# Atlantic Salmon (*Salmo salar*) The Atlantic Salmon is a famous fish that travels from the ocean to freshwater rivers to spawn! They are known for their delicious flavor. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Ocean and freshwater rivers - **Also known as:** Salmon ![Atlantic Salmon](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424691/objects/4660.jpg) ## Appearance The Atlantic Salmon is a streamlined fish with a silvery body that often darkens to bronze or green when in freshwater for spawning. It has small dark spots, mainly above its lateral line, and a slightly forked tail. This fish has a sleek, torpedo-like shape. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Salmoniformes - **Family:** Salmonidae - **Genus:** Salmo ## Interesting facts - Atlantic Salmon are born with stripey "parr" markings, like camouflage in riverbeds! - Some salmon are "skip-spawners" and return to the ocean for another year before breeding. - Their incredible migration journeys can cover thousands of miles across the open ocean! - Wild Atlantic Salmon populations are now much rarer than farmed salmon you find in stores. ## Special abilities - **Leaping Power:** Atlantic Salmon can leap high waterfalls because of their powerful tail muscles that help them overcome river obstacles. - **Smell Navigator:** Atlantic Salmon has an incredible sense of smell that helps them find their exact birth river from thousands of ocean miles away. - **Water Transformer:** Atlantic Salmon can change their body to live in both fresh and saltwater because of a special adaptation called smoltification. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-100 cm - **Weight:** 2-15 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-13 years - **Swim Speed:** 15 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 200 m - **Water Type:** Brackish ## Diet & Feeding Young salmon eat tiny bugs, while adults feast on smaller fish in the ocean. - **Age differences:** Juveniles in rivers eat insect larvae and small invertebrates. Adults in the ocean primarily eat smaller fish. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic insects, small crustaceans, capelin, herring, sand eels - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Osprey](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osprey) (*Pandion haliaetus*) — Ospreys catch salmon from rivers and coastal waters. - **Eats:** [Harbor Seal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harbor-seal) (*Phoca vitulina*) — Harbor Seals hunt adult salmon in estuaries and coastal waters. - **Eats:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Humans have historically fished Atlantic Salmon for food. - **Hunts:** [Atlantic Cod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-cod) (*Gadus morhua*) — Young salmon may be hunted by larger fish like Atlantic Cod. ## Traits - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Regenerative](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/regenerative): Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Atlantic Salmon? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Atlantic Salmon? 50-100 cm ### How much does Atlantic Salmon weigh? 2-15 kg ### How long does Atlantic Salmon live? 4-13 years ### What does Atlantic Salmon eat? Young salmon eat tiny bugs, while adults feast on smaller fish in the ocean. ### How fast can Atlantic Salmon swim? 15 km/h ### Where is Atlantic Salmon usually found? Ocean and freshwater rivers ### How does Atlantic Salmon hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Seattle Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/seattle-aquarium-washington) — Washington, US · Zoo ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Atlantic Salmon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-salmon)