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Mountain Whitefish
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Species
description provided by eNature
Description
12–20". Cylindrical. Slaty above; sides pale silvery
olive or dull brown; belly white. Head smallish; mouth overhung,
very small, weak, toothless. All fins black-tipped; dorsal fin triangular;
large adipose fin; tail fin forked. Feeds from surface to bottom
on plankton and insects. Spawns Aug.-Nov. over gravel beds in stream
riffles.
Habitat
Cold streams, upper levels of lakes.
Range
ID, w and s MT, w WY.
Discussion
The Mountain Whitefish is a member of the trout family (family Salmonidae).
All trouts and salmons have a pelvic axillary scale and an adipose
fin, and most have well-developed teeth on both jaws. The gill membranes
extend far forward and are free of the isthmus. The swim bladder
is connected to the alimentary tract, allowing these fishes to change
depth rapidly. Many salmonids exhibit significant sexual differences
in color and morphology during the spawning season. They occur in
temperate fresh and salt water in the Northern Hemisphere and have
been widely introduced in North America, where there are 39 species.
Many salmonids are important game fishes.
