Species interactions relating to reproduction

Interspecies

A male Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) threathens a male Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) while defending his alpha male position next to a gravid female who is working on her redd in preparation to spawn.

Mulitple Pacific salmon species

Spawned-out Chum (foreground) and Sockeye (background) salmon flank a Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) spawning pair.

Interspecies sex

A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) male inserts himself within a Coho Salmon (O. kistuch) spawing pair to quiver the female in an attempt to spawn with her.

Intruder!

Female Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) bites the caudal fin of a Chum Salmon (O. keta) that is intruding into the space around her redd (picture foreground).

Intruder!

Signaling a desire to spawn with her, a male Chum Salmon (Oncorhyncus keta) quivers a female Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha) who is probing her redd while her alpha male does the same on her other side.

2. Attacking an intruder

Depicted here is the second image in a chronological series of underwater images illustrating details of the spawning activities of a single individual female pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). At 14:30:09 our female pink salmon attacks a male chum salmon (O. keta; also a an important species) who was attempting to court her while her alpha male makes a threatening gape. Location is Hartney Creek near Cordova, Alaska, USA.

A female Pink Salmon defends her redd

A female Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) defends her redd from an encroaching Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka).

A female Pink Salmon defends her redd

A female Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) defends her redd from an encroaching Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka).

A female Chinook Salmon guards her redd.

A female Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) guards her redd.

Inter-species sex

A putative stray male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawns with a female Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka). Viable hybrids are possible between Pacific salmon species.

Frame grab from topside video of a putative male Chum Salmon spawning with a female Sockeye Salmon

Frame grab from topside video of male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawning with a female Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) while two Sockeye Salmon males fight on the side opposite of the Seacam underwater housing used to shoot stills of same event.

Heads or tails?

Mature male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) swimis into a near ocean-bright immature Coho Salmon (O. kisutch) while looking for a mate in early autumn in an Alaskan stream.

Early and late salmon arriving at spawning grounds

Nearing the end of their summer spawning period, mature Sockeye and Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka and O. gorbuscha) school near their spawning grounds in early autumn coinciding with the arrival of numerous of Coho Salmon (O. kisutch) that commence spawning at the start of autumn.

Double aggression

A sneaker male Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) attempting to spawn with this Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) pair receives a lateral display aggression posture from the alpha male while the female bites his caudal peduncle.

Courting Coho Salmon and a Sockeye Salmon jack

A Sockeye Salmon jack emerges from the fracas that often ensues during salmon courtship, in this case another species, Coho Salmon. Aspect Ratio = 1:2.

Cuttbow?

A putative Coastal Cuttroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) - Steelhead Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hybrid, a.k.a. cuttbow. The occurence of cuttbows in the Copper River Delta where this photo was taken is supported by DNA evidence.

Chumpy: A putative Chum and Pink salmon hybrid

A putative female Chum and Pink (Oncorhynchus keta and O. gorbuscha) salmon hybrid migrating upstream alongside mostly Pink Salmon. This Chumpy has spots, a color pattern, and teeth that are intermediate between the two parent species. Underwater view in an Alaskan stream during the summer.

Female Pink Salmon defending her redd from a Chum Salmon

Female Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) defending her redd from an intruding Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta).

Coho Salmon jack attempting to spawn with a Dolly Varden.

A Coho Salmon jack attempting to spawn with a Dolly Varden female while the male observes. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.

Male Sockeye salmon quivering a female Dolly Varden

Male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) quivering a female Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) in a vain attempt to spawn. Aspect ratio = 2:3.

Sockeye Salmon male intruding on Dolly Varden spawners

Courtship interupted: Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) male intruding on Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) spawners.

Pink Salmon vs. Sockeye Salmon

A Pink Salmon female defends her territory by attacking a Sockeye Salmon female attempting to excavate a redd too close to hers.

Putative Sockeye-Chum salmon hybrid

This salmon has external characteristics of Chum and Sockeye salmon suggesting it could be a hybrid between these species.