Synopsis
A population of the S. Indian cyprinid fishBarbus melanampyx was sampled monthly through 24 months. Seasonal cycles of the gonado-somatic index (GSI), ovarian stages, male breeding tubercles, spawning behaviour and population structure were assessed. These fish breed strictly seasonally during the main dry period: December/January through April. Comparison with other Barbus species of the same general region led to the conclusion that the patterns of reproductive investment ofB. melanampyx are similar to those of perennial species, and different from those of wet-season spawners. The reasons for this rather unexpected result were found in the more constant conditions prevailing during a dry season as compared to the monsoon. It was argued thatB. melanampyx and the species spawning perennially are in effect ‘small-brood’ spawners, rather than partial spawners.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Burd, A.C. & G.J. Howlett. 1974. Fecundity studies on North Sea herring. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 35: 107–120.
De Silva, S.S. & K. Kortmulder. 1977. Some aspects of the biology of three species ofPuntius (= Barbus) (Pisces, Cyprinidae), endemic to Sri Lanka. Neth. J. Zool. 27: 182–194.
De Silva, S.S., J. Schut & K. Kortmulder. 1985. Reproductive biology of sixBarbus species indigenous to Sri Lanka. Env. Biol. Fish. 12: 201–218.
Harikumar, S. 1983. Systematics and breeding biology ofPuntius melanampyx. M. Phil. Dissertation. University of Trivandrum. Trivandrum. 80 pp.
Hickling, C.F. & E. Rutenberg. 1936. The ovary as an indication of spawning period in fishes. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 21: 311–317.
Jayaram, K.C. 1981. The freshwater fishes of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka; a handbook. Zool. Survey of India, Calcutta. 475 pp.
Kortmulder, K.1972. A comparative study in colour patterns and behaviour in 7 AsiaticBarbus species. A progress report. Behaviour Suppl. 19. 331 pp.
Kortmulder, K. 1982. Etho-ecology of 17Barbus species (Pisces, Cyprinidae). Neth. J. Zool. 31: 144–168.
Kortmulder, K. 1986. Similar behaviour and colour patterns in 3 not closely relatedBarbus species. Is evolutionary convergence a likely explanation? Behaviour 98: 180–211.
Kortmulder, K., E.J. Feldbrugge & S.S. De Silva. 1978. A combined field study ofBarbus (= Puntius) nigrofasciatus Günth-er (Pisces; Cyprinidae) and water chemistry of its habitat in Sri Lanka. Neth. J. Zool. 28: 111–131.
Kortmulder, K., K.G. Padmanabhan & S.S. De Silva. 1990. Patterns of distribution and endemism in some cyprinid fishes as determined by the geomorphology of South-West Sri Lanka and South Kerala (India). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters 1: 97–112.
Loiselle, P.V. 1973. Description of a new species ofBarbus (Pisces; Cyprinidae) from West Africa. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 87: 379–390.
Loiselle, P.V. & R.L. Welcomme. 1971. Two new species ofBarbus (Pisces; Cyprinidae) from Southeastern Dahomey. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 83: 1–15.
Lowe-McConnell, R.H. 1975. Fish communities in tropical freshwaters. Longmans, London. 337 pp.
Lowe-McConnell, R.H. 1987. Ecological studies in tropical fish communities. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 382 pp.
Payne, A.I. 1975. The reproductive cycle, condition and feeding inBarbus liberiensis, a tropical stream-dwelling cyprinid. J. Zool. Lond. 176: 247–269.
Payne, A.I. 1986. Ecology of tropical lakes and rivers. Wiley, London. 301 pp.
Prabhu, M.S. 1956. Maturation of intra-ovarian eggs and spawning periodicities in some fishes. Indian J. Fish. 3: 59–90.
Prem Kumar, K. & N.K. Balasubramanian. 1984. Breeding biology of the scarlet banded barb,Puntius amphibius (Val.) from Chackai Canal. Zool. Anz. 213: 291–302.
Prem Kumar, K., P.A. John & N.K. Balasubramanian. 1985. Fecundity of the allochthonous feeder,Rasbora daniconius (Ham.) and the autochthonous feeder,Puntius amphibius (Val.). Proc. Indian Soc. Sci. (Anim. Sci.) 94: 481–488.
Qasim, S.Z. 1973. An appraisal of the studies on maturation and spawning in marine teleosts from the Indian waters. Indian J. Fish. 20: 166–181.
Qasim, S.Z. & A. Qayyum. 1961. Spawning frequencies and breeding season of some fresh water fishes with special references to those occurring in the plains of Northern India. Indian J. Fish. 8: 27–43.
Qayyum, A. & S.Z. Qasim. 1964. Studies on the biology of some fresh water fishes. Part II.Barbus stigma (Val.). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 61: 330–347.
Reynolds, J.D. 1974. Biology of the small pelagic fishes in the new Volta Lake in Ghana. Part III, Sex and reproduction. Hydrobiologia 45: 489–508.
Schreij-Visser, O. 1979. The behaviour ofBarbus melanampyx. M. Phil. Thesis, University of Leiden, Leiden. 125 pp. (In Dutch).
Schut, J.A., S.S. De Silva & K. Kortmulder. 1984. Habitat, associations and competition of 8Barbus species indigenous to Sri Lanka (Pisces; Cyprinidae). Neth. J. Zool. 34: 159–181.
Sobhana, B. & N.B. Nair. 1974. Observation on the maturation and spawning ofPuntius sarana subnasutus (Val.). Indian J. Fish. 21: 357–368.
Spate, O.H.K., A.T.A. Learmonth & B.H. Farmer. 1967. India, Pakistan and Ceylon. Part IV, The Regions, Methuen & Co., London. 455 pp.
Vijayakumar, B. 1983. Studies on the biology ofPuntius filamentosus (Val.). Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Trivandrum, Trivandrum. 296 pp.
Vijayakumar, B. 1986. Breeding biology of the filamented barbPuntius filamentosus from Vellayani Lake. pp. 86–90.In: B.D. Joshi, A.K. Chopra & D. Bhatt (ed.) Proceedings of the National Symposium on Fish and Their Environment, New Delhi.
Welcomme, R.L. 1969. The biology and ecology of the fishes of a small tropical stream. J. Zool., Lond. 158: 485–529.
Willigen, H. van 1976. The behaviour ofBarbus titteya: territorial behaviour in the genusBarbus. M. Phil. Thesis, University of Leiden, Leiden. 148 pp. (In Dutch).
Wirjoatmodjo, S. 1987. The river ecosystem in the forest area at Ketambe, Gunung Leuser National Park, Aceh, Indonesia. Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih. 28: 239–246.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harikumar, S., Padmanabhan, K.G., John, P.A. et al. Dry-season spawning in a cyprinid fish of southern India. Environ Biol Fish 39, 129–136 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004930
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004930