Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Natural hybridization of cyprinid fishes in Little Patuxent River, Maryland

  • Published:
Chesapeake Science

Abstract

Three natural combinations of cyprinid hybrids were found in the Little Patuxent River, Maryland in the vicinity of the Fall Line. They resulted from the spawning ofNotropis cornutus, Notropis rubellus andClinostomus funduloides over the nests ofNocomis micropogon. The hybridN. rubellus ×C. funduloides was an unreported hybrid combination. It was rare; its characteristics were intermediate between the parental species. The hybridN. cornutus ×N. rubellus was common whileN. cornutus ×C. funduloides occurred rarely. The particular ecology, including the high stream gradient and generally sandy bottom with boulders and bedrock, appeared to contribute to the hybridization. The rarity of hybrids involvingC. funduloides is attributed to the greater genetic isolation. There appeared to be no relationship between the frequency of hybridization and the distance between the precise positions of the parental species as they spawned over theNocomis nest.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Birdsong, R. S., andR. W. Yerger. 1967. A natural population of hybrid sunfishes:Lepomis macrochirus x Chaenobryttus gulosus.Copeia 1967(1):62–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, C. R. 1961. Hybridization versus intergradation: An inquiry into the relationship of two cyprinid fishes.Copeia 1961(2):181–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hankinson, T. L. 1932. Observations on the breeding behavior and habitats of fishes in southern Michigan.Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts and Lett. 1931 (15):411–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubbs, C. 1959. Population analysis of a hybrid swarm betweenGambusia affinis andG. heterochir.Evolution 13 (2):236–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1956. Interfertility between two sympatric fishes,Notropis lutrensis andNotropis venustus.Evolution 10(4):341–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — and —. 1957. Relative variability of hybrids between the dartersEtheostoma spectabile andPercina caprodes.Evolution 11(1):1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbs, C. L. 1955. Hybridization between fish species in nature.Systematic Zoology 4(1):1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbs, C. L. 1961. Isolating mechanisms in the speciation of fishes.In: W. F. Blair (ed.), Vertebrate Speciation. Univ. of Texas Press. p. 5–23.

  • —. 1929. Materials for a distributional study of Ontario fishes.Trans. Royal Canadian Institute 17(1):1–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1942. An analysis of hybridization in nature between two species of Japanese flounders.Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts and Lett. 1941(27):267–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubbs, C. L., and K. F. Lagler. 1958. Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bull. No. 26, 213 p.

  • Hubbs, C. L., L. C. Hubbs, and R. E. Johnson. 1943. Hybridization in nature between species of catostomid fishes.Contr. Lab. Vert. Biol., Michigan, No. 22, 72 p.

  • Minckley, W. L., andL. A. Krumholz. 1960. Natural hybridization between the clupeid generaDorosoma andSignalosa, with a report on the distribution ofS. petenensis.Zoologica 44 (4):171–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, J. S. 1968. Hybridization and Isolating Mechanisms betweenCatostomus commersonii andC. macrocheilus (Pisces: Catostomidae).J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 25(1):101–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • New, J. G. 1962. Hybridization between two cyprinids,Chrosomus eos andChrosomus neogaeus.Copeia 1962(1):147–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raney, E. C. 1940. Reproductive activities of a hybrid minnow,Notropis cornutus x Notropis rubellus.Zoologica 25(3):361–367.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1947a. Subspecies and breeding behavior of the cyprinid fishNotropis procne (Cope).Copeia 1947(2):103–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1947b.Nocomis nests used by other cyprinid fishes in Virginia.Zoologica 32(3):125–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raney, E. C. 1950. Freshwater fishes of the James River Basin, Virginia.In: The James River Basin past, present and future.Virginia Academy of Science 1950:151–194.

  • Reighard, J. 1943. The breeding habits of the river chub,Nocomis micropogon (Cope).Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts and Lett. 28:397–423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trautman, M. B. 1948. A natural hybrid catfish,Schilbeodes miurus x Schilbeodes mollis.Copeia 1948(3):166–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — 1957. The fishes of Ohio. The Ohio State Univ. Press, Columbus, Ohio. 183 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, C. F. 1968. Effects of chlorinated sewage effluents on fishes in upper Patuxent River, Maryland.Chesapeake Sci. 9(2):83–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, Maryland

    Chu-fa Tsai & Robert B. Zeisel

Authors
  1. Chu-fa Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert B. Zeisel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Contribution No. 384 from the Natural Resources Institute, University of Maryland.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tsai, Cf., Zeisel, R.B. Natural hybridization of cyprinid fishes in Little Patuxent River, Maryland. Chesapeake Science 10, 69–74 (1969). https://doi.org/10.2307/1350834

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1350834

Keywords

Search

Navigation