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Life history of Gambusia nobilis (Pecos Gambusia) from Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

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Abstract

Relatively little is known about variation in allocation to growth and reproduction of endangered and threatened fish species with small geographic distributions or isolated populations. We examined life history and reproductive variation among four ecologically distinct populations of the federally listed Pecos gambusia, Gambusia nobilis, from sinkholes at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, United States. Despite ecological variation between sinkholes, there were no significant differences in female reproductive traits between populations. Reproductive strategy shifted over the reproductive season from investment in many small embryos to fewer large offspring. Reproductive effort was not correlated with female size or condition (which varies between populations), suggesting that small or poor quality females invest similarly to larger or healthier females. Reproduction was asynchronous between populations and through the reproductive season. Embryo development patterns suggest that females often carry embryos of two or more developmental stages and provision them during gestation (matrotrophy). Understanding the life history strategies of this endangered species is important to the planning and implementation of conservation efforts.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Daniel Hopkins, Robert Hickey, Kara Hickey, Davona Hickey, Kristin Wright, and Kristin Simmons who assisted with monthly field work, specimen collection, and dissections. We also appreciate Alexandra M. Snyder and the support of the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), which provided supplies, facilities, and technical support needed to carry out this research. Thank you to Thomas F. Turner and Blair O. Wolf for comments on research design and editing of the manuscript. This project was funded in part by a Graduate Research Project and Travel Grant provided by the Office of Graduate Studies, University of New Mexico. Specimens were collected under the University of New Mexico Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved protocol # 11-100628-MCC, US Fish and Wildlife Service Native Endangered Species Recovery permit #TE28576A-1, US Fish and Wildlife Service Consultation for Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 #22420-2011-I-0055, US Fish and Wildlife Service Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge Special Use Permit, and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Authorization for Taking Protected Wildlife for Scientific and or Educational Purposes Permit #2968 and #3303 (specimens transferred to researcher).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted.

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  1. Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 167 Castetter Hall, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    Alyssa Hopkins & Astrid Kodric-Brown

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  1. Alyssa Hopkins
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  2. Astrid Kodric-Brown
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Correspondence to Alyssa Hopkins.

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Hopkins, A., Kodric-Brown, A. Life history of Gambusia nobilis (Pecos Gambusia) from Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Environ Biol Fish 98, 1833–1844 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-015-0401-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-015-0401-9

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