Researchers from the Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University have discovered several salmonid species, including kundzha (Salvelinus leucomaenis), mikizha (Parasalmo mykiss), and malma (Salvelinus malma), that permanently reside in Lake Palanskoye in northern Kamchatka. This significant finding was announced by the university`s press service.
According to the university`s statement, these species have evolved over thousands of years from anadromous fish (migrating between fresh and saltwater) into resident freshwater forms. This adaptation has led to their divergence into distinct ecological forms that utilize different resources within the lake`s environment.
Specifically, the malma has diverged into two groups: one inhabiting the open water column, and the other dwelling near the lakebed at greater depths. Mikizha, on the other hand, shows an early stage of this specialization, with some individuals remaining in the lake and others migrating to tributaries, forming distinct lake-river and riverine ecological populations. Interestingly, all observed kundzha individuals have become rapidly growing predators, preying on other fish within the ecosystem.
The collected biological samples will undergo extensive laboratory analysis, including genetic, morphological, and trophic-ecological studies, to validate these preliminary findings, the university stated.
The ecological importance of Lake Palanskoye was recognized as early as 1980 when it was designated a zoological sanctuary to protect crucial fish spawning grounds and vital bird nesting sites. However, this sanctuary was unfortunately disbanded in 2010. Following an eleven-year hiatus, in 2021, thanks to persistent efforts by scientists and local residents of the Palana settlement, the lake successfully regained its status as a regional biological sanctuary, ensuring its continued protection.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth