Oncorhynchus clarkii (Cutthroat Trout)
Credit: John Carlos Garza
about the species
Oncorhynchus clarkii, the cutthroat trout, is a salmonid with multiple subspecies distributed across western North America, including coastal and inland waters of California. Cutthroat trout occupy cold, well-oxygenated streams, rivers, and lakes, where they play important roles in freshwater food webs. Many populations are adapted to local hydrologic and climatic conditions, and several subspecies have experienced declines due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
why species was selected
Cutthroat trout was selected because of its ecological importance, population structure, and conservation concern. Genomic analyses can clarify adaptive variation, connectivity, and subspecies boundaries, informing restoration, habitat management, and long-term conservation of California’s freshwater ecosystems.
