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Observations on the nesting habits of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) (Pisces: Cichlidae) in Sri Lankan reservoirs
Author(s) -
Silva S. S.,
Sirisena H. K. G.
Publication year - 1988
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.1095-8649.1988.tb05514.x
Subject(s) - nest (protein structural motif) , biology , oreochromis mossambicus , sri lanka , nesting (process) , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , zoology , geography , tilapia , biochemistry , materials science , tanzania , environmental planning , metallurgy
The nest‐building characteristics of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) were studied in five manmade lakes (reservoirs) Sri Lanka. The nests were always found in clusters (arenas) and were generally located in or near coves and/or bays in shallow water. The density of nests in an arena varied between arenas in a reservoir and between reservoirs. The overall mean density of nests ranged between 0.47 and 6.31 m 2 in the five reservoirs. The nests ranged from 11 to 110 cm in diameter, two size groups of nests being recognizable: small, with diameter 10–50 cm, and large with diameter >50 cm. At any nesting site only one size group of nests was found. Nest diameter ( ND ) was curvilinearly related to mean nest density ( D ) and linearly to mean distance between nests ( Dis ), the respective statistical relationships beingThe diameter of nests was also related to nest depth ( Dep ) asThere was no apparent relationship between nesting characteristics and morphometric characters of the reservoirs.