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Life history ofEtheostoma caeruleum (Pisces: Percidae) in Bayou Sara, Louisiana and Mississippi

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Environmental biology of darters

Part of the book series: Developments in environmental biology of fishes ((DEBF,volume 4))

Synopsis

The life history of Etheostoma caeruleum was studied from collections made between September 1976 and July 1981 in Bayou Sara, a lower Mississippi River tributary. The principal habitat of rainbow darters was shallow gravel riffles or runs over firm substrates. In Bayou Sara, the reproductive season extended from late March through April and possibly into June. Males and females were sexually mature in their first year. Counts of unovulated mature ova ranged from 17–125 (\( {\bar {\text {X}}} \) = 66). Rainbow darters reached a maximum age of 37 months and a maximum size of 50 mm. Individuals reached an average of 34 mm in the first year and 41 mm after two years. A significantly higher number of males than females was present in the 1+ and 2+ year classes. Chironomids, siphlonurids, and simuliids comprised the bulk of the diet. Simuliid and hydropsychid consumption increased with increased size.

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Author notes

  1. James M. Grady

    Present address: Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA

  2. Henry L. Bart Jr.

    Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, 70148, USA

    James M. Grady & Henry L. Bart Jr.

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  1. James M. Grady
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  2. Henry L. Bart Jr.
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David G. Lindquist Lawrence M. Page

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© 1984 Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague

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Grady, J.M., Bart, H.L. (1984). Life history ofEtheostoma caeruleum (Pisces: Percidae) in Bayou Sara, Louisiana and Mississippi. In: Lindquist, D.G., Page, L.M. (eds) Environmental biology of darters. Developments in environmental biology of fishes, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6548-5_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6548-5_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6550-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6548-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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