In the ocean, it is almost impossible to tell the gender of a salmon because they both look identical. By looking at the appearance and behaviour during mating, biologists are able to end the universal question - Who exactly is in charge between the sexes? The term sexual dimorphism (di = Two, morph = look=) is simply another jargon that biologists have made up to explain why boys and gals look so apart. Why are there such unique differences between the appearances of a male and a female spawning salmon? Why do some fish return into the river earlier than they are expected? More importantly, does size really matter? The theory behind these mysterious behaviours is rather complex and in many cases it resembles the rules of mating in the human society. This is often seen in chinook and coho salmon. Anglers who frequently target salmonids during their returns will often encounter the odd fish that are distinctly smaller. Generally, the male will be larger than the female individuals, and individuals within a school of run do not differentiate largely in size. During this process, the characteristics of male and female will diverge from an uniform look that they possess in the ocean. In the case of Pacific salmon, sexual maturation occurs between 2 to 5 years after birth, depending on the species.
What's up with Jack? By Rodney Hsu, Fishing with Rod | Published in December 2001įish come in all sizes, every angler knows that, however a fish needs to reach a certain size to become sexually matured.
0 kommentar(er)
