Dolly Varden / Bull Trout Species Reclassification

[Warondar]

Are you like me and still call a Bull Trout a Dolly Varden?

I'm sure many knowledgeable fishers know of this reclassification, but some of us old timers still call Bull Trout a Dolly Varden at times. As it happens with species identification, the Dolly Varden was reclassified as two different species thanks to further advancement in DNA analysis and habitat research.
The coastal inlets/river systems have the sea migrating real Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), which is why we see their very bright colored markings and hooked jaw in the game.
The inlands or interior Dolly Varden was reclassified in 1980 as Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus). Mind you, both species do have overlapping habitat so it's not rare to find both species in the same river or coastal waters.

So don't be too hard on us old timers when we mistakenly call a Bull Trout a Dolly Varden in the game, even if the word Bull Trout is plastered on the screen before us. hehe

[Darkarna]

Personally, I never heard of a Dolly Varden until I started exploring Fishing Planet. I do come from the UK however and where I am located, the only salmon I get to see are those wrapped up in packaging from my local super market / fish mongers... Quite depressing, I know..

[Warondar]

Depressing it might be, but I did a little internet search at the Salmon Atlas website and found this great map for UK Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout Rivers.
Maybe you can land a real salmon or migrating sea trout if some of those places are near you.
http://www.salmonatlas.com/atlanticsalmon/uk/england/mapengland.html

[wyldechylde77]

It's kind of the same story with Steelhead and Rainbow Trout (Orynchis mykiss). For the longest time they were listed and recognized as different species of fish, until science finally showed that Steelhead and Rainbow Trout were in fact the exact same species, with the Steelhead being the sea going/lake/migratory version of the two. The Steelhead migrates each year from deep lakes and into tributaries and then returns, whereas the Rainbow Trout lives its entire life in the stream/River/etc.

[Deconstructed]

Автор сообщения: wyldechylde77

It's kind of the same story with Steelhead and Rainbow Trout (Orynchis mykiss). For the longest time they were listed and recognized as different species of fish, until science finally showed that Steelhead and Rainbow Trout were in fact the exact same species, with the Steelhead being the sea going/lake/migratory version of the two. The Steelhead migrates each year from deep lakes and into tributaries and then returns, whereas the Rainbow Trout lives its entire life in the stream/River/etc.

Dolly and Bulls are separate sub-species though. They are not otherwise the same with exception to one is sea-run.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/sport_fish/images/DollyVarden_desc.jpg

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/sport_fish/images/BullTrout_desc.jpg

[robert duthie]

I think the dolly varden is called arctic char here in the uk

[Deconstructed]

Автор сообщения: robertduthie

I think the dolly varden is called arctic char here in the uk

Another genetically different sub-species. All three are part of the Char family.

[FishyFrags]

Dyathama
I've always known about the Dolly Varden and it isn't a salmon.

robertduthie
I'm in the UK and I've always called the Arctic Char, an Arctic Char and never the Dolly Varden.



Arctic char
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Genus: Salvelinus
Species: S. alpinus

Dolly Varden (trout)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Genus: Salvelinus
Species: S. malma
Subspecies: S.m. maima, S.s. lordi, S.m. krascheninnikova, S.m. miyabei

Considered to be part of the Arctic char complex.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Dolly Varden and Bull trout were considered the same species because they are similar in appearance, thus complicating identification. Inland (landlocked) forms of the Dolly Varden were reclassified as Salvelinus confluentus, retaining the common name of Bull trout.

Bull trout
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Genus: Salvelinus
Species: S. confluentus