A Description of the Semi-buoyant Eggs and Early Developmental Stages of the Goldeye, Hiodon alosoides (Rafinesque)

The goldeye in Canada occurs in large muddy rivers and associated lakes, being most abundant on the plains. Spawning usually occurs from late May to early July. In Lake Claire, Alberta, males reproduce first at 6–9 years of age and females at 7–10 years; in southern Manitoba first maturity averages...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
Main Authors: Battle, Helen I., Sprules, William M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1960
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f60-020
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f60-020
Description
Summary:The goldeye in Canada occurs in large muddy rivers and associated lakes, being most abundant on the plains. Spawning usually occurs from late May to early July. In Lake Claire, Alberta, males reproduce first at 6–9 years of age and females at 7–10 years; in southern Manitoba first maturity averages 2 or 3 years earlier than this. Goldeye eggs were discovered in Lake Claire. They are bathypelagic or semi-buoyant, a characteristic which is rare among freshwater fishes. The egg is spherical, measures 4 mm in diameter, has a wide perivitelline space, coarsely granular yolk, and a large oil droplet. Prehatching developmental stages, including the multicellular blastoderm, the 41- and the 51-somite embryos, are described; as are the diagnostic characteristics of early larvae (7.27–7.63 mm), late larvae (11.8–15.6 mm), postlarval young fish (16.0–29 mm), and a 33 mm fish.