Early Development of the Stippled Darter, Etheostoma Punctulatum and Arkansas Darter, Etheostoma Cragini
Date of Graduation
Summer 1988
Degree
Master of Science in Biology
Department
Biology
Committee Chair
Charles Taber
Abstract
Early developmental stages of the stippled darter (Etheostoma punctulatum) and the Arkansas darter (E. cragini) were compared. The Arkansas darter had a smaller egg (1.5 mm average diameter) and prolarva at hatching (4.0 mm) than the stippled darter, which had an average egg diameter 1.7 mm and newly hatched prolarvae 5.4 and 6.0 mm TL. The smallest stippled darter juvenile was 14.6 mm TL and the smallest Arkansas darter juvenile measured 13.5 mm TL. Several characters were found that helped separate the larvae in field samples. Larval habitats were sampled and darter larvae were found to be distributed throughout the habitats sampled. A hybrid was produced and raised to the juvenile stage. Lateral line length and number of dorsal fin spines in the hybrid were intermediate relative to the parent species.
Subject Categories
Biology
Copyright
© Kathleen M Allen
Recommended Citation
Allen, Kathleen M., "Early Development of the Stippled Darter, Etheostoma Punctulatum and Arkansas Darter, Etheostoma Cragini" (1988). MSU Graduate Theses. 191.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/191
Dissertation/Thesis
