Biwa trout

Biwa trout
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Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Salmoniformes
Family:	Salmonidae
Genus:	Oncorhynchus
Species:	O. rhodurus
Binomial name
Oncorhynchus rhodurus D. S. Jordan & E. A. McGregor, 1925
Synonyms
Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus

The Biwa trout (Oncorhynchus rhodurus) is an anadromous salmonid fish of the genus Oncorhynchus, endemic to Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, but also introduced to Lake Ashi and Lake Chūzenji. While called trout, the fish is most closely related to the masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou of the western Pacific, and is most often considered a subspecies of it, Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus.

Adult Biwa trout usually range from 40 to 50 cm in length and 1.5 to 2.5 kg in weight although large specimens can be up to 70 cm long and 5.0 kg in weight.

This fish feeds on plankton, aquatic insects, freshwater prawns, worms, ayu and other small fishes and, sometimes, small mammals. It is found only in the waters of northern Lake Biwa.

Use as food

Biwa trout represents a unique food fish for the Shiga prefecture. Biwa trout and its caviar are considered a delicacy. Usual ways to prepare the trout is as sashimi, by grilling with salt, in meuniere, or by smoking, deep-frying or simmering, etc. The fish has a reputation as being very difficult to catch by angling.

References

• Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2010). Oncorhynchus rhodurus in FishBase. April 2010 version.

External links

• Yoshikazu Fujioka Profile of Biwamasu Trout and Seasons of The Mountain Village. www.hi-ho.ne.jp
• Biwa trout information from the National Institute for ES of Japan (Japanese)
• Fishing info. of Biwa trout (Japanese - at Archive.org)