Blunt-nosed Irish charr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blunt-nosed Irish charr |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Salvelinus
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| Species: |
obtusus
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| Synonyms | |
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Salvelinus evasus (Freyhof & Kottelat, 2005) |
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The Salvelinus obtusus, also known as the blunt-nosed Irish charr, is a special type of fish found in lakes. It belongs to the Salmonidae family, which includes salmon and trout. This fish is only found in the Lakes of Killarney in Ireland.
About Its Name
The word "charr" (or "char") comes from an old Irish word, ceara or cera. This word means "blood red," which describes the fish's pink-red belly. The Welsh name for this fish, torgoch, also means "red belly."
The second part of its scientific name, obtusus, is a Latin word. It means "blunt," which refers to the fish's blunt-shaped nose.
How the Blunt-Nosed Charr Looks
The blunt-nosed Irish charr lives near the bottom of lakes but also swims in open water. It can grow up to 18 centimeters (about 7 inches) long.
You can tell this charr apart from other similar fish by a few features:
- It has a blunt snout (nose).
- Its back (dorsal profile) is rounded.
- It has a short lower jaw. When its mouth is closed, the lower jaw fits inside the upper jaw.
- The depth of its body is about 20–25% of the length of its snout.
Where It Lives
Sadly, the blunt-nosed Irish charr is a critically endangered fish. This means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
Today, you can only find this special fish in two lakes: Muckross Lake and Lough Leane. Both of these lakes are in Ireland.
In the past, this charr lived in more lakes, including Lough Tay, Lough Dan, Lough Nalughraman, and Lough Acoose. However, it is no longer found in those places.
One of the biggest threats to the blunt-nosed Irish charr is something called eutrophication. This happens when too many nutrients, often from pollution, get into the lake. These extra nutrients can cause too much algae to grow, which then uses up the oxygen in the water. This makes it hard for fish like the charr to survive.
See also
In Spanish: Salvelinus obtusus para niños
