The Coomsaharn char (Salvelinus fimbriatus; the spellings Coomasaharn and charr are also used; Irish: ruabhreac Chom Sathairn) is a species of lacustrine char fish in the family Salmonidae.[3]
| Coomsaharn char | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Salmoniformes |
| Family: | Salmonidae |
| Genus: | Salvelinus |
| Species: | S. fimbriatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Salvelinus fimbriatus | |
It is only located in Lough Coomsaharn, County Kerry, Ireland.[4][5]
Taxonomy
Name
The English word "char[r]" is thought to derive from Old Irish ceara/cera meaning "[blood] red,"[6] referring to its pink-red underside.[7][8] This would also connect with its Welsh name torgoch, "red belly."[9]
Lough Coomsaharn (/ˌkuːməˈsæhərən/) derives its name from the Irish Com Sathairn, "hollow of Saturday(?)".[10]
Biology
Salvelinus fimbriatus spawns in November/December and feeds on zooplankton. It is distinguished from other Salvelinus in Ireland by large eyes,[11] having 27–30 gill rakers, with 16–20 on the lower part (hence the species name fimbriatus, "fringed").[12] Also, its body depth is 20–25% of snout length, the snout is conical, and the lower jaw is not included in the upper one; an adaptation that helps it to feed on plankton.[13]
History
The Coomsaharn char are a remnant fish of the Last Ice Age.[14]
References
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