Colorado State Fish
Greenback Cutthroat Trout (common name) Oncorhynchus clarki stomias (scientific name) Overview Like all species of cutthroat trout, the greenback has a red lower jaw and throat. It's distinguished by its distinctive green back (hence the name) and the round "parr" marks on its sides, which are larger than those of other cutthroats. Its coloration gets even more vibrant during the spawning season when the entire belly turns red. The greenback cutthroat was declared extinct in 1937 due to the impact of mining and livestock over-grazing on its habitats, over-fishing, and competition from other trout. In 1950, however, isolated pockets of the fish were discovered, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Rocky Mountain National Park undertook joint efforts to protect and propagate the greenback. Re-stocking in the 1960s and other conservation efforts have brought the trout back to healthy levels in 37 of the 66 lakes and streams where it was re-introduced (although it remains listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act). In 1994 it was declared the state fish of Colorado. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Length: Up to 1.5 feet (46 cm); average of 10 in (25 cm) Weight: Up to 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg); average of 12 oz (312 g) LIFESPAN Up to 7 years HABITAT Cold, clear streams in the foothills and mountains. Range:  Traditionally found along the eastern Rockies from Wyoming to New Mexico, but now confined to the region around the Arkansas and South Platte Rivers in Colorado. Water type: Freshwater Elevation: Up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) Conservation Status: Threatened Species DIET Plankton, aquatic insects (flies, grasshoppers), worms, and freshwater shrimp. REPRODUCTION Fertilization: External Spawning frequency: Annual, February to May Mating behavior: Distinct pairing. Males will nudge the female and quiver in their courtship ritual. Egg laying: Females make a pit in the loose gravel of a shallow stream about six inches (15 cm) deep and one foot (30 cm) in diameter into which they lay their eggs. One female can lay 800 to 6,000 eggs. Males fertilize the eggs and hatching occurs six to seven weeks later. OTHER NAMES Cutthroat trout, native trout TRIVIA The greenback’s genus name, Oncorhynchus, means "hook nose" in Greek. The species name clarki refers to William Clark and the fact that cutthroat trout were "discovered" by the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1800 to 1806.
	Click to enlarge an image Illustration of Greenback Cutthroat Trout Greenback Cutthroat Trout Greenback Cutthroat Trout About to Be Released Close-up of Greenback Cutthroat Trout CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Sub-Class: Osteichthyes Order: Salmoniformes Family: Salmonidae Genus: Oncorhynchus Species: O. clarki Subspecies: O. c. stomias
	Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press