Beardslee trout
Encyclopedia
Beardslee trout are a local form of Rainbow trout
endemic to Lake Crescent
in Washington. By some sources, they are treated as a subspecies
.
Known to locals as "bluebacks", Beardslee trout are found nowhere else, and spawn in the Lyre River
, near the outlet of the lake. Beardslee are somewhat difficult to distinguish from the Lake Crescent cutthroat trout
, which is also endemic to Lake Crescent, as they only take on the Rainbow colors during spawning.
The spawning grounds of the Beardslee (considered the rarest salmonid in the Olympic National Park
) are severely threatened by siltation, and the degradation of logjams in the river used as spawning grounds.
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
endemic to Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent is a deep lake located entirely within Olympic National Park in Clallam County, Washington, United States, approximately west of Port Angeles, Washington on U.S. Route 101 and nearby to the small community of Piedmont...
in Washington. By some sources, they are treated as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
Known to locals as "bluebacks", Beardslee trout are found nowhere else, and spawn in the Lyre River
Lyre River
The Lyre River is a river in Washington, USA that flows out of Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Park and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Originally referred to as "singing waters" by the Indians living near it, the river was first named Rio de Cuesta by Europeans in 1790 by Gonzalo López de...
, near the outlet of the lake. Beardslee are somewhat difficult to distinguish from the Lake Crescent cutthroat trout
Lake Crescent cutthroat trout
Crescenti cutthroat trout or Lake Crescent cutthroat trout is a local form of Coastal cutthroat trout isolated in Lake Crescent in Washington and is not currently recognized as an official subspecies...
, which is also endemic to Lake Crescent, as they only take on the Rainbow colors during spawning.
The spawning grounds of the Beardslee (considered the rarest salmonid in the Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. The park can be divided into four basic regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest and the forests of the drier east side. U.S...
) are severely threatened by siltation, and the degradation of logjams in the river used as spawning grounds.