Abstract
Accurate descriptions of reproductive profiles are important for effective conservation and stock assessment efforts. We examined the reproductive traits of an Okinawan population of western Pacific gizzard shad (Nematalosa come) using histological analyses. The observed lengths at 50 % maturity were approximately 180 mm standard length (SL) for females and 130 mm SL for males, which corresponded to 4-year-old fish for females and at least 2-year-old fish for males. The spawning season was estimated to occur from January to August, peaking from March to June, with active spawning occurring during an increase in seawater temperature. The lipidosomatic index of both sexes decreased until June, presumably as the fish expended energy to spawn. The fecundity (F) of females, tested using 62 ovaries, was related to SL: F = 3.471 × 10−2 × SL3.122. The Okinawan population of N. come had a longer spawning season and a higher fecundity than other populations for which these data are available. Such favorable traits may contribute to the persistence of this population at the species’ distributional margin. Our findings indicate that the spawning seasons of Okinawan populations of N. come and Nematalosa japonica overlapped, implying that hybrid production occurs under natural conditions. Around Okinawa Island, however, the extent of shallow waters is rapidly decreasing because of recent land reclamation. We suggest the diminution of suitable sites as a possible factor for narrowing spawning opportunities and promoting the recent appearance of natural hybrids. Shallow habitats should be conserved to preserve healthy populations of the species.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to S. Shokita, T. Yoshino, and H. Imai (University of the Ryukyus) for their kind support and helpful advice. The authors thank A. Ebisawa (Okinawa Prefectural Fisheries Research and Extension Center) for providing critical technical comments throughout this research; K. Nakazato (Urasoe-Ginowan Fisheries Cooperative Association), Z. Touyama, and S. Touyama (Okinawa City Fisheries Cooperative Association) for collecting fish specimens; H. Ikeda, H. Komine, M. Ishimine, T. Maehara, and S. Nakasone (the staff of Okinawa City Fisheries Cooperative Association) for their helpful support in obtaining and processing the specimens; and the members of the Laboratory of Fisheries Biology and Coral Reef Studies (University of the Ryukyus) for their helpful support during sampling. The authors also thank two anonymous reviewers for providing constructive comments that improved the manuscript. This research was supported in part by the research fund of Okinawa Prefecture, the Mikimoto Fund for Marine Ecology, and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (no. 22580206; representative: Katsunori Tachihara) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.
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Uehara, M., Tachihara, K. Reproductive traits of the western Pacific gizzard shad Nematalosa come: implications for conservation and management in a population at its distributional margin. Environ Biol Fish 98, 1–10 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-014-0231-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-014-0231-1