Lenok

(Brachymystax lenok), a fish of the family Salmonidae. The body measures up to 70 cm long and weighs up to 8 kg. It is found in the rivers and mountain lakes of Siberia and the Far East, as well as in western Korea. It has a smaller mouth than other salmon. The lenok reaches sexual maturity when it is four to six years old; its reproductive capacity is up to 12,000 eggs. The fish feeds on invertebrates (mollusks, caddisworms, the larvae of ephemeras) and some small fishes (minnows, gudgeons, graylings, and miller’s-thumb). In the Amur basin in autumn, the lenok eats the eggs of the dog salmon and pink salmon; in the spring it eats their fry. Thus, this fish does some damage to the fishing industry. The lenok has little commercial value.