Selective predation upon pelvic phenotypes of brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans, by northern pike, Esox lucius

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (7) ◽  
pp. 1245-1252 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Reist
Keyword(s):  
Relative Size ◽  
Morphological Difference ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Northern Pike ◽  
Esox Lucius ◽  
Selective Predation ◽  
Culaea Inconstans ◽  
Brook Stickleback ◽  
Selection Of

Laboratory and field work assessed the importance of Esox lucius predation in maintaining pelvic skeletal phenotypes in a population of Culaea inconstans. Individuals possessing a pelvis and pelvic spines (with) have a selective advantage over those lacking these parts (without). The latter are preferentially preyed upon in the lab by small northern pike due to this morphological difference. The advantage conferred by the spines depends upon relative size of predator to prey and likely has no effect upon predation by larger pike. Preferential selection of with individuals whose pelvic spines were removed, rather than without individuals (i.e. morphologically similar prey), suggests withouts compensate behaviourally for their morphological disadvantage. Analysis of food of large wild pike indicated that these postulated behavioural differences contributed to selective predation of individuals of the with phenotype in Wakomao Lake, Alberta, Canada. The frequency of these phenotypes in any situation represents a balance between counterselective forces, some of which are due to predation. Additional predatory species present in the lake and additional uses of pelvic spines probably also influence the phenotypic frequencies.

Laboratory survival of four prey in the presence of northern pike

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford L. K. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Fathead Minnow ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Relative Survival ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Northern Pike ◽  
Culaea Inconstans ◽  
Predator Interactions ◽  
Brook Stickleback

I determined experimentally the relative survival of similar-sized yellow perch (Perca flavescens), brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), and finescale dace (Phoxinus neogaeus), individually and in all possible species combinations, in the presence of northern pike (Esox lucius). Overall, perch showed the highest, sticklebacks and dace the intermediate, and fatheads the lowest relative survival. Differential laboratory survival of prey demonstrates the utility of single species experiments in predicting the results of multiple prey and predator interactions. The results also support the hypothesis that piscivory can maintain the distinctness of assemblages of predation-tolerant and piscivorous species versus assemblages of predation-intolerant species.

scholarly journals Charactéristiques d'une population introduit du Grand brochet, Esox lucius, dans le lac Ramsay, Parc de la Gatineau, Québec, et impact sur l'ichtyofaune

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josiane Vachon ◽  
Brigitte F. Lavallée ◽  
François Chapleau
Keyword(s):  
Special Form ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Northern Pike ◽  
Esox Lucius ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Culaea Inconstans ◽  
Small Lake ◽  
Piscivorous Fish ◽  
Pike Esox Lucius ◽  
First Time

En 1995, la présence du Grand brochet (Esox lucius), une espèce piscivore, a été notée pour la première fois dans le lac Ramsay, Parc de la Gatineau (Québec). Il a été déterminé que l’espèce a été introduite après l’été 1991. Un échantillonnage exhaustif de l’ichtyofaune du lac en 2001 et 2002 a permis de constater que trois des 17 petites espèces de poissons du lac sont probablement disparues: le Mulet perlé (Margariscus margarita), l’Épinoche à cinq épines (Culaea inconstans) et une forme rare de l’Épinoche à trois épines (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Il est prédit que plusieurs autres espèces pourraient disparaître au cours des prochaines années. La croissance du Grand brochet dans le lac Ramsay est comparable aux autres lacs du sud du Québec. En 2001, le rapport femelles:mâles était de 15 : 1, une valeur anormale et inexpliquée.In 1995, the Northern Pike (Esox lucius), a piscivorous fish, was captured for the first time in Ramsay Lake, a small lake of the Gatineau Park (Québec). It was determined that this species was introduced after the summer of 1991. An exhaustive survey of the ichthyofauna of this lake in 2001 and 2002 indicated that three of the 17 small-bodied species of the lake have probably disappeared: the Pearl Dace (Margariscus margarita), the Fivespine Stickleback (Culaea inconstans) and a special form of the Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). It is predicted that several other species may be extirpated in the next few years. Northern Pike growth in the lake is comparable to other values obtained for other southern Québec lakes. In 2001, the female:male ratio was highly unbalanced and difficult to explain at 15 : 1. Erratum added.

Predation upon pelvic phenotypes of brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans, by selected invertebrates

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (7) ◽  
pp. 1253-1258 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Reist
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Insects ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Selective Predation ◽  
Culaea Inconstans ◽  
Water Beetle ◽  
Differential Predation ◽  
Brook Stickleback ◽  
Selection For

Laboratory experiments investigated selective predation by aquatic insects upon phenotypes of brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans), with and without pelvises, from Wakomao Lake, Alberta, Canada. Predation by Lethocerus americanus (water bug) and nymphs of Aeschna spp. (dragonflies) was random upon each phenotype. Predation by the larvae of Dytiscus spp. (water beetle) resulted in significant selection for with individuals possessing five dorsal spines. The observed selection was at least partially due to closer approaches to the predator made by the withs. No selection occurred for either phenotype with six dorsal spines. This evidence supports an hypothesis that the pelvic variation is maintained by differential predation.

Catchments affect growth rate of Northern Pike, Esox lucius, in subarctic lakes

2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Moslemi-Aqdam ◽  
George Low ◽  
Mike Low ◽  
Brian A. Branfireun ◽  
Heidi K. Swanson
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Northern Pike ◽  
Esox Lucius ◽  
Subarctic Lakes ◽  
Pike Esox Lucius

Geographic and morphological variation in the presence and absence of the pelvic skeleton in the brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans (Kirtland), in Alberta and Saskatchewan

1971 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph S. Nelson ◽  
F. Mervyn Atton
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Variation ◽  
Fishery Management ◽  
Fish Introduction ◽  
Spine Length ◽  
Culaea Inconstans ◽  
Full Development ◽  
Normal Individuals ◽  
Brook Stickleback ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Skeleton Formation

Brook sticklebacks, Culaea inconstans (Kirtland), are known from 20 locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan in which a high proportion of the individuals lack all or part of the pelvic skeleton. These locations are interspersed and surrounded by other locations containing individuals with a normal pelvic skeleton. Individuals which lack the skeleton are of both sexes and are fertile in at least one of the lakes.Considerable variation exists between locations in the proportion of individuals with and without the pelvic skeleton. Morphological intermediates are known from most of the 20 locations and virtually all degrees of pelvic skeleton formation exist between its absence and its full development. Little or no gradation exists, however, in pelvic spine length between their absence and presence. Although the pelvic spines are the first part of the pelvic skeleton to appear during ontogeny, they are present only in intermediates with a virtually complete skeleton base. In addition, many intermediates are highly asymmetrical in their pelvic skeleton while development during the ontogeny of normal individuals is symmetrical.There is a greater tendency for individuals in which the pelvic skeleton is deficient to occur in lakes which lack an outlet rather than to occur in lakes with a permanent outlet. An unusually high proportion of the lakes with these aberrant individuals have been subject to fishery management activities (fish introduction and poisoning), but these disturbances are not causing the loss of the pelvic skeleton.

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