The chinook salmon is also called king salmon. The coho salmon is also called silver salmon. Salmon that return from the ocean to spawn are more brightly colored than their conspecifics in the ocean. The colors are species-specific and range from greens and browns to lavender and dark red. The jaws of returning males elongate and become hooked at the tips.
Males develop long fierce-looking canine teeth and can no longer close their mouths.
The eyes of both sexes are set deep in their sockets and the fins are frayed. Returning male sockeye and pink salmon also develop a distinct hump. She fans the redd with her tail to let the current wash away silt and fine particles. Nests can be as large as 10 feet long and 3-4 feet wide. As soon as a female deposits her eggs into the redd, one or two males spread milt over them.