Alpha Male
The alpha male challenge
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) alpha male raises his snout as an aggressive display towards a challenger (in foreground).
ActinopterygiiAlaskaChordataClass ActinopterygiiInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus nerkaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataPower CreekRed SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSockeye SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malechordatefish behaviormale aggressionmale behaviormale threat posturenear Cordovapostureunderwater
Alpha male competition
Competing to be alpha male, one male Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) bites another.
18mile CreekActinopterygiiAlaskaAutumnChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonCopper River DeltaInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateaggressionalpha malebiospherechordatecompetitionfightingfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnatureunderwaterunderwaterphotowild
Dolly Varden spawning
Alpha male Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma) quivers the female as spawning ends.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonAutumnChordataClass ActinopterygiiDolly VardenDolly Varden CharDolly Varden CharrDolly Varden Charr southern formInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSalvelinus malmaSalvelinus malma lordiSeacam underwater housingSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatefish behaviorin situnaturalworldspawningspawning actspawning behaviorunderwaterwildwild charwild charrwild salmonwild trout
From Dolly Varden Charr
Female Chinook Salmon probes her redd
A Female Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) probes her redd while alpha male guards.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonChinook SalmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiInfraclass TeleosteiKing SalmonNeopterygiiOncorhynchus tshawytschaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatefish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturephotographed under waterprobingspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Chinook Salmon
Chum Salmon spawning pair
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawning pair
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecovering reddfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturephotographed under waterspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Dolly Varden pair
Alpha male Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) quivers while displaying his pectoral fins at a female.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonAutumnChordataClass ActinopterygiiDolly VardenDolly Varden CharDolly Varden CharrDolly Varden Charr southern formInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSalvelinus malmaSalvelinus malma lordiSeacam underwater housingSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatein situnaturalworldunderwaterwildwild charwild charrwild salmonwild trout
From Dolly Varden Charr
Female Chum Salmon probes
A female Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) probes while alpha male blocks a rival's access by crossing-over.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecovering reddfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturephotographed under waterprobingspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Chum Salmon spawners
Alpha male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) crosses over the female he is courting.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecourtshipcovering reddcrossing overcrossingoverfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturephotographed under waterspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Sockeye Salmon spawning pair
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawning pair in glacier fed Power Creek near Cordova, Alaska.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus nerkaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataPower CreekRed SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSockeye SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherebreeding colorschordatecourtshipfish behaviorglacial sedimentin situnaturalworldnaturenear Cordovanuptial colorationspawning behaviorspawning pairturbidunderwaterunderwaterphotowild
From Sockeye Salmon
Dolly Varden spawning pair
Alpha male southern form Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma lordi) signals the female during courtship by extending and quivering his colorful paired fins. There is a small cascade in the background.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonAutumnChordataClass ActinopterygiiDolly VardenDolly Varden CharDolly Varden CharrDolly Varden Charr southern formInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSalvelinus malmaSalvelinus malma lordiSeacam underwater housingSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatein situnaturalworldnatureunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild charwild charrwild trout
From Dolly Varden Charr
Female Coho Salmon probes while male gapes
Female Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) probes while alpha male encouages her to spawn by gaping. Aspect Ratio = 1:2.
Alaska wild salmonAutumnClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonInfraclass TeleosteiOncorhynchus kisutchOncorhynchus nerkaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataRed SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSockeye SalmonSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostVertebratealpha malebiospherefish behaviorin situnaturalworldnatureprobingsalmonography.comspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Coho Salmon
Pink salmon spawning pair
Alpha male Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) comes alongside and quivers a female who is probing her redd. Underwater view in an Alaskan intertidal stream during the summer.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiHumpback SalmonInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus gorbuschaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataPink SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatefish behaviorin situintertidal spawningmale behaviornaturalworldnatureprobingquiveringspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Pink Salmon
Chum Salmon spawning pair
Female Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) excavating her redd as a alpha male guards. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecourtshipcovering reddcrossing overdiggingexcavatingfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturephotographed under waterspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Mature male Chum Salmon
Mature male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) size each other while competing over a female. Alpha male, closer to the viewpoint, has larger teeth than the other male. Underwater view in an Alaskan stream during the summer.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecovering reddfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturephotographed under waterspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Coho Salmon spawning pair
Female Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) ecavating her redd while alpha male guards. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonAutumnChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatediggingexcavatingfish behaviorin situnaturalworldnaturesalmonography.comspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Coho Salmon
Pink Salmon spawning heierarchy
A high-humped Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) alpha male holds his position next to a female excavating her redd while a heierarchy of decreasing hump size satellite males lurk downstream. Aspect Ratio = 1:2.5.
ActinopterygiiAlaska wild salmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiDolly VardenDolly Varden CharDolly Varden CharrDolly Varden Charr southern formHumpback SalmonInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus gorbuschaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataPink SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSalvelinus malmaSalvelinus malma lordiSeacam underwater housingSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatefish behaviorin situnaturalworldnatureprobingsalmonography.comspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Pink Salmon
Coho Salmon spawning pair
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) spawning pair. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSouth Central Alaska 2Subclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecourtshipfish behaviorin situintimatenaturalworldnatureprobingsalmonography.comspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Coho Salmon
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawning pair
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawning pair. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus nerkaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataRed SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSockeye SalmonSouth Central Alaska 2Subclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebratealpha malebiospherechordatecourtshipfish behaviorin situintimatemale behaviornaturalworldnaturequiveringsalmonography.comspawning behaviorunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
From Sockeye Salmon