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Reproductive life history of the North American madtom catfish, Noturus hildebrandi (Bailey & Taylor 1950), with a review of data for the genus
Author(s) -
Bakar J. A.,
Heins D. C.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
ecology of freshwater fish
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1600-0633
pISSN - 0906-6691
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0633.1994.tb00019.x
Subject(s) - biology , avian clutch size , clutch , population , zoology , seasonal breeder , reproduction , range (aeronautics) , ecology , demography , physics , materials science , sociology , composite material , thermodynamics
– The female reproductive traits of a small, North American catfish were studied over a two‐year period in a population at the southern extreme of the species’range. The reproductive season was long for Noturus , possibly from February to September. Females matured at age 1 and probably reproduced in only a single year. Clutch sizes were 16–68 oocytes in females 33–47 mm SL, and only one lifetime clutch may be produced. Clutch size, dry mass and volume were related to female size, but ripening oocyte size was not. Clutch mass averaged 23% of total body mass just prior to spawning. Compared to a northern population, females had greater SL‐adjusted body masses, clutch sizes and clutch volumes but smaller oocytes. Oocyte size accounted for 73% of the difference in clutch sizes and clutch volume 14%. Concerns about the comparability of present data for Noturus are expressed. The need to include many life‐history traits, from several populations of each species, using standardized methods in analysis of functional responses is discussed.