# Greenback Cutthroat Trout (*oncorhynchus clarki stomias*) The Greenback Cutthroat Trout is a beautiful fish with bright red spots and a greenish back! They live in cold, clear streams and lakes, making them a favorite for fishing enthusiasts. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Habitat:** Cold, clear streams and lakes in mountainous regions. - **Also known as:** Greenback Trout, Mountain Trout ![Greenback Cutthroat Trout](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Greenbackcutthroat.jpg&width=800) Photo: (Transferred by PumpkinSky /Originally uploaded by Kriscotta ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greenbackcutthroat.jpg) ## Appearance The Greenback Cutthroat Trout is a sleek fish with an olive-green back and silvery sides. Its belly and lower fins often have a warm reddish hue. A bright red-orange slash under its jaw gives it its 'cutthroat' name, distinguishing it from other trout. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Salmoniformes - **Family:** Salmonidae - **Genus:** Oncorhynchus ## Interesting facts - Each trout has unique spot patterns, like a fingerprint on their scales! - They are Colorado's state fish, representing resilience and natural beauty! - They can change their skin color slightly to blend better with their stream home! - This trout was once thought extinct, but a small population was rediscovered! ## Special abilities - **Vibration Sense:** Greenback Cutthroat Trout can detect tiny vibrations in the water because of their lateral line, which helps them find food and avoid danger. - **Cold Water Survival:** Greenback Cutthroat Trout has a special physiology that allows them to thrive in very cold, oxygen-rich mountain streams. - **Agile Leaper:** Greenback Cutthroat Trout can leap out of the water to catch flying insects because of its powerful tail, helping it find food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-45 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-1 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Swim Speed:** 20 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 15 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding These trout love to munch on insects and tiny aquatic critters living in their mountain stream homes! - **Age differences:** Larger trout eat small fish, while younger ones focus on insects and plankton. - **Primary Foods:** caddisfly larvae, mayfly nymphs, stonefly nymphs, terrestrial insects, small fish, zooplankton - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Osprey](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osprey) (*Pandion haliaetus*) — Osprey hunt these trout from above. - **Eaten by:** [North American River Otter](https://www.snappit.app/explore/north-american-river-otter) (*Lontra canadensis*) — Otters are skilled hunters of fish in streams. - **Eats:** [Mayfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mayfly) (*Baetis tricaudatus*) — Young trout consume mayfly nymphs and adults. - **Eats:** Caddisfly (*Rhyacophila acropedes*) — Caddisfly larvae are a major food source. - **Depends on:** [Engelmann Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/engelmann-spruce) (*Picea engelmannii*) — Forests help keep streams cold and clear for trout. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Greenback Cutthroat Trout? 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 Greenback Cutthroat Trout? 15-45 cm ### How much does Greenback Cutthroat Trout weigh? 0.1-1 kg ### How long does Greenback Cutthroat Trout live? 3-7 years ### What does Greenback Cutthroat Trout eat? These trout love to munch on insects and tiny aquatic critters living in their mountain stream homes! ### How fast can Greenback Cutthroat Trout swim? 20 km/h ### Where is Greenback Cutthroat Trout usually found? Cold, clear streams and lakes in mountainous regions. ### How does Greenback Cutthroat Trout hunt? Foraging ## 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: [Greenback Cutthroat Trout: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greenback-cutthroat-trout)