichthyological nature reserve, partly due to the presence of an endemic species of soft-mouthed trout...
and the Žrnovnica River in CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... - Salmo obtusirostris krkensis: the Krka riverKrka (Croatia)Krka is a river in Croatia's Dalmatia region, famous for its numerous waterfalls. It is long and its basin covers an area of .Possibly the river called Catarbates by the ancient Greeks, it was known to the ancient Romans as Titius, Corcoras, or Korkoras.The river has its source near the border...
in Croatia - Salmo obtusirostris zetensis: the Zeta RiverZeta RiverZeta is a river in Montenegro. It starts near Nikšić, under the Planinica hill flows eastwards for until it confluences into the Morača River just north of Podgorica....
and the Morača River in MontenegroMontenegroMontenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
.
Appearance and anatomy
The most obvious characteristic of the Adriatic trout is an elongated snout. It also has a small and flashy mouth, relatively large scales and high body depth. Color of the body varies between subspecies, mostly it is green with red and black dots. No vertical stripes that are common in brown trout of the Adriatic Sea drainages can be found.Conservation
Adriatic trout are threatened by hybridization with introduced speciesIntroduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and overfishing
Overfishing
Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....
. In the river Neretva, natural hybrids (named kosor by locals) between Adriatic and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
can be found. Hybridization was also confirmed experimentally (Kosorić & Vuković. 1969). Adriatic trout prefers rivers with more water and wide riverbed. Adriatic and brown trout have different spawning times that overlap only slightly every few years, which is why natural hybridization is not widespread and both species live sympatrically in the same rivers.