Life History of a Peripheral Population of Bluespotted Sunfish Enneacanthus gloriosus (Holbrook), With Comments on Geographic Variation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-1999

Department

Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

Abstract

Enneacanthus gloriosus occurs in coastal plain drainages from New York to Florida and W to Mississippi, but little is known about its life history. Enneacanthus gloriosus is smaller and shorter-lived in Mississippi than in eastern populations. The spawning season of E. gloriosus ranges from April to September and gonadosomatic index values were highest between April and August, peaking in May with an additional but lower peak in August. Ripe eggs are also found during every month of the spawning season. These data indicate E. gloriosus is a multiple batch spawner. The sex ratio did not differ from 1:1, the diameter of mature ova averaged 0.68 mm, and the number of ripe ova per female averaged 117.2. Enneacanthus gloriosus at the periphery of its western distribution in Mississippi exhibit substantial variation in a number of life-history patterns including size, age, length at maturity and spawning season compared to populations ranging from New Jersey to Florida.

Publication Title

American Midland Naturalist

Volume

141

Issue

2

First Page

345

Last Page

357

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