Egg Development in a High-Density Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromacuIatus) Population

Authors

Kevin L. Pope, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
Wade T. Geraets, South Dakota State University
David W. Willis, South Dakota State UniversityFollow

Date of this Version

1996

Comments

Published in Journal of Freshwater Ecology, Volume 1 1, Number 4 - December 1 996

Abstract

Female black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) were collected from Richmond Lake, South Dakota" and egg-diameter frequencies were examined to document spawning strategy during 1994. Two hundred and sixteen adult females [mean total length (TL) ±SE = 204 ± 1 mm] were collected and 85,572 egg diameters were measured. Female black crappie gonadosomatic-index (GSI) values exceeded 8% from 18 May to 22 June 1994, and the density of larval black crappie caught with an ichthyoplankton net peaked on 8 June 1994. The GSI values and larval catches indicated that the population, as a whole, had a single extended spawn from mid-May through mid-June. However, patterns of egg-diameter distributions were inconsistent among individual female black crappie. It appeared that some females spawned only once during 1994, while others probably spawned twice.