# Arctic char (*Salvelinus alpinus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/arctic-char  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a bony fish in the family Salmonidae and the subfamily Salmoninae. It belongs to the order Salmoniformes and the class Teleostei, and its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758). Other English names for it include Charr, Torgoch, Breeder, Lake char and Sea trout. The IUCN Red List classes the Arctic char as Least Concern in its global assessment, which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | coastal, freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Salmoniformes
- family: Salmonidae
- genus: Salvelinus
- species: *Salvelinus alpinus* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Salmo alipes*, *Salmo alpinostagnalis*, *Salmo alpinus*, *Salmo alpinus var. nivalis*, *Salmo arcturus*, *Salmo ascanii*, *Salmo carbonarius*, *Salmo erythrinus*, *Salmo hearnii*, *Salmo hoodii*, *Salmo hybridus*, *Salmo kundscha*, *Salmo kundsha*, *Salmo laevis*, *Salmo levis*, *Salmo marstoni*, *Salmo naresii*, *Salmo nitidus*, *Salmo nivalis*, *Salmo oquassa*, *Salmo palja*, *Salmo punctatus*, *Salmo rivalis*, *Salmo rossii*, *Salmo rutilus*, *Salmo salvelinostagnalis*, *Salmo stagnalis*, *Salmo trutta laevis*, *Salmo trutta trutta*, *Salmo trutta var. laevis*, *Salmo ventricosus*, *Salvelinus alpinostagnalis*, *Salvelinus alpinus alpinus*, *Salvelinus alpinus erythrinus*, *Salvelinus alpinus orientalis*, *Salvelinus alpinus stagnalis*, *Salvelinus aureolus*, *Salvelinus lepechini melanostomus*, *Salvelinus lepechini profundicola*, *Salvelinus marstoni*, *Salvelinus stagnalis*, *Salvelinus sunapee*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the Arctic char?

The Arctic char is a bony fish. It belongs to the family Salmonidae in the order Salmoniformes.

### What is the scientific name of the Arctic char?

The scientific name of the Arctic char is Salvelinus alpinus, in the genus Salvelinus.

### Is the Arctic char endangered?

No. The Arctic char is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in its global assessment, which is not a threatened category.

### What are other names for the Arctic char?

Other English names for the Arctic char are Charr, Torgoch, Breeder, Lake char and Sea trout.

### What family does the Arctic char belong to?

The Arctic char belongs to the family Salmonidae, subfamily Salmoninae.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/arctic-char