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On the Life History of a Cyprinid Fish, Labeo cylindricus

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Abstract

Aspects of the life history of Labeo cylindricus in Lake Chicamba, a man made hydroelectric dam in central Mozambique were investigated. L. cylindricus was found to be a potadrometic, synchronous spawner concentrating in river mouths prior to migrating up flowing rivers in January to spawn. Length-at-(50%)-maturity was attained at a fork length (FL) of 96 mm for males and 98 mm for females, both within their first year of life. The adult sex ratio was found to be female dominated at 1 male:1.63 females. Scales were used to age the species, with two growth checks deposited annually. Growth was rapid and was best described by the von Bertalanffy growth model as L t =224.2(1−e-0.66(r+0.03)) mm FL. A maximum age of 4 years was observed for L. cylindricus with the largest male and female measuring 210 mm FL and 235 mm FL, respectively. The rate of natural mortality was estimated to be extremely high at 1.93 year-1 using length-converted catch curve analysis and is possibly a response to heavy predation by the introduced piscivore Micropterus salmoides.

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  1. Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Olaf L.F. Weyl & Anthony J. Booth

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  1. Olaf L.F. Weyl
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  2. Anthony J. Booth
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Weyl, O.L., Booth, A.J. On the Life History of a Cyprinid Fish, Labeo cylindricus. Environmental Biology of Fishes 55, 215–225 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007543319416

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