No.52 Japanese huchen

Japanese huchen is one of the largest fish in the salmon family, inhabiting the great rivers of Hokkaido and Far East Asia. It is a rare species, sometimes referred to as the “phantom fish.” It has a long lifespan of over 20 years, but grows slowly, making it susceptible to environmental changes and overfishing. In spring, it spawns in the upper reaches of rivers, and the fry grow in calm waters.

This sample was requested by NHK Enterprises, Inc. and CT scans were conducted as a project for NHK E-television's “Gyogyotto Sakana★Star”.
Gyogyotto Sakana★Star" program HP: https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/P58QMGP4K1/

CT scans confirmed that the regularly arranged vertebrae in the head and the large ribs covering them create a flexible and strong trunk structure that enables continuous swimming. The large protruding maxilla and sharp teeth enable the fish to quickly capture prey and prevent it from escaping, which is a characteristic unique to the Ito, adapted to its piscivorous nature.