Salmo marmoratus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Salmoniformes |
Family: | Salmonidae |
Genus: | Salmo |
Species: | S. marmoratus |
Binomial name | |
Salmo marmoratus G. Cuvier, 1829 | |
Salmo marmoratus, the marble trout, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Salmonidae. It is characterized by a distinctive marbled color pattern and high growth capacity. The marble trout is found in only a handful of drainages and rivers of the Adriatic basin in (going from north to south) Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, while in Albania, the species is considered most likely extirpated.
In Italy, marble trout inhabits left tributaries of the upper northwestern reaches of the Po River, and Italian northeastern sub-Alpine region's direct Adriatic watersheds, namely the Adige, the Brenta, the Piave, the Tagliamento, and the Livenza; in shared Slovenia and Italy drainage of the Soča with Natisone; in shared Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia drainage of the Neretva river, and in shared Montenegro and Albania drainage of the Morača with Zeta river, and the tributary Cem (Cijevna). [2] While once present in the Drin river basin in Albania, with White Drin in Kosovo and Black Drin in North Macedonia and Albania (as well as the Zalli i Bulqizes and the Okshtuni tributaries), and the Aoos river basin in Albania and Greece (as well as the Sarantaporos and the Drino tributaries), the fish is almost certainly extirpated there. [3] [4] [5]
The marble trout has a long, cylindrical body, slightly compressed laterally, with a large head (22–25% of the body length), which is why it is also known as glavatica (glava = head) in Bosnian. The most obvious characteristic of the marble trout is its marble pattern. The intensity of colour varies considerably upon the surroundings. Some marble trout have red spots that merge with the rest of the pigment, always only along the lateral line. [6]
Its typical size is 30–70 cm. The largest specimen in Slovenia was a 117-cm, 24-kg female (found dead), [7] largest living specimen caught was 120 cm and 22.5 kg. [8] Individuals weighing up to 30 kg have been reported. [6] The largest specimens were found in Bosnia and Herzegovina, inhabiting the Neretva River from below town of Konjic downstream to town of Čapljina, mostly in canyon section from town of Jablanica to city of Mostar, and later after construction of Jablanica Dam on the Neretva River in Jablaničko Lake. [9] Trout become sexually mature at the age 3+ years (males) and 4+ years (females), and they spawn during November and December.
The marble trout is piscivorous, feed mainly on smaller fish and benthic invertebrates.
Its natural habitat is rivers with a summer temperature of 15 °C (59 °F). It suffers numerous threats to its existence throughout its range, these include hybridisation with foreign trout species stocked for angling, water extraction, and pollution. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, its main threats are habitat loss (habitat destruction) due to construction of five large dams on the Neretva Rriver and plans for construction of several new dams on the upper course of the Neretva, water pollution, overfishing (sportfishing, food, including poaching), and hybridisation with introduced species of trout.
All eight remaining genetically pure marble trout populations were found in remote streams of the River Soča basin. [10] From these populations the Tolmin Angler's Society launched a reintroduction programme. [11]
Adding to the confusion of salmonid taxonomy, other trout have marble patterns beside S. marmoratus. One is trout from the river Otra, Norway. A certain percentage of brown trout (Salmo trutta) from that river have a marble pattern. In all other aspects, these trout are identical to the nonmarble brown trout from the same river. This is an example of intrapopulational polymorphism. [12] [13]
Soča or Isonzo is a 138-kilometre (86 mi) long river that flows through western Slovenia and northeastern Italy.
The Neretva, also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four hydroelectric power plants with large dams provide flood protection, electricity and water storage. The Neretva is recognized for its natural environment and diverse landscapes.
Salmo is a genus of ray-finned fish from the subfamily Salmoninae of family Salmonidae, and is part of the tribe Salmonini along with the sister genera Salvelinus and Salvethymus. Almost all Salmo species are native only in the Old World, the only exception being the Atlantic salmon, which is also naturally found across the North Atlantic in eastern North America.
Salmo obtusirostris, commonly known as the softmouth trout, also known as the Adriatic trout, or Adriatic salmon, is a species of salmonid fish endemic to a handful rivers spilling into Adriatic in the Western Balkans, in southeastern Europe, namely in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro. The scientific name has changed several times through history; synonyms include Thymallus microlepis, Salmothymus obtusirostris and Salar obtusirostris.
Ohrid trout or the Lake Ohrid brown trout is an endemic species of trout in Lake Ohrid and in its tributaries and outlet, the Black Drin river, in North Macedonia and Albania. Locally, the fish is known as охридска пастрмка in Macedonian and Koran or Korani in Albanian.
