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1 This article was downloaded by: [Institute of Hydrobiology] On: 24 March 2012, At: 23:11 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: Registered office: Mortimer House, Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Journal of Freshwater Ecology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: Age and Growth of Acrossocheilus fasciatus (Barbinae, Cyprinidae) from the Puxi Stream in the Huangshan Mountain, China Yunzhi Yan, Lili Guo, Xiuying Xiang, Juan Tao & Yifeng Chen Available online: 06 Jan 2011 To cite this article: Yunzhi Yan, Lili Guo, Xiuying Xiang, Juan Tao & Yifeng Chen (2010): Age and Growth of Acrossocheilus fasciatus (Barbinae, Cyprinidae) from the Puxi Stream in the Huangshan Mountain, China, Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 25:1, To link to this article: PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

2 Age and Growth of Acrossocheilus fasciatus (Barbinae, Cyprinidae) from the Puxi Stream in the Huangshan Mountain, China Yunzhi Yanaqc, Lili Guoa, Xiuying Xianga, Juan Taob, and Yifeng Chenb.c Downloaded by [Institute of Hydrobiology] at 23:11 24 March 2012 ABSTRACT Age and growth of Acrossocheilus fasciatus were determined using 592 specimens collected from the Puxi Stream in the Huangshan Mountain, China. Females and males both comprised four age groups. Annulus formation occurred during March and April for the first figs but during August and September for the second and third rings. Both sexes were significantly different in length-weight relationship but not significantly differrnt in length-scale radius relationship. Total lengths back-calculated significantly increased with age for both sexes, but no significant difference was observed in the back-calculated length at every age between the two sexes, which perhaps suggests size homomorphism for this species. Inflection point was not observed in the growth curves of von Bertalanffy growth functions in total length, but it was observed in total weight for females at age 6.8 years and males at 5.2 years. INTRODUCTION Acrossocheilwfasciatus (Steindachner 1892) is a small benthic cyprinid found mainly in some small streams with rapid flow in the mountain areas of southeast China, typically in Anhui, Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces (Chen 1998, Yuan 2006). Adults are usually found beneath cobbles or boulders in deep lotic areas, with spawning occurring in shallow lotic rimes, while juveniles prefer shallow lentic areas or backwaters. A. fasciatus has some important economic value, not only because it is edible but also because it is a valued ornamental fish. Although some biological and ecological investigations of morphology, physiology, and life-history have been conducted on some Acrossocheilus species [e.g., A. wenchowemis (Xu et al. 2006), A. labiatus and A. parullens (Zhao and Chen 1992), A. monticola (Luo and He 1999, Yan et al. 1999). A. beijiangensis (Li 2005), A. yunanensis (Chen et al. 2006) and A. puradoxus (Con and Day 2006)]. basic biological information of A. fasciatus is rare. According to Diao and Shen (1981) and Xu (1981), A. fusciarus is one of the small commercial stream fishes in the Huangshan Mountain. However, in a recent paper, Yan et al. (2007) reported that this species is experiencing decreases in its distributional range and its population size due to habitat destruction, over-fishing, and water pollution in this area. Consequently, age and growth of A. fusciufus, which are important for management action and conservation programs, were examined in the Puxi Stream of the Huangshan Mountain. METHODS AND MATERIALS The Puxi Stream originates fiom the Lion Apex of the Huangshan Mountain and flows into Taiping Lake. With a total length of 30 km and a catchment area of 158 krn2, it is one of the four major streams in the northern part of the Huangshan Mountain. Being a subtropical stream, the hydrology of the studied area is quite unstable, which is associated 'College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui, Wuhu Anhui, P. R. China blnstitute of IHydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Hubei, P. R. China 'Torresponding authors; yanyunzhi 1976@yahoo.com.cn; chenyf@ihb.ac.cn Journal d Freshwater Ecology. Volume 25, Number 1 - March

