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Substrate choice of territorial male Topeka shiners ( Notropis topeka ) in the absence of sunfish ( Lepomis sp.)
Author(s) -
Witte C. C.,
Wildhaber M. L.,
Arab A.,
Noltie D. B.
Publication year - 2009
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.1600-0633.2008.00351.x
Subject(s) - notropis , lepomis , minnow , cobble , centrarchidae , spawn (biology) , biology , ecology , electrofishing , fishery , predation , fish <actinopterygii> , micropterus , habitat
– Topeka shiners ( Notropis topeka ), an endangered minnow species, typically spawn on or around breeding Lepomis sunfish (Centrarchidae) nests. Why spawning Topeka shiners are attracted to these nests is unclear, but having the nesting sunfish provide shiner eggs with improved aeration, a lessening of siltation, and protection from egg predators are possibilities. We tested the substrate utilisation of Topeka shiners in outdoor tanks in the absence of sunfish to determine the shiner’s fundamental choice. Shiners were provided with substrate patches of cleaned sand, small gravel, large gravel, and small cobble, and the bare floor of the tank. The substrate above which a male shiner established his territory was used as evidence of choice. A statistically significant choice for sand substrates was demonstrated. This fundamental choice might influence which sunfish nests Topeka shiners use, given that nest substrate characteristics differ both between sunfish species and within species by spawning site location.