No_Bad_Skunks said:
Does a Dolly Varden count the same as a Bull Trout in that slam? If so, I qualify; if not, I don't.
Dolly's are not actually a trout, they're in the Char family, though I'd love to catch one!
Interesting info...Char, Grayling, Whitefish etc. all evolved from a common related ancestor when the number of chromosomes doubled. Smelt are in a related family (Osmeridae) but have ½ the number of chromosomes (and half the DNA) of Salmonidae, so it looks like both families evolved from a common ancestor before the doubling took place. Until recently, classification was based on dissection and observation of physical characteristics, and smelt share many of the same characteritics- no bones in fins (like more evolutionarily advanced species like bass, perch etc), small cycloid scales, and adipose fins, so maybe at some point they were considered in the same family by some biologists until recently. With advances in genetic research, more emphasis in classification is placed on determining evolutionary relationships based on detailed analysis of DNA similarities and differences which weren't available until fairly recently
OK what's the difference between Char, Trout and Salmon?
Char (Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Dolly Varden, Artic Char etc) have light spots on a dark background, no black spots, and absence of teeth on the vomerine bone in the roof of the mouth.
Trout(Rainbows, Cuts, Browns etc) and Salmon (both Pacific and Atlantic) have dark spots on lighter backgrounds and teeth on the vomer.
The distinction between trout and salmon is less clear.
Better to think of origin from the Pacific in genus Oncorhynchus which has both Pacific Salmon and trout like rainbows and cuththroats. Here the salmon die after spawning and have 13 or more rays in the anal fin, and trout including both stream and migratory versions of species ( i.e. rainbows and steelhead) which don't die after spawning and have 12 rays or less.
Atlantic origin, genus Salar includes Atlantic Salmon and Brown trout, which appear to be very closely related, and don't die after spawning. Although there are typical differences like a more pronounced forked tail in the Atlantics and squarish tail in browns, sometimes biologists can only tell the difference by counting chromosomes because there is a lot of intergrading of physical characteristics between the two.
Not pickin on you just thought it was some interesting information for everyone
