Dolly Varden facts for kids
The Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) is a type of fish that belongs to the salmon family. It lives in cold rivers and streams that flow into the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. People sometimes used to confuse it with a trout.
Dolly Varden are actually a kind of fish called 'chars'. You can tell them apart because Dolly Varden have light spots on a dark body. Trout usually have dark spots on a light body. If they live in freshwater (like lakes or rivers), their bodies are brown or olive green on top. Their bellies are light colored. They eat aquatic insects, other fish, and even fish eggs.
Where Did the Name "Dolly Varden" Come From?
The name 'Dolly Varden' comes from a fictional character in a book by Charles Dickens. This character was known for wearing very brightly colored dresses. Because of her, colorful women's dresses were called "Dolly Vardens" back then.
In 1872, a man named Livingston Stone noticed something interesting. Fishermen on the McCloud River in California were calling the brightly colored fish they caught "Dolly Varden." They named the fish after the popular dresses.
However, there were no true Dolly Varden fish in the McCloud River. The fishermen were probably catching a similar fish called the Bull Trout. Even though it was a mistake, the name "Dolly Varden" stuck for the Salvelinus malma fish we know today!
