The diagram below shows the life cycle of a salmon, from eggs to adult fish.

The diagram illustrates the reproduction process of

salmons

.

Overall

, there are various stages in the life of a common salmon, from mature

salmons

mating to produce eggs, to the growth of immature form, to mature

salmons

developing some time later. At the beginning of the process, the mating of two adult

salmons

takes place in the river, after which eggs are incubated in the water.

This

is followed by the eggs developing into tiny tadpoles, at which point they gradually develop their tail, and organs and change their body shape. The process continues with the tadpoles growing into young

salmons

, but the tail is shorter than that of a tadpole. These young

salmons

continue to inhabit the river before they develop into mature ones and are able to move to the ocean. In the mating season, the adult

salmons

come back to the spawning area in the river.

Finally

, the cycle begins again when two fully-grown

salmons

, which are capable of reproducing, mate.