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Life‐History Patterns of Cuban Poeciliid Fishes (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes)
Author(s) -
Ponce de León José L.,
Rodríguez Rodet,
León Gunnary
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.21009
Subject(s) - biology , cyprinodontiformes , poeciliidae , fecundity , sexual dimorphism , sexual maturity , zoology , captivity , life history theory , ecology , habitat , teleostei , fish <actinopterygii> , life history , demography , fishery , population , sociology
The following work provides basic information about the life history of 10 Cuban species of the family Poeciliidae. Adult fish stocks were captured in their natural habitat, and litters obtained from them were raised and maintained in captivity for 19 weeks. For each species, we present the mean value of newborn length (TL o ), age at sexual maturity (AM), total length at sexual maturity (TLM), as well as the patterns of postnatal growth in aquarium conditions, which were described using size–age curves and nonlinear regression equations (Richards model). There are differences in growth dynamics among species. In general, growth rates differ for both sexes in all poeciliids studied, males maturing earlier than females, who reach higher values of total length at the 19th week (TL f ). Sexual size dimorphism could be explained by the specific roles of each sex (fecundity in females and early maturity in males) while differences in growth among species could be related to their distribution patterns in the wild. The data summarized in this contribution can be useful for the conservation of these fish species. Zoo Biol 32:251–256, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.