Abstract
Rhinogobius sp. CB is a common amphidromous goby in Japan. I investigated egg and clutch sizes along a river course and within a spawning season in the Aizu River, Kii Peninsula, Japan. Clutch size within the same female size did not differ along the course of the river, but decreased from early to later in the spawning season. Egg size within the same female size decreased from early to later in the spawning season and from the upper to the lower reaches. These results mean energy resources allocated to the ovary decreased seasonally and locally. Several factors are presented to explain these variations, such as female somatic conditions, a tradeoff between reproduction and growth, food availability, water temperature, and presence of competitive species. Some factors explaining the seasonal and local variations in egg size, such as water temperature and food availability for offspring, are also presented. Egg size correlated well with female size. The trend in egg size variation with female size seems to be an adaptation for their migrating pattern, as larvae from larger female, which tended to inhabit the upper reaches, would have a greater endurance against starvation during their migration to the sea.
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Acknowledgments
I thank Dr. Katsuya Iwata (Wakayama University), Sigeyuki Yamato (Kyoto University), and Atsushi Maruyama (Ryukoku University) for their helpful advices.
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Tamada, K. Variations in clutch and egg sizes in the amphidromous goby Rhinogobius sp. CB along a river course and within a spawning season. Ichthyol Res 56, 69–75 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-008-0069-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-008-0069-7