Life from death
Caddisfly larva scavenger
Caddisfly larva scavenging on the pectoral fin of a Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) carcass.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAnimalarthropodArthropodaBiologyChinook SalmonChordataClass ActinopterygiiEcologyInfraclass TeleosteiInvertebrateKing SalmonMontana CreekNeopterygiiOncorhynchus tshawytschaPacific salmonPhylum ArthropodaPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherecaddisfly larvacarcasschordatediadromousdiadromyfresh waterfreshwaterin situinsectlivingloticmigratorynaturalworldnaturenear Talkeetnaorganismpectoral finsemelparitysemelparousstreamunder fresh waterunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
American Dipper with Coho Salmon egg
American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) wading with Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) egg in bill after scavenging it from the bottom of an Alaska USA stream during autumn
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAmerican DipperAnimalAutumnBiologyBirdChordataCinclidaeCinclus mexicanusClass ActinopterygiiClass AvesCoho SalmonEcologyInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPasseriformesPhylum ChordataPower CreekSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateWater Ouzelbiologicalbiospherechordateeggegg scavengingin situlivingloticnaturalworldnaturenear Cordovaorganismovivoreovivorysalmon habitatsemelparitysongbirdstreamtopsideunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Salmon Generations
Juvenile and adult Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and other salmon species gather in a slough in the Palmer Hay Flats near Wasilla, Alaska.
AlaskaAlaska wild salmonBiologyEcologyPalmer Hay Flats Sate Game RefugeRabbit SloughSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSummerUnited Statesanadromousanadromous fishanadromybiologicalbiospherediadromousdiadromyfresh waterfreshwaterin situlivingloticmigratorynaturalworldorganismsemelparitysemelparousstreamunder fresh waterunderwaterwildwild salmon
Glaucous-winged Gull dining on a spawned-out male Sockeye Salmon
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucesens) dining on a spawned-out male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) carcass.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyBirdCharadriiformesChordataClass ActinopterygiiClass AvesEcologyGlaucouswinged GullInfraclass TeleosteiLaridaeLarus glaucescensNeopterygiiOncorhynchus nerkaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataRed SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSockeye SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalcarcasschordatediadromousdiadromyfresh watergulllivingloticmigratorynatureorganismsemelparitysemelparousstreamunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Male Coho Salmon skeletal remains
Frost covered skeletal remains of a male Coho Salmon after scavenging by birds. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonEcologyInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherecarcasschordatediadromousdiadromyin situlivingmigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismsalmon habitatsemelparitysemelparousstreamunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Skeletal remains
Frost covered skeletal remains of Coho Salmon after scavenging by birds. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonEcologyInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherecarcasschordatediadromousdiadromyin situlivingmigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismsalmon habitatsemelparitysemelparousstreamunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Peck marks and frost
Peck marks in sand next to frost covered Coho Salmon bones suggest recent foraging. Aspect ratio = 54:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonEcologyInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchPacific salmonPhylum ChordataSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherecarcasschordatediadromousdiadromyfrsotin situlivingmigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismpecking markssalmon habitatsemelparitysemelparousstreamunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Lord of the flies
Carcass of a spawned-out male pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha; a very important species - economically and culturally) that was likely deposited on shore by avian scavengers (eye socket and margin of gill cover have bill marks) being colonized by flies (diptera). These adult flies will be depositing eggs yielding larval offspring which will consume this carcass thus proving an ecological link between the ocean where the salmon has fed with the terrestrial environment of the flies. Photograph was taken on the shore of Hartney Creek, near Cordova, Alaska.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonEcologyFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataReproductive behaviorSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateWPY2022anadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherecarcasschordatecourtshipcovering redddiadromousdiadromyin situinsect behaviourlivingmigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismphotographed under watersearunsemelparitysemelparousspawning behaviorstreamtopsideunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Lord of the flies: female
Carcass of a spawned out female Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) being colonized by flies (Diptera).
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalArthropodaBiologyChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDipteraDog SalmonEcologyFishInfraclass TeleosteiInsectInvertebrateNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ArthropodaPhylum ChordataReproductive behaviorSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSummerTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromyarthropodbiologicalbiospherecarcasschordatecourtshipcovering redddiadromousdiadromyfliesin situlivingmarine lifemigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismphotographed under watersearunsemelparitysemelparousspawning behaviorstreamtopsideunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Coho Salmon fry feeding on Sockeye Salmon carcass
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) fry feeding on Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) carcass. Aspect ratio = 4:5.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalArthropodaBiologyChordataClass ActinopterygiiCoho SalmonEcologyInfraclass TeleosteiInsectInvertebrateNeopterygiiOncorhynchus kisutchOncorhynchus nerkaPacific salmonPhylum ArthropodaPhylum ChordataRed SalmonSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSilver SalmonSockeye SalmonSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiTrichopteraUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromous fishanadromyarthropodbiologicalbiospherecaddisfly larvaecarcasschordatediadromousdiadromyfresh waterfreshwaterfryin situlivingloticmarine lifemigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismsalmon carcasssearunsemelparitysemelparousstreamunder fresh waterunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Decomposing salmon carcasses
Decomposing salmon carcasses
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyChordataChum SalmonClass ActinopterygiiDog SalmonEcologyFishInfraclass TeleosteiNeopterygiiOncorhynchus ketaPacific salmonPhylum ChordataReproductive behaviorSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherechordatecourtshipcovering redddiadromousdiadromyfresh waterfreshwaterin situlivingloticmigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismphotographed under watersearunsemelparitysemelparousspawning behaviorstreamunder fresh waterunderwaterunderwater photographyunderwaterphotowildwild salmon
Spawned-out Pink (humpback) Salmon covered with Saprolegnia
Spawned-out Pink (humpback) Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) covered by the protozoan referred to as cotton mold (Saprolegnia) beginning the decomposition process that will eventually transform the carcass to mineral nutrients. Photo taken under water in Hartney Creek, a tributary of Prince William Sound. Summer, South Central Alaska.
ActinopterygiiAlaskaAlaska wild salmonAnimalBiologyChordataClass ActinopterygiiClass OomycotaEcologyFamily SaprolegniaceaeHumpback SalmonInfraclass TeleosteiKingdom ChromalveolataNeopterygiiOncorhynchus gorbuschaOrder SaprolegnialesPacific salmonPhylum ChordataPhylum HeterokontophytaPink SalmonPlantSalmonidaeSalmoniformesSalmoninaeSaprolegniaSeacam underwater housingSouth Central AlaskaSubclass NeopterygiiSuperphylum AlveolataTeleostTeleosteiUnited StatesVertebrateanadromousanadromybiologicalbiospherechordatecotton molddiadromousdiadromyfresh waterfreshwaterin situlivingloticmigratorynaturalworldnatureorganismsearunsemelparitysemelparousstreamunder fresh waterunderwaterunderwaterphotowildwild salmon