kunimasu; black kokanee
A rare Japanese subspecies of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka kawamurae), originally endemic to Lake Tazawa in Akita Prefecture. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in Lake Saiko in 2010.
The kunimasu is an endemic species that lived only in Lake Tazawa, Akita Prefecture.
In 2010, kunimasu were rediscovered in a lake in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Kanji spelling; rarely used. The katakana form is standard.
The name クニマス is a combination of 国 (kuni, 'country') and 鱒 (masu, 'trout/salmon'), referring to its status as a native Japanese salmonid. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.