Effects of Habitat Utilization on the Life Histories of Two Imperiled, Sympatric Dionda (Cyprinidae) in the Rio Grande Basin, Texas

The genus Dionda consists of at least 12 species, of which most inhabit spring-dominated streams within the western Gulf slope drainages of North America and demonstrate some differences in habitat selection within these systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of stenothermal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American midland naturalist Vol. 175; no. 2; pp. 222 - 232
Main Authors Robertson, Sarah M, Bonner, Timothy H, Fries, Joe N
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published The University of Notre Dame, P.O. Box 369, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0369 American Midland Naturalist 01.04.2016
University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame, Department of Biological Sciences
Subjects
Airlines
Analysis
Animal behavior
Breeding seasons
Creeks
Creeks & streams
Ecological life histories
Fish
Fishes
Freshwater fishes
Habitats
Minnows
Oocytes
Riverine habitats
Stream habitats
Water temperature
Texas
Israel
Val Verde County Texas
Devils River
Kinney County Texas
Pinto Creek
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Summary:The genus Dionda consists of at least 12 species, of which most inhabit spring-dominated streams within the western Gulf slope drainages of North America and demonstrate some differences in habitat selection within these systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of stenothermal spring or eurythermal stream habitat selection on the life history strategies of the stream-associated Dionda argentosa, a population of Dionda diaboli restricted to the spring influenced portions of Pinto Creek (Kinney County, Texas), and a population of D. diaboli utilizing stream habitats in the Devils River (Val Verde County, Texas). While differences in spawning seasons between the two species were noted, all three populations displayed life histories characteristic of opportunistic strategists including early maturation, long spawning seasons, production of multiple batches of oocytes, and short lifespans (<3 y). Differences in reproductive season between the spring- and stream-associated Dionda were consistent with the hypothesis stenothermal waters of springs lack terminating cues to induce gonadal quiescence in fishes.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1674%2F0003-0031-175.2.222
ISSN:0003-0031
1938-4238
DOI:10.1674/0003-0031-175.2.222