Nevada State Fish
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (common name) Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi (scientific name) Overview The Lahontan cutthroat trout is the largest subspecies of cutthroat trout and a symbol of both Nevada's natural history and its commitment to wildlife conservation. Nevada named it the official state fish in 1981—it is found in 14 of the state's 17 counties and the majority of the species’ population is located in the state. Lahontan cutthroat trout are gray to olive green above, yellowish-brown or sometimes pink on the sides, and red or pink along the belly. Round black spots are scattered over the fish, but more closely grouped towards the tail. Lake dwellers are much larger and live longer than their stream-dwelling cousins. Over-fishing in the 1800s, the subsequent damming of rivers, and competition from non-native species virtually wiped out the Lahontan cutthroat to the point where it was officially classified as an endangered species in 1970. By 1975, however, conservation efforts and successful re-introductions into prior habitat had been successful enough to re-classify it as threatened. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Length: Up to 50 in (127 cm); average of 10 in (25 cm) Weight: Up to 41 lbs (18.6 kg); average of 1 lb (450 g) LIFESPAN Up to 7 years HABITAT Generally clear, extremely cold mountain lakes and streams, although it has also adapted to warmer lowland streams and alkaline lakes where no other trout can live. Alpine stream dwellers need protected pools to survive the winters when the streams ice over. Range:  Northern Nevada and the mountains along the borders with California, Oregon, and Utah. Specifically, the Lahontan cutthroat is found in the drainages of the Truckee, Humboldt, Carson, Walker, and Quinn rivers, including Summit Lake and Independence Lake. It was also successfully re-introduced to Pyramid Lake and Walker Lake. Because of its ability to survive in alkaline lakes, the Lahontan cutthroat has also been introduced to alkaline lakes in Washington (Lake Lenore) and Oregon (Mann Lake). Water type: Freshwater Water temp: 20–83°F (-6–28.5°C) Conservation Status: Threatened DIET Terrestrial and aquatic insects, insect larvae, and small fish. REPRODUCTION Fertilization: External Spawning frequency: Approximately every two years; February–July Mating behavior: Distinct pairing Egg laying: Spawns in rivers, generally in pools with gravel bottoms. The majority of Lahontan cutthroat die after they spawn for the first time. Those that survive typically spawn again two or more years later. Adults engage in a courtship ritual after which the female clears an area of gravel (a "redd") to deposit her eggs. Both adults defend the eggs for a period of time after fertilization. USES Game fish OTHER NAMES Native trout, cutthroat trout TRIVIA The fish's scientific name derives from two different men: William Clark (clarki) of the Lewis & Clark expedition, discovered the native American cutthroat trout species in 1806; and H.W. Henshaw (henshawi) discovered the unique Lahontan subspecies in Lake Tahoe in 1876. The red-orange marks under the cutthroat’s jaw give this fish its common name.
	Click to enlarge an image Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Huge Lahontan Cutthroat Trout at Fish Hatchery Measuring Lahontan Cutthroat Trout at the Hatchery Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Natural Habitat CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Sub-Class: Neopterygii Order: Salmoniformes Family: Salmonidae Genus: Oncorhynchus Species: O. clarki Subspecies: O. c. henshawi
	Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press