Kokanee salmon between 29–40 gill rakers. As a freshwater-based fish, they are much smaller than their sea-going sockeye relatives due to less food availability. Size is the most significant morphological distinction between the kokanee and the Sockeye, but gill raker count can differ from Sockeye salmon as well. The main food source of this fish is plankton. “Kokanee have blue backs and silver sides and unlike other salmon and trout, except chum salmon, sockeye and kokanee lack distinct dark spots on their backs and tail fins. In addition, when compared to other trout, they have finer scales, larger eyes, and deeply forked
Fish cosmetic palette for forward, and rear pectoral fins. Two forward arced lines form gill slits, and a yellowish eye is made with inlay. The Louvre dolphin type fish palette is a Naqada I, or II palette. It has simple fish fin grooves on its tail, and its dorsal fin, towards the rear. The palette has an inlaid white eye, (often of shell). Because of its extended length, it contains three suspension holes. The fish palette at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, is more ornate than common fish palettes. It is a Bulti-fish type, and notable for a large cosmetic "mixing circle" adorning the