Jablaničko Lake is a large artificially formed lake on the Neretva River, right below Konjic where the Neretva expands into a wide valley. The river provided a lot of fertile, agricultural land there before the lake flooded most of it. The lake was created in 1953 after the construction of Jablanica Dam near Jablanica in central Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Salmo aphelios is a species of trout, a salmonid fish endemic to Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia and Albania in the Balkans.
Salmo balcanicus is a type of trout, a fish in the family Salmonidae. It is endemic to Lake Ohrid and its outlet in North Macedonia and Albania in the Balkans.
Salmo dentex is a variety of trout, a freshwater fish in the family Salmonidae, found in the western Balkans. Until recently the identity, biological distinctness and species status of the dentex trout were not properly clarified, but genetic data now suggest it is not a monophyletic unit that could be distinguished from other salmonids as a separate species.
Salmo macrostigma is a species of freshwater trout endemic to Algeria in northwest Africa. It can reach a length of 60 centimetres (24 in) TL.
Salmo peristericus, or the Prespa trout is a variety of trout, a freshwater fish in the family Salmonidae. It is endemic to the Lake Prespa watershed at the border area of Greece and North Macedonia.
Salmo platycephalus, known as the flathead trout, Ala balik or the Turkish trout, is a type of trout, a fish in the family Salmonidae. It is endemic to southeastern Turkey. It is known only from one population, which occupies three streams, tributaries of the Zamantı River in the Seyhan River basin. The population itself is abundant, but subject to threat by habitat loss, since the range is small. Also, predation of juveniles by introduced rainbow trout may cause population decline. The species is classified as critically endangered.
The Idrijca is a river flowing through the Idrija Hills and Cerkno Hills in Slovenia. It is 60 kilometres (37 mi) long. It rises near Vojsko, flows towards northeast and after passing through Idrija turns to the northwest. After passing through Spodnja Idrija and Cerkno it joins the Soča in Most na Soči. It has a pluvio-nival regime and belongs to the Adriatic Sea Basin.
Konjic is a city located in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Herzegovina, around 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of Sarajevo, in a mountainous, heavily wooded area, and is 268 m (879 ft) above sea level. The municipality extends on both sides of the Neretva River. According to the 2013 census, the city of Konjic has a population of 10,732 inhabitants, whereas the municipality has 25,148.
Rakitnica is the main tributary of the first section of the Neretva river, also called Upper Neretva (Bosnian: Gornja Neretva). It meets Neretva from the right, flowing from north to south, between Bjelašnica and Visočica mountains.
The Krupa river is a left tributary of the river Neretva and the main water current of Hutovo Blato, which leads the waters from Gornje Blato and Svitavsko Lake into the Neretva river near Dračevo. The length of Krupa is 9 km with an average depth of 5 meters. The Krupa is an extension and outlet of Deransko Lake. Also, the Krupa is a unique river in Europe, because the river flows both ways. It flows normally from the source to the mouth and from the mouth to the source. This happens when, due to high water levels and large quantities of water, the Neretva pushes the Krupa river in the opposite direction. The river has rich biodiversity, with numerous fish species endemic to the Neretva basin inhabiting Krupa and its lakes. It is observed that important Salmo marmoratus, known under its vernacular name as glavatica and/or gonjavac, and endemic to the handful of rivers of the Adriatic watershed, enters these waters to spawn.
Glavatičevo is a small village in Konjic Municipality, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is a central village to a group of villages of a wider Glavatičevo, positioned 30 km southeast of Konjic, within a wide Župa Valley straddling the Neretva river. The village and its wider areal, with surrounding villages and the valley, is also referred to as Župa Glavatičevo, or Komska Župa, or simply Župa (transl. parish).
Upper Neretva, is the upper course of the Neretva river, including vast mountainous area surrounding the Neretva, with numerous human settlements, peaks and forests, numerous streams and well-springs, three major glacial lakes near the river and even more scattered across the mountains of Treskavica and Zelengora, in a wider area of the Upper Neretva with its flora and fauna.
The fish fauna of the Neretva river basin in the western Balkans is representative of the Dinaric karst region and characterized by several endemic and endangered species.
The Vrljika is short sinking river in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, belonging to Neretva River basin. Its source is located on the outskirts of village Proložac near town of Imotski, Croatia. The Vrljika River is home of endangered endemic Softmouth trout, also known as Adriatic trout.