File:Sockeye salmon in shallow water - DPLA - 9d50a9f489d7f73d617513a5ffb1bab5.jpg

Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Osteichthyes; Order: Salmoniformes; Family: Salmonidae; Genus: Oncorhynchus; Genus species: Oncorhynchus nerka.; Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: up to 84 cm; Weight: 1.8-3.6 kg; Identification: The breeding male sockeye salmons have bright red skin on their back and sides. Also, their backs are humped and their jaws are hooked. The pre-spawning adults are metallic green/blue with silver sides and a white belly; Habitat: Open seas, coastal waters, rivers and lakes; Diet: Carnivore: small, shrimp-like animals; Reproduction: When the spring breeding season draws close, breeding adults swim from the ocean to rivers (up to 1500 miles) to spawn. The female lays her eggs in a shallow pit. Both parents die after breeding. The eggs hatch in 6-9 weeks. Any surviving babies find their way out to the ocean in 1-3 years; Social Structure: Sockeye salmon are highly social. They are found in large schools; Behavior: Salmon use magnetic fields to determine their orientation and which way to migrate when they are juveniles and to return to spawn; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: Female salmon can produce anywhere from 2,000 to 4,500 eggs at a time, which are often commercially harvested. Sockeye salmon have the greatest commercial value of all the pacific salmons, although few are caught in the ocean by anglers because they rarely strike lures or trolled baits.