Alpha Male

While building her redd, a female salmon will typically be courted by an alpha male, which as result of sexual selection, will have strong secondary sexual characteristics such as large size and more brilliant coloration. The alpha male will court the female by performing three behaviors: quivering, gaping, and crossing over. The alpha male will attempt to exclude other males from spawning with his mate by using aggressive displays, chasing them away, and fighting.

The alpha male challenge
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) alpha male raises his snout as an aggressive display towards a challenger (in foreground).
Actinopterygii Alaska Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Power Creek Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male chordate fish behavior male aggression male behavior male threat posture near Cordova posture underwater
Alpha male competition
Competing to be alpha male, one male Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) bites another.
18mile Creek Actinopterygii Alaska Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Copper River Delta Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate aggression alpha male biosphere chordate competition fighting fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild
Dolly Varden spawning
Alpha male Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma) quivers the female as spawning ends.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate fish behavior in situ naturalworld spawning spawning act spawning behavior underwater wild wild char wild charr wild salmon wild trout
From Dolly Varden Charr
Female Chinook Salmon probes her redd
A Female Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) probes her redd while alpha male guards.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Chinook Salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei King Salmon Neopterygii Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water probing spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Chinook Salmon
Chum Salmon spawning pair
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawning pair
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate covering redd fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Dolly Varden pair
Alpha male Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) quivers while displaying his pectoral fins at a female.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate in situ naturalworld underwater wild wild char wild charr wild salmon wild 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.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate covering redd fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water probing spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Chum Salmon spawners
Alpha male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) crosses over the female he is courting.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate courtship covering redd crossing over crossingover fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Sockeye Salmon spawning pair
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawning pair in glacier fed Power Creek near Cordova, Alaska.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Power Creek Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere breeding colors chordate courtship fish behavior glacial sediment in situ naturalworld nature near Cordova nuptial coloration spawning behavior spawning pair turbid underwater underwaterphoto wild
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.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate in situ naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild char wild charr wild 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 salmon Autumn Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Sockeye Salmon Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Vertebrate alpha male biosphere fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature probing salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild 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.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate fish behavior in situ intertidal spawning male behavior naturalworld nature probing quivering spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild 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.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate courtship covering redd crossing over digging excavating fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild 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.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate covering redd fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Chum Salmon
Coho Salmon spawning pair
Female Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) ecavating her redd while alpha male guards. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate digging excavating fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild 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.
Actinopterygii Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate fish behavior in situ naturalworld nature probing salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Pink Salmon
Coho Salmon spawning pair
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) spawning pair. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska 2 Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate courtship fish behavior in situ intimate naturalworld nature probing salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Coho Salmon
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawning pair
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawning pair. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska 2 Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate courtship fish behavior in situ intimate male behavior naturalworld nature quivering salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
From Sockeye Salmon