Steelhead trout, a member of the salmon family that lives and grows in the Pacific Ocean, genetically adapted to an entirely freshwater environment in 120 years. Credit: John McMillan
Steelhead trout, a member of the salmon family that live and grow in the Pacific Ocean, genetically adapted to the freshwater environment of Lake Michigan in less than 120 years.
Steelhead were intentionally introduced into Lake Michigan in the late 1800s in order to bolster recreational and commercial fisheries. In their native range, which extends from California to Russia, steelhead hatch in freshwater rivers, migrate to the ocean, and return to freshwater to spawn. This migration allows steelhead to feed in the ocean, where they can grow larger and produce more eggs than if they remained in freshwater streams for their entire lives.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-05-ocean-migrating-trout-freshwater-environment-years.html#jCp
