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Atlantic Salmon

Fish

The Atlantic salmon is a large fish native to rivers draining into the North Atlantic Ocean, on both the European and North American coasts, well known for its anadromous life cycle in which it hatches in freshwater rivers, migrates to the ocean to grow to adulthood, and then returns, often to the very same river of its birth, to spawn. Adults are streamlined and silvery at sea, developing darker, mottled coloring and, in males, a hooked lower jaw as they enter freshwater to breed. The species undertakes long, physically demanding upstream migrations, leaping rapids and waterfalls to reach spawning grounds, and many individuals die after spawning, though some survive to breed again in subsequent years. Wild Atlantic salmon populations have declined significantly across much of their historic range due to dam construction, habitat degradation, overfishing and disease, even as the species has become one of the most widely farmed fish in the world for food.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 2
System (Realm)
Marine and Freshwater 3
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 4
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Derived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status.
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
At maturity the fish takes on a silver-blue sheen with black spots concentrated above the lateral line and an unspotted caudal fin, distinguishing it from the blue and red spotted coloring of the freshwater juvenile stage. 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G5 Secure 5
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 2
Scientific Name
Salmo salar 1
Conservation Status
Near Threatened 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Salmo, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Atlantic Salmon

In Biome

Freshwater, Biomes
Source Atlantic Salmon (Wikipedia)

In Ecosystem

Great Lakes, Ecosystems
Source Atlantic Salmon (Wikipedia)
Svalbard, Ecosystems
Source Atlantic Salmon (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Argentina

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Australia

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Austria

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Belarus

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Belgium

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Brazil

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Bulgaria

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Canada

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Chile

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China

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Cyprus

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Czechia

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Denmark

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Estonia

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Finland

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France

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Germany

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Greece

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North America

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Spain

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Switzerland

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United Kingdom

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Sources
1. Atlantic Salmon (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction, first sentence
    The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae.
  • Conservation section
    The IUCN rates Salmo salar with a conservation status of "near threatened".
  • Description section
    At maturity, they take on a silver-blue sheen. The easiest way of identifying them as an adult is by the black spots predominantly above the lateral line, though the caudal fin is usually unspotted.
  • In Biome: Freshwater, Wikipedia intro: "ions of this fish only migrate to large lakes, and are "landlocked", spending their entire lives in freshwater. Such populations are found throughout the range..."
  • In Ecosystem: Great Lakes, Restoration efforts
    In the Great Lakes, Atlantic salmon have been reintroduced, but the percentage of salmon reproducing naturally is very low.
  • In Ecosystem: Svalbard, Distribution and habitat
    Atlantic salmon have spread north to colonise Svalbard (78°N) from 2002-2006 onward, due to the warming of the climate there.
View the Source
2. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Salmo salar
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Primary Diet, Salmo salar
    Primary Diet carnivore carnivore
  • Conservation Status: CITES
    CITES No special status
View the Source
3. Wikipedia: Atlantic salmon
system (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
Quote, system (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
Atlantic salmon are found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into it.
View the Source
4. Atlantic salmon (Wikipedia)
  • long been the target of recreational and commercial fishing
  • farmed in great numbers in many countries, with Norway producing over 50% of the farmed world supply
View the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Salmo salar
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
View the Source
Wikidata: Atlantic Salmon
  • Wikidata Q188879, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
  • Child Taxon Of: Salmo, Wikidata P171 (parent taxon) claim, rank=normal, target=Q310436 (Salmo)
View the Source
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