Grayling (species)

European grayling

The European grayling ( Thymallus thymallus ) is a bony fish of the family Salmonidae.

Features

The weight of adult grayling is about 500 to 1500 grams; the length of the mature mullet is generally between 30 and 50 centimeters. Particularly large specimens can be up to 3000 grams in weight and up to 60 inches long. Striking features of the grayling are the forward pointed, pear-shaped pupil, the large dorsal fin, as well as striking, large in proportion to body size roundhouse. This dorsal fin, called the grayling flag is more backward undressed in the male grayling than in the females. With it, the cock fish (male ) to impress during the spawning season and place the dorsal fin spawning over the back of Rogner (females ). In the Arctic grayling ( Thymallus arctica), which is found on the North American continent to Montana and in Northeast Asia, the rear part of the dorsal fin is extended even to the adipose fin. The grayling spawn i.d.R. in spring ( March-April), according to their habitat in the early summer on shallow gravel banks. The larvae remain hidden until their yolk sac is used between the stones.

Habitat

The European grayling comes from England and Wales on the ( average ) mountain regions of North, Central, Eastern and Western Europe to the Black Sea before. No natural resources are found in the western parts of the Benelux countries, in southern France, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and Greece. Even in the largest part of Norway and Denmark it is not indigenous.

Due to water pollution and built the grayling is increasingly in decline. It requires clear, cool water and grows rather slowly. It is controversial whether the grayling stocks in Europe have fallen by the so-called grazing pressure of the cormorant.

At Lake Constance and the Rhine, a correlation between Cormorant and grayling population could be ascertained: On the Rhine routes on which tentatively take place regularly cormorant harassment techniques, the grayling stocks have relatively strong recovery after the hot summer of 2003, in the Constance hopper, despite improved water quality while, continue to decline.

However, other factors seem to be responsible: During the cormorant reinforced occurred in Germany until the early 1990s, for example, the grayling stocks went on the Danube near Riedlingen already ten years earlier significantly.

Use

Economically plays the grayling fishing only in the fishery a role. They breed, but only restocking, because their attitude is too expensive due to their high demands on water quality. Grayling Fishing is often with artificial flies, as the fish approach readily absorbs food from the water surface. But even with maggots, worms or the larvae of caddis flies they are to catch at the Poznan Angel. The Arctic grayling is also caught with small spinning lures.

Others

The grayling was in Germany Fish of the Year in 1997 and 2011, in Austria Fish of the Year 2002 and 2011 and from STS (Swiss Animal Protection ) was elected as the Fish of the Year 2007. It is an excellent food fish whose flesh is distinguished by a slightly thyme -like odor. However, this smell will disappear in the preparation. Unlike, say, brown trout grayling does not seek cover under rocks, so it is for their enemies in the mostly small rivers easy prey at risk. According to her, one of the five Leitfischregionen a river is named, called the grayling region. The grayling is protected as an endangered species by the Bern Convention on European level. In the IUCN Red List, the grayling is not classified as endangered ( " least concern ").

See also: Nomenclature of bony fish, grayling