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Notes on the biology of the schelly Coregonus lavaretus (L.) in Haweswater and Ullswater
Author(s) -
Bagenal T. B.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1970.tb03267.x
Subject(s) - coregonus lavaretus , biology , spawn (biology) , bay , zoology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , oceanography , geology
Some aspects of the biology of the schelly Coregonus lavaretus (L.) were investigated by examining 188 that had passed down an aqueduct from Haweswater and 437 that were caught in gill nets set in Ullswater. In both lakes the main breeding season is from mid January to mid February, and in Ullswater spawning takes place in shallow water [less than 7.6 m (25 feet)] on a sandy bottom with stones and weed, at the entrance to a bay. The males in Haweswater first spawn when 3 years old and in Ullswater when 2; and the females first spawn in Haweswater when 4 years old, and in Ullswater when 3. Scales were kept from every fish and were found suitable for age determination. Some Haweswater schelly live for 9 years, but from Ullswater the oldest was 8. The rate of growth of male Haweswater schelly was very well described by the equation:(where l t (=the length at time t) but the curve had to be transposed a further year to describe adequately the Ullswater male schelly growth. It is clear that the rates of growth are similar in the two lakes after the first year, during which it is much faster in Ullswater. A study of the length‐weight relation showed that the weight is proportional to the length cubed, and no difference in condition was found between males and females. The schelly egg was found to be slightly sticky, spherical and 2.98 mm in diameter. Some fertilized eggs were kept at various constant temperatures. At 4°C and 6°C the death rate was low, but was higher at 8°C and total mortality occured at 10°C. This low upper lethal temperature probably restricts the spawning season to mid‐winter and also limits the species' geographical range, as has also been suggested for the char Salvelitms alpinus (L.) whose eggs have similar temperature requirements. Some eggs were reared to adults, and these provided corroboration of the validity of the scales for age determination. Two other points mentioned in this paper were the occasional winter strandings of schelly, and the incidence of a supernumerary pelvic fin.