Also called: American char.
Similar to the brown trout, it has a large head and mouth; on its brown-purple sides there are numerous small, roundish spots, some yellowish and some blue-purple, the latter with white spots.
On the back, first dorsal fin, and caudal fin, there is a vermiculation similar to that of the marble trout, though less evident in lake-dwelling specimens. The pectoral, ventral, and anal fins are yellow-orange in color, and are bordered anteriorly by two distinctive lines: the first white and the second black. During the breeding season, the livery takes on brighter colors, particularly in males: the ventral region becomes red-orange. Body length can reach 40 cm, but in high mountain streams it does not exceed 20-22 cm.
Native to North America, the brook trout lives in the cold, clear, oxygenated waters of streams and lakes, even at very high altitudes. It is carnivorous and feeds on macrozoobenthos and winged insects. Adults also eat fish.
Males reach sexual maturity in their second or third year, and females in their third or fourth. Reproduction occurs in autumn, between October and December. Spawning occurs on gravelly bottoms in shallow, flowing waters. Each female lays several hundred eggs.
This species is prized by sport fishermen for its color and excellent meat. It is farmed and sometimes released into private lakes for commercial fishing. As it is a non-native species, its release into public waters should be avoided.
Dialect: salmerin, salmarin .
G. TOMASI, 2004 - The Three Hundred Lakes of Trentino. Ed. Artimedia – Temi, Trento, 535 pp.
