Orkney charr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orkney charr |
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The Orkney charr (Salvelinus inframundus) is a special type of cold-water fish. It belongs to the Salmonidae family, which also includes salmon and trout. This fish is endemic to Scotland, meaning it's found naturally only there.
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What Does the Orkney Charr Look Like?
The Orkney charr has a body that isn't very deep, less than one-fifth of its total length. Its mouth is positioned on the underside of its head.
Fins and Features
The fins on its chest, called pectoral fins, are about 67–88% the length of its head. It has 8–9 soft rays in its back fin, called the dorsal fin, and 8–9 soft rays in its belly fin, known as the anal fin.
This fish has moderately large teeth. It also has 9–11 branchiostegals (bony rays supporting the gill membrane), 13–14 gill rakers (small bony projections on the gills), 188–200 lateral scales (scales along its side), and 63–64 vertebrae (backbones).
Color and Markings
The Orkney charr has a blunt snout. Its sides are a steel-grey color, while its belly can be white, pinkish, or bright orange. You can see many whitish spots along its sides, mostly on the upper half of its body. The pectoral and anal fins are orange-brown to orange-red. Its pelvic fins can be cherry-red, and all these fins have a white edge at the front.
Where Does the Orkney Charr Live?
This fish was first found in Heldale Water, on Hoy Island in Orkney, Scotland. Sadly, it is thought to be locally extinct there since 1908. This means it no longer lives in that specific area.
A Rare and Threatened Fish
The Orkney charr is a very rare fish and could be a threatened species. Recently, it has been found in Loch Mealt, on the Isle of Skye.
It's not fully known how Canadian Arctic char fish farming in Loch Mealt might affect the native charr population. Also, scientists don't have enough information to be sure about the exact type of charr found there. Because of this, a full IUCN Red List assessment (which checks how endangered a species is) cannot be made. So, the species is currently considered data deficient, meaning there isn't enough information to properly assess its risk.
How the Orkney Charr Got Its Name
Salevlinus inframundus was first officially described by an English ichthyologist (a scientist who studies fish) named Charles Tate Regan in 1909. The place where the first specimen was found, called the type locality, was Hellyal Lake. This lake is now known as Heldale Water on the Isle of Hoy in the Orkneys.
Meaning of the Name
The specific name of this fish, inframundus, comes from two words. Infra means "below," and mundus means "world." So, it means "underworld." This name is a nod to Hellyal, which comes from Norse goddess of the underworld, Hel.
Scientific Debate
There's some debate among scientists about the exact classification of charr populations found in lakes across Europe. These fish live in separate areas and look quite different from each other. Some experts believe that there is only one species of charr in Europe. They think that most populations are just different types of the subspecies Salvelinus alpinus alpinus. They believe the differences are due to the fish adapting to their local environments, not because they are different species.
However, other scientists believe that each population should be considered a separate species. In Britain and Ireland alone, 15 different charr populations have been recognized as distinct species.
See also
In Spanish: Salvelinus inframundus para niños
