Abstract
Mating behavior of the Far Eastern catfish, Silurus asotus (Siluriformes: Siluridae), was observed in a ricefield system facing the shore of Lake Biwa in mid-May to early June in 1990–1997. A set behavioral sequence similar to those of two other silurid fishes, S. biwaensis and S. lithophilus, both endemic to the Lake Biwa system, was observed: “chasing,”“clinging,”“enfolding” while “squeezing” by the male, and “circling” by the spawning pair. This form of mating behavior is quite different from that of S. asotus reported from the Ooi River system in Kyoto Prefecture, which mainly spawns in running water in ditches.
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Received: April 10, 2001 / Revised: November 5, 2001 / Accetped: November 20, 2001
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Maehata, M. Stereotyped sequence of mating behavior in the Far Eastern catfish, Silurus asotus, from Lake Biwa. Ichthyol Res 49, 202–205 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s102280200028
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s102280200028