Oh no, they change that much and sometimes even more. The hump is a sexual selection trait - the bigger the hump, the more likely it is that a male will get to mate. This favors genotypes that lead to a big ol’ hump. While not all pink salmon get a hump that large, the Barry Whites of the humpy salmon world have a great big shoulder boulder that makes the lady fish swoon.
Probably not photoshopped, more likely just different species and the one on the bottom has been butterflied and laid with the meat touching the ground so it looks much larger. Neither one has really started to change that much at the point these pictures were taken. Towards the end of the season, at least for west coast salmon, they’ll often get a lot leaner and their scales turn a super vivid red. As they lose their fat reserves, the meat also becomes much more delicate.
The second one doesn’t seem to be butterflied, as it would be missing a dorsal fin if it was, and the skin color is asymmetrical. They’re 2 different species imo, but I’m only familiar with Atlantic salmon so I can’t say for sure. Atlantic salmon normally look like the top one and get an upturned hook mouth but don’t really change color.
Photoshopped, unfortunately. They change, but not that much.
Might be exaggerated, but some get pretty crazy looking.
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=714
What’s everyone’s favorite? Mine’s coho.
Chinook, looks like hot iron.
Welp, Lemmy’s now able to hug a site to death now too! We did it Lemmy!
It’s going strong here. Have you been banned from Alaska recently?
Ah, it works for me now too. I guess it was a short hug of death xD
Oh no, they change that much and sometimes even more. The hump is a sexual selection trait - the bigger the hump, the more likely it is that a male will get to mate. This favors genotypes that lead to a big ol’ hump. While not all pink salmon get a hump that large, the Barry Whites of the humpy salmon world have a great big shoulder boulder that makes the lady fish swoon.
Here’s one of those fishy freaks: https://www.landbigfish.com/articles/default.cfm?ID=352
Ahhhh it’s a humpy, I stand corrected. Not familiar with them. That’s absolutely wild!
They’re so weird! Imagine going through your life sleek and swift, just to turn into Quasimodo once you hit puberty. Then you die.
Probably not photoshopped, more likely just different species and the one on the bottom has been butterflied and laid with the meat touching the ground so it looks much larger. Neither one has really started to change that much at the point these pictures were taken. Towards the end of the season, at least for west coast salmon, they’ll often get a lot leaner and their scales turn a super vivid red. As they lose their fat reserves, the meat also becomes much more delicate.
The second one doesn’t seem to be butterflied, as it would be missing a dorsal fin if it was, and the skin color is asymmetrical. They’re 2 different species imo, but I’m only familiar with Atlantic salmon so I can’t say for sure. Atlantic salmon normally look like the top one and get an upturned hook mouth but don’t really change color.