Softmouth Trout From The River Zeta – Salmo obtusirostris zetenzis

This taxon has been less studied. The general external features of the Zeta softmouth are more brown trout-like than any other subspecies of the softmouth trout. Even its spawning time that is allegedly in December is different from other softmouth trout that spawn in spring.

The Zeta softmouth trout was first described as Trutta obtusirostris letnica and later renamed to Salmo obtusirostris letnica (Karaman, 1932, 1957). Due to certain morphological similarities with respect to head bones of other softmouth trouts, some ichthyologists (e.g., Drecun, 1962; Karaman, 1966) classified it as Salmothymus obtusirostris zetenzis (see Šorić, 1990 for review). It also shares some morphological similarities with grayling. Interestingly, local people call it “lipjen”, which is a derivate form of the word “lipljen” meaning grayling.

From the above mentioned it is evident that the taxonomy of this taxon is puzzling and still needs to be resolved.

These fish used to be abundant, however, due to intense poaching, their number has drastically declined, and according to some ichthyologists, the taxon is considered extinct. Nevertheless, we managed to obtain a few samples, and DNA analysis for its phylogenetic and taxonomic clarification has been undertaken.

Drecun, Dj. 1962. Hydrobiologia Montenegrina, 2: 8.
Karaman, M. 1966. Hydrobiologia, 28: 1-41.
Karaman, S. 1932. Ribarski list, 7: 3.
Karaman, S. 1957. Folia Balcanica, 1: 1-14.
Šorić, V. 1990. Acta Soc. Zool. Bohemoslov., 54: 305-319.