Kype Kype A kype is a hook-like secondary sex characteristic which develops at the distal tip of the lower jaw in some male salmonids prior to the spawning season. The structure usually develops in the weeks prior to, and during, migration to the spawning grounds. In addition to the development of the kype, a large depression forms in the two halves of the premaxilla in the upper jaw, allowing the kype to fit into the premaxilla when the mouth is closed. The kype functions as a secondary sexual characteristic and influences the formation of dominance hierarchies at the spawning grounds. The
Kokanee salmon spawning in April. The female kokanee creates a nest called a redd. She will lay around 1000 eggs, depending on food availability. Eggs hatch within 110 days, and the juveniles swim out to the lake. During spawning, the males turn bright red and develop a humped back and an elongated jaw similar to the male Sockeye salmon. Females also dawn a dark red hue during the breeding season, which also corresponds with the breeding season of Sockeye salmon. Competition with introduced lake trout can lead to a decline in Kokanee populations during the summer. Lake trout are predatory and will