Synopsis
We describe the spawning behaviour of Japanese charr,Salvelinus leucomaenis, which have begun to change their life history style from fluvial to lacustrine-fluvial after the construction of an artificial lake by damming. There was a discrete size distribution between mature lake run individuals (larger body size) and mature stream resident fish (smaller body size). Lake run males use pairing tactics, while stream resident males use satellite or pairing tactics depending on the presence of lake run males. Sneaking success of stream resident males is low relative to pairing success of lake run males. Pair formation is strongly assortative by body size and consequently by type. We suggest that both male-male competition and female choice of similar sized males, play an important role in pair formation. We hypothesize that the number of stream resident type relative to lake run type, especially stream resident females, will decrease in future years.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Armstrong, R.H. & J.E. Morrow. 1980. The dolly varden charr,Salvenius malma pp. 99–140.In: E.K. Balon (ed.) Charrs, Salmonid Fishes of the GenusSalvelinus, Perspectives in Vertebrate Science 1, Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague.
Balon,E.K.(ed.)1980. Charrs, salmonid fishes of the genusSalvelinus. Perspectives in Vertebrate Science 1, Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague. 928 pp.
Blackett, E. 1973. Fecundity of resident and anadromous dolly varden (Salvelinus malma) in southeastern Alaska. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 30: 543–548.
Crespi, B.J. 1989. Causes of assortative mating in arthropods. Anim. Behav. 38: 980–1000.
Dawkins, R. 1978. Good strategy or evolutionarily stable strategy. pp. 331–370.In: G.W. Barlow J. Silberberg(eds.) Socio-biology: Beyond Nature/Nurture? AAA selected Symposia, West Press, Boulder.
Fabricius, E. 1953. Aquarium observations on the spawning behaviour of the charSalvelinus alpinus. Rep. Inst. Freshw. Res. Drottningholm 34: 14–48.
Foote, C.J. 1988. Male mate choice dependent on male size in salmon. Behaviour 106: 63–80.
Foote, C.J. 1989. Female mate preference in Pacific salmon. Anim. Behav. 38: 721–722.
Foote, C.J. & P.A. Larkin. 1988. The role of male choice in assortative mating of anadromous and non-anadromous sockeye salmon. Behaviour 106: 43–62.
Foote, C.J. C.C. Wood & R.E. Withler. 1989. Biochemical genetic comparison of sockeye salmon and Kokanee, the anadromous and nonanadromous forms ofOncorhynchus nerka. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 46: 149–158.
Girtsenko, O.F. 1969. Dwarf males of the Kundzha or Siberian char (Salvelinus leucomaenis (Pall.)). J. Ichthyol. 9: 913–914.
Girtsenko, O.E & A.A. Churikov. 1976. The biology of chars (genusSalvelinus) and their place in the ichthyocoenosis of bays in northeastern Sakhalin. l. Migration, age, growth and maturation. J. Ichthyol. 15: 921–930.
Gross, M.R. 1985. Disruptive selection for alternative life history in salmon. Nature 313: 47–48.
Gross, M.R. 1987. Evolution of diadromy in fishes. Amer. Fish. Soc. Symp. 1: 14–25.
Gross, M. R. 1991. Salmon breeding behavior and life history evolution in changing environments. Ecology 72: 1180–1186.
Hanson, A.J. & H.D. Smith. 1967. Mate selection in a population of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) of mixed age group. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 24: 1955–1977.
Hino, T., K. Maekawa & J.B. Reynolds. 1990. Alternative male mating behaviours in landlocked dolly varden (Salvelinus malma) in south-central Alaska. J. Ethol. 8: 13–20.
Hutchings, J.A. & R.A. Myers. 1988. Mating success of alternative maturation phenotypes in male Atlantic salmon. Oecologia 75: 169–174.
Ishigaki, K. 1969. Ecological and morphological studies on chars in Hokkaido. Ph.D. Thesis, Hokkaido University, Sapporo. 249 pp. (In Japanese).
Jarvi, T. 1990. The effects of male dominance, secondary sexual characteristics and female mate choice on the mating success of male Atlantic salmonSalmo salar Ethology 84: 123–132.
Jones, J.W. 1959. The salmon. Collins, London. 192 pp.
Kimura, 5. 1977. On the spawning behaviour and early life history of the Gogi-char,Salvelinus leucomaenis (Pallas). Sci. Bull. Agr. Kyushu Univ. 32: 125–140 (In Japanese).
Maekawa, K. 1983. Streaking behaviour of mature male parrs of the Miyabe charr,Salvelinus malma miyabei, during spawning. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 30: 227–234.
Maekawa, K. 1984. Life history patterns of the Miyabe charr in Shikaribetsu Lake, Japan. pp. 233–250.In: L. Johnson & B. Burns(eds.) Biology of the Arctic Charr, University of Mannitoba Press, Winnipeg.
Maekawa, K. & T. Hino. 1986. Spawning behaviour of dolly varden in southeastern Alaska, with special reference to the mature male Parr. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 32: 454–458.
Maekawa, K. & T. Hino. 1987. Effect of cannibalism on alternative life histories in charr. Evolution 41: 1120–1123.
Maekawa, K. & H. Onozato. 1986. Reproductive tactics and fertilization success of mature male Miyabe charr,Salvelinus malma miyabei. Env. Biol. Fish. 15: 119–129.
Maekawa, K., S. Kitano & S. Takeyama. 1993. Type-assortative mating of Miyabe charr. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 39: 401–403.
Maekawa, K., S. Nakano & S. Yamamoto.1994. Mate preference in anadromous and landlocked dolly varden females in two Alaskan streams. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. (in press).
Maruyama, T. 1981. Comparative ecology on the fluvial forms ofS. (O.) masou masou (Brevoort) andSalv. leucomaenis (Pallas) (Pisces, Salmonidae).1. Structure of spawning redds and spawning sites in Kamidani, River Yura. Jap. J. Ecol. 31: 269–284 (In Japanese).
Maynard Smith, J. 1982. Evolution and the theory of games. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 224 pp.
Nakano, S., K. Maekawa & S. Yamamoto. 1990. Change of the life cycle of charr following artificial lake construction by damming. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 56: 1901–1905.
Power, G. 1980. The brook charr,Salvelinus fontinalis. pp. 141–204.In: E.K. Balon (ed.) Charrs, Salmonid Fishes of the GenusSalvelinus, Perspectives in Vertebrate Science 1. Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague.
Sargent, R.G., M.R. Gross & E.P. van den Berghe. 1986. Male mate choice in fishes. Anim. Behav. 34: 545–550.
Schroder, S.L. 1981. The role of sexual selection in determining the overall mating pattern and mate choice in chum salmon. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle. 274 pp.
Sigurjonsdottir, H. & K. Gunnarson. 1989. Alternative mating tactics of arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus, in Thingvallavatn, Iceland. Env. Biol. Fish. 24: 159–176.
Yamamoto. S., S. Nakano & Y. Tokuda. 1992. Variation and divergence of the life-history of Japanese charrSalvelinus leucomaenis in an artificial lake-inlet stream system. Jap. J. Ecol. 42: 149–157 (In Japanese).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Maekawa, K., Nakano, S. & Yamamoto, S. Spawning behaviour and size-assortative mating of Japanese charr in an artificial lake-inlet stream system. Environ Biol Fish 39, 109–117 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004927
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004927