Here's a breakdown of the salmon life cycle:
* Egg: The salmon life cycle begins with eggs laid in gravel nests (redds) in freshwater streams.
* Alevins: The eggs hatch into alevins, which are small, yolk-sac larvae that remain in the redd for a few weeks.
* Fry: Alevins develop into fry, which emerge from the redd and start feeding on their own. They have a distinctive pattern of dark vertical bars called parr marks.
* Parr: As fry grow larger, they are called parr. This stage can last for several years, and the parr continue to feed and grow in freshwater. Young male parr are called "parr" too.
* Smolt: When parr reach a certain size and age, they undergo physiological changes and transform into smolts. Smolts are silvery in color and have adapted to saltwater conditions.
* Adult Salmon: Smolts migrate to the ocean where they spend several years feeding and growing. When they are mature, they return to their natal streams to spawn.
So, a young male salmon, before it becomes a smolt, is simply called a parr.