Smelt

Description

Smelt is a small fish that is undoubtedly one of the most popular in Russia, especially its North-West. Smelt (Osmerus) belongs to the genus of fish of the salmon family (Salmonidae).

Smelt is a migratory fish, but it has been isolated lake populations. Widely distributed and has high strength.

Pronunciation of regional dialects: koreh — arkhang.; koruga, smelt — p-V.-p., Sib., Irkutsk.

Related species Asian toothed smelt (Osmerus mordax) was previously considered as a subspecies of the European smelt.

Body elongated, without scales. Mouth is big. Sides of body silvery, back brownish-green. Feeds on zooplankton, juveniles and fish eggs. During spawning the body, head and fins covered with tubercles. Fresh smelt produces a characteristic smell of fresh cucumbers.

The European smelt is different from the Asian toothed smelt a shorter lateral line and weak teeth; it is common in the Baltic and North seas, Ladoga and Onega lakes. Freshwater form of European smelt — smelt — "the dwarf", the lake form of smelt (O. eperlanus m. spirinchus) is found in lakes of the North-Western part of European Russia and in many lakes of the Northern part of Western Europe and is of great commercial importance. Lives in priustevyh spaces, rivers and coastal seas of the North Atlantic and the Arctic ocean.