Temperature Preference of Several Species of Salmo and Salvelinus and Some of Their Hybrids

Abstract
Temperature preference of newly feeding fry of two species of Salmo, three species of Salvelinus, and seven hybrids were determined in a horizontal gradient. Fry of species in the genus Salmo and intergeneric hybrids with female parent in Salmo selected significantly higher temperatures (13.0–15.0 °C, P < 0.05) than did fry of species and hybrids of the genus Salvelinus (9.0–11.5 °C). No significant differences were obtained among species and hybrids within either of the two groups described above. Preferred temperatures of fingerlings (after 3 mo of feeding) of two species and two hybrids within Salvelinus were determined in a vertical temperature gradient. Brook trout preferred 17.5 °C, and lake trout 10.8 °C. The two hybrids (brook trout × lake trout and lake trout × brook trout) preferred intermediate temperatures (14.7 and 14.4 °C). Rainbow trout fingerlings selected 14.7 °C. Key words: temperature, preference, Salmo, Salvelinus, hybrids, gradients