Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

General data

Main name: Lake trout
Climates: Continental, Subpolar, Mountain
Habitat: Freshwater
Native: North America
Introduced: Europe, South America
Distribution: Neretva, St. Lawrence River, Yukon, Lake Winnipeg, Thelon River, Kuskokwim River

Classification

Genus: Salvelinus - Chars
Family: Salmonidae - Salmons and Trouts
Order: Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts
Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes

Description

The lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) is a big freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, namaycush, lake char (or charr), touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, it can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbelly and lean. The lake trout is prized both as a game fish and as a food fish. Those caught with dark coloration may be called mud hens. Range From a zoogeographical perspective, lake trout have a relatively narrow distribution. They are native only to the northern parts of North America, principally Canada, but also Alaska and, to some extent, the northeastern United States. Lake trout have been widely introduced into non-native waters in North America and into many other parts of the world, mainly Europe, but also into South America and certain parts of Asia. Lake trout were illegally or accidentally introduced into Yellowstone Lake in the 1980s where they are now considered invasive. Description Lake trout are the largest of the chars; the record weighed almost 102 pounds (46 kg) (netted) with a length of 50 inches (130 cm), and 15–40-pound (6.8–18.1-kilogram) fish are not uncommon. The average length is 24–36 inches (61–91 centimeters). The largest caught on a rod and reel according to the IGFA was 72 pounds (33 kg), caught in Great Bear Lake in 1995 with a length of 59 inches (150 cm). Lake trout inhabit cold, oxygen-rich waters. They are pelagic during the period of summer stratification in dimictic lakes, often living at depths of 20–60 m (66–197 ft). The lake trout is a slow-growing fish, typical of oligotrophic waters. It is also very late to mature. Populations are extremely susceptible to overfishing. Many native lake trout populations have been severely damaged through the combined effects of hatchery stocking (planting) and over harvest. Another threat to lake trout is acidification, which can have long-term effects on their populations through both direct harm and reduced prey populations (e.g. Mysis relicta). There are three subspecies of lake trout. There is the common lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush namaycush), the siscowet lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet), and the less common rush lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush huronicus). Some lakes do not have pelagic forage fish during the period of summer stratification. In these lakes, lake trout take on a life history known as planktivory. Lake trout in planktivorous populations are highly abundant, grow very slowly and mature at relatively small sizes. In those lakes that do contain deep-water forage, lake trout become piscivorous. Piscivorous lake trout grow much more quickly, mature at a larger size and are less abundant. Notwithstanding differences in abundance, the density of biomass of lake trout is fairly consistent in similar lakes, regardless of whether the lake trout populations they contain are planktivorous or piscivorous.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Salmonidae - Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Salmo - Atlantic Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Hucho - Huchens->
    
    Salvelinus - Chars->
    
    Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus)
    
    Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
    
    Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
    
    Dolly Varden trout (Salvelinus malma)
    
    Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus)
    
    Lake char (Salvelinus umbla)
    
    Whitespotted char (Salvelinus leucomaenis)
    
    Silver trout (Salvelinus agassizii)
    
    White char (Salvelinus albus)
    
    Angayukaksurak char (Salvelinus anaktuvukensis)
    
    Chukot char (Salvelinus andriashevi)
    
    Boganida char (Salvelinus boganidae)
    
    Salvelinus colii (Salvelinus colii)
    
    Salvelinus curilus (Salvelinus curilus)
    
    Cherskii’s char (Salvelinus czerskii)
    
    Dryanin’s char (Salvelinus drjagini)
    
    Small-mouth char (Salvelinus elgyticus)
    
    Salvelinus faroensis (Salvelinus faroensis)
    
    Salvelinus fimbriatus (Salvelinus fimbriatus)
    
    Salvelinus gracillimus (Salvelinus gracillimus)
    
    Salvelinus grayi (Salvelinus grayi)
    
    Salvelinus gritzenkoi (Salvelinus gritzenkoi)
    
    Salvelinus inframundus (Salvelinus inframundus)
    
    Yakutian char (Salvelinus jacuticus)
    
    Kirikuchi char (Salvelinus japonicus)
    
    Salvelinus killinensis (Salvelinus killinensis)
    
    Salvelinus krogiusae (Salvelinus krogiusae)
    
    Salvelinus kronocius (Salvelinus kronocius)
    
    Salvelinus kuznetzovi (Salvelinus kuznetzovi)
    
    Salvelinus lepechini (Salvelinus lepechini)
    
    Salvelinus levanidovi (Salvelinus levanidovi)
    
    Salvelinus lonsdalii (Salvelinus lonsdalii)
    
    Salvelinus mallochi (Salvelinus mallochi)
    
    Salvelinus maxillaris (Salvelinus maxillaris)
    
    Salvelinus murta (Salvelinus murta)
    
    Neiva (Salvelinus neiva)
    
    Salvelinus neocomensis (Salvelinus neocomensis)
    
    Salvelinus obtusus (Salvelinus obtusus)
    
    Salvelinus perisii (Salvelinus perisii)
    
    Salvelinus profundus (Salvelinus profundus)
    
    Bear Island charr (Salvelinus salvelinoinsularis)
    
    Salvelinus schmidti (Salvelinus schmidti)
    
    Salvelinus struanensis (Salvelinus struanensis)
    
    Salvelinus taimyricus (Salvelinus taimyricus)
    
    Salvelinus taranetzi (Salvelinus taranetzi)
    
    Salvelinus thingvallensis (Salvelinus thingvallensis)
    
    Esei lake char (Salvelinus tolmachoffi)
    
    Sakhalinian char (Salvelinus vasiljevae)
    
    Char (Salvelinus willoughbii)
    
    Golden charr (Salvelinus youngeri)
    
    Oncorhynchus - Pacific Salmons and Trouts->
    
    Thymallus - Graylings->
    
    Coregonus - Whitefishes->
    
    Prosopium - North American whitefishes->
    
    Parahucho - Sakhalin taimen->
    
    Brachymystax - Lenoks->
    
    Stenodus - Nelma whitefish->
    
    Salvethymus - Salvethymus->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->