Growth and life history traits of Aegean chub, Squalius fellowesii (Günther, 1868) in streams in Muğla Province, Aegean coast, Turkey

Abstract

Summary To aid in species' conservation, the aim of this study was to provide initial findings on age, growth and reproduction of an endemic species, Aegean chub Squalius fellowesii (Günther, 1868) populations from streams in the Aegean region of Muğla Province, Turkey. The species is relatively short‐lived (maximum 6 years), attaining a size of about 200 mm total length with a rapid growth to first maturity (≈60 mm TL), and relatively little growth thereafter. The male:female ratio was 1.0 : 0.6, males significantly outnumbering females in the majority of the streams. General condition values of individual fish varied between 2.9 and 3.4. Sexual maturity was usually achieved later and at larger sizes in females than in males. Sexual maturation in most populations was at the age of 2 years in females and 1 year in males. The species spawns between early April and late May. Mean absolute and relative fecundity were about 4440 eggs and 57 eggs·g−1, respectively. Mean egg diameter was 1.00 ± 0.03 mm, ranging from 0.70 to 1.20 mm. Suggestions for the conservation of Aegean chub are discussed.

Microhabitat interactions of non-native pumpkinseedLepomis gibbosusin a Mediterranean-type stream suggest no evidence for impact on endemic fishes

“…However, given the overall pronounced niche differentiation observed in the present study, non-native L. gibbosus and P. parva at this stage may be considered not to pose a threat to the endemic species of Sarıçay Stream. Indeed, endemic S. fellowesii was found in high abundance, similar to other streams and lakes of the Aegean region (Özdemir et al, 2015;Top et al, 2016). Overall, the present results support recent findings on feeding interactions between native and non-native fishes (Karakuş, 2014;Jackson et al, 2016) and suggest that the potential for adult L. gibbosus to cause adverse impacts through habitat competition with the native species is not apparent in Sarıçay Stream.…”

Recovery of the crucian carp Carassius carassius (L.): Approach and early results of an English conservation project

“…It is likely that, once stocked into ponds where fish are absent or low in abundance, as for the study ponds, food resources are poorly exploited, thus permitting brief increases in growth rates. This situation may contrast with the fish‐filled environments characteristic of the ponds from which crucian carp were stocked where higher fish densities may have depleted available food resources (Holopainen et al, 1997), resulting in the more typically observed pattern of declining growth rates with age (Tarkan & Vilizzi, 2015; Top, Tarkan, Akbaş, & Karakuş, 2016).…”

An ichthyofaunal amendment with the length-weight relations and condition factors of some endemic and invasive freshwater fishes from Western Anatolia

“…Although it is an endemic species of Western Anatolia water resources, there is still a lack of studies for local knowledge on the biological data of the S. fellowesii. In some of the limited studies, the LWRs of the species were evaluated: b = 2.760, from Işıklı Lake by Balık et al (2002); as b = 2.802, from İkizcetepeler Reservoir by Koç et al (2007); in 12 different sampling station between b = 2.9 -3.4, from Muğla Province by Top et al (2016), b = 2.607, from Küçükler Reservoir; and b = 2.597 from Buldan Reservoir by Güçlü and Küçük (2021), which is a very recent study from the Gediz River Basin. Most of the previous studies have been discussed from the reservoirs except for Işıklı Lake (Denizli province).…”

“…There are some local studies for these species, which are related to its distribution and some biological features (Şaşı, Balık 2003;Balık et al 2004;Şaşı 2004;Koç et al 2007). Virtually no information has been made available recently except for a few studies on the distribution and ecology of freshwater fish (Özdemir et al 2015) and some biological treatments as growth and life history traits, including the S. fellowesii (Gianetto et al 2012;Top et al 2016).…”