''Salmo cenerinus'' is a species of fish from the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Salmonidae Salmonidae (, ) is a family (biology), family of ray-finned fish, the only extant member of the suborder Salmonoidei, consisting of 11 extant genera and over 200 species collectively known as "salmonids" or "salmonoids". The family includes salmo ...

, in northern Italy from the Po to the Isonzo and on the northern slope of the

Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...

. The species was introduced to different waters outside their original distribution area, to which may also include the Isonzo area. In various places it has probably hybridized with introduced trout (''

Salmo trutta The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a species of salmonid ray-finned fish and the most widely distributed species of the genus ''Salmo'', endemic to most of Europe, West Asia and parts of North Africa, and has been widely introduced species, in ...

'').

Description

''Salmo cenerinus'' in lakes grows to 80 centimeters and in rivers to only 40 centimeters body length. Black and dark brown, and red spots are present all over the body. The caudal fin is slightly indented.

Lifecycle

The species colonized clear, fast-flowing and well-aerated streams in the hill country, and subalpine and alpine lakes, with two different morphs occur ("trout" and "lake trout"). As a food serve aquatic insects and other invertebrates, large individuals also prey on fish. The spawning period is dependent on altitude and temperature and is from November to February. Eggs are laid in smaller tributaries on gravel base. Males become sexually mature at two, with females three years, the maximum age is at least eight years.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1771300 cenerinus Taxa named by Maurice Kottelat Fish described in 1997