Eggs, Larvae, and Young of the Hickory Shad, Alosa mediocris, with Comments on Its Ecology in the Estuary

Mansueti, Romeo J.

doi:10.2307/1350995

Cited by 19 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Hickory shad are iteroparous, but it is unknown whether there is any variation in reproductive characteristics as observed in the closely related American shad A. sapidissima (Leggett and Carscadden 1978). Fertilized eggs, larvae, and juveniles of hickory shad were first illustrated by Mansueti (1962), who also clarified that the hickory shad was an anadromous species. Larvae hatch in 2-3 d, and juveniles are found in tributaries or estuaries throughout their first year.…”

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Reproductive Development and Related Observations during the Spawning Migration of Hickory Shad

Murauskas

Rulifson

2011

Trans Am Fish Soc

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Hickory shad Alosa mediocris were sampled for two consecutive years in coastal North Carolina at various points of their ascent in salt water, brackish water, and freshwater to examine reproductive development and related variables during the spawning migration. Fish averaged 3 years of age; however, the proportion of repeat spawners and the proportion of individuals in older age‐classes were greater for females than for males, and females were larger than males of the same age. Nearly all fish had identifiable food items in their stomachs early in migration. Feeding decreased significantly as fish entered freshwater, and energy reserves became depleted with movements upstream. Reproductive development was positively correlated with inland movements, as indicated by increases in the gonadosomatic index and oocyte size and based on histological examination. Separate oocyte size‐classes were observed within the same individuals, and postovulatory follicles were also present; these observations indicate that hickory shad are batch spawners with indeterminate fecundity and group‐synchronous development of oocytes. Postspawn females with yolked oocytes were captured while feeding in the estuary after the reproductive season. Migratory timing was similar in both years, and a strong positive correlation between water temperature and fish movements was evident. Results indicate that reproductive development in migrating hickory shad is significantly related to size, age, energy reserves, geographic location, and time of year. This information contributes to a better understanding of the relatively unstudied hickory shad and serves as a basis for further research on alosine fishes in the eastern United States.

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“…Larvae hatch in 2-3 d, and juveniles are found in tributaries or estuaries throughout their first year. Little is known about the seaward migration of juveniles or the oceanic movements of adults (Mansueti 1962;Hardy 1978;Rulifson 1994).…”

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Reproductive Development and Related Observations during the Spawning Migration of Hickory Shad

Murauskas

Rulifson

2011

Trans Am Fish Soc

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“…The hickory shad Alosa mediocris is an anadromous clupeid that spawns in rivers along the east coast of North America from Maryland to Florida (Richkus and DiNardo 1984). Spawning occurs during the winter and spring (Mansueti 1962;Street 1970;Hawkins 1980) in the main channels and tributaries of rivers throughout this range (Godwin and Adams 1969;Davis 1973;Marshall 1976;Burdick and Hightower 2006). Eggs are adhesive, semidemersal, and buoyant in moving water (Mansueti 1962).…”

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“…Spawning occurs during the winter and spring (Mansueti 1962;Street 1970;Hawkins 1980) in the main channels and tributaries of rivers throughout this range (Godwin and Adams 1969;Davis 1973;Marshall 1976;Burdick and Hightower 2006). Eggs are adhesive, semidemersal, and buoyant in moving water (Mansueti 1962). Larvae develop into juveniles in freshwater and then migrate to estuaries.…”

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Life History of Hickory Shad in the St. Johns River, Florida

2007

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Hickory shad Alosa mediocris spawn in rivers from Maryland to Florida, but little research has been published regarding their life history. We collected hickory shad in the St. Johns River, Florida, during five consecutive spawning years from 2000 to 2005. Hickory shad migrated upstream by December and remained in the river and its tributaries until March. Females were larger than males and accounted for 17.7% of the adults collected. All but one female examined were mature and contained yolked oocytes. No females had hydrated oocytes, but four had fresh postovulatory follicles (POFs , 24 h old), indicating a batch spawning pattern. Females with fresh POFs were collected from Shad Alley and the Wekiva and Econlockhatchee rivers, but otherwise the spawning grounds could not be delineated. Fish constituted over 97% of the diet by weight and were found in 11.5% of the stomachs examined. Scale and otolith ages produced the same age range, from 1 to 7 years. A test of symmetry did not detect systematic age differences between the two methods, although exact agreement was only 57%. Spawning marks on scales indicated that mature hickory shad ranged in age from 2 to 7 years and that most spawning individuals were age 3 or 4. Hickory shad are iteroparous, and fewer than 50% showed evidence of previous spawning. Our estimates of sex ratio, age distribution, and age at maturity differed from values measured in the 1970s by Williams et al. (1975). We are uncertain whether the later age at maturity in the early 2000s relative to the 1970s was due to a biological change or a difference in sampling methods between the two studies. There is an apparent latitudinal pattern in the timing of the spawning migration for hickory shad; individuals in more northerly rivers spawned later in the season than those in southern systems.

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Nocturnal Fish Use of New Jersey Marsh Creek and Adjacent Bay Shoal Habitats

Rountree

Able

1997

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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Eggs, Larvae, and Young of the Hickory Shad, Alosa mediocris, with Comments on Its Ecology in the Estuary

Cited by 19 publications

References 14 publications

Reproductive Development and Related Observations during the Spawning Migration of Hickory Shad

Reproductive Development and Related Observations during the Spawning Migration of Hickory Shad

Life History of Hickory Shad in the St. Johns River, Florida

Nocturnal Fish Use of New Jersey Marsh Creek and Adjacent Bay Shoal Habitats

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