Ala Balik
J. Schoffmann |
The ala balik is a species of trout found in the Zamanti and Seyhan Rivers of Turkey. It's appearance and colorations are very similar to the brown trout (Salmo trutta), which is silvery or olive with dark spots on the sides of the body, and there is also a pale border appearing on both sides. The spots are often surrounded by a lighter halo. Its tail is more fork-like unlike the brown trout's square tail.
The ala balik is a freshwater species and prefers cool mountain streams for its habitat. Little is known about its general and reproductive behavior. Generally trout diet consists of smaller fishes, insects, molluscs, and crustaceans. The ala balik is restricted to its range and not a migratory species like most other salmon species.
The ala balik population is abundant but remains threatened by illegal net fishing. Also, the introduction of the rainbow trout in the area poses a threat because it competes with the ala balik for food, and it also preys on young trout (larvae). The IUCN has listed this species as "critically endangered due to habitat decline and/or limited range of occurrence."
Wikipedia Article Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Salmo platycephalus". |
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