3 Downloaded by [Institute of Hydrobiology] at 23:11 24 March 2012 with the uneven yearly precipitation mainly occurring fiom April to September. We collected fish using electrofishiig at Xiarenjia in the upper reach of the Puxi Stream from May 2007 through April Individual A. fasciatus were measured for total length (L, 0.1 mm), weighed (W, 0.1 g), and dissected to determine sex from visual traits of the gonads. Scales were taken between the posterior end of the pectoral fin and the anterior end of the dorsal fin on the left side of the body for age determination. For 58 specimens, the age was validated by that estimated fiom the opercular bone, which Xu et al. (2006) found to be a valid estimator of age for A. wenchowemis. Scale radius (R, 0.01 mm) was measured using the Photo Analysis System software, version 2.01 (Zhu et al. 2002). The liming of annulus formation was estimated from monthly changes in the marginal increment ratio (MIR). The relationships between total length and total weight or scale radius were estimated from W= alb and L = a + br, respectively. To estimate the total length-at-age, backcalculation of total length (BCL) was conducted using the Fraser-Lee equation. Growth curves were fitted to the back-calculated values and observed mean length-at-age data using the von Bertalan* growth functions (VBGF). VBGF was calculated by using the non-linear regression function in Statgraphics. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was carried out to compare L-W or L-R relationships between the two sexes. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the difference in back-calculated total lengths among different year classes, and an independent-samples t-test was used to test the difference in back-calculated total lengths for the two sexes. Differences of slopes (b value) between both sexes in the length-weight regressions were tested by t-test. Statistical significance was accepted at P < RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Annuli on the scales of A. fasciatus were easily identified, as were those of the opercula bone. The match rate for age determination between scales and opercula bones was 89.7%. Determination of age with the two materials was not significantly different (1 = 0.33, P = 0.74 > 0.05), which suggested the scale was usehl for age determination of A. fusciatus. Of the 592 specimens of A. fasciatus collected, 223 were females ( mm L, g W), 247 were males ( mrn L, g W), and 122 were immature and sex-unidentifiable fish ( mm L, g W). The female: male sex ratio was 0.90:l and not significantly different from 1.1 (? = 0.61, df = 1, P > 0.05). The oldest males and females were both age 4. The relative abundances of the age groups were: 40.5% (age I), 38.1% (age 2), 19.3% (age 3), and 2.1% (age 4) for females; and 21.9% (age I), 39.7% (age 2), 30.0% (age 3), and 8.5% (age 4) for males. Timing of annulus formation was calculated independently for n-th rings, but the second and third rings were combiiedly because of the low abundance of age-4 fish (only 26 specimens). For the first rings, the mean MIR markedly decreased, but their distributional range extended in March and April. Although mean MIR of the first rings also decreased in August and September, no extension was observed in their distributional range (Fig. 1). This suggested the first rings were mainly formed during March and April. However, the second and third rings were mainly formed during August and September for the decrease in mean MlR and the extension in their distributional range. For river fishes, several variables could explain annulus formation, including low temperature, drawdown, and reproductive activity (Welcomme 1979). Therefore, the low water temperature in winter (0 OC or so), when somatic growth is restrained, but the relative high temperature in late spring (20 "C or so), when the restraint is released. could explain the annulus formation of the first rings occurring in March and April for A.

4 Downloaded by [Institute of Hydrobiology] at 23:11 24 March 2012 fasciatus in Puxi Stream. Besides, according to Yan et al. (2009), A. fasciarus spawned during May and August in the Pwi Stream. Therefore, the breeding event should result in the annulus formation of the second and third rings during August and September, when breeding was finished and more energy was renewedly allocated to somatic growth but not reproductive investment anymore. L-W relationships for females and males were WF = 8.89~ 10-6~3 O6 (R~ = 0.97, n = 223) and WM = 5.90~ 104L3 l5 (R~ = 0.97, n = 247). The slopes (i.e., 3.06 and 3.15) of the length-weight equations were significantly different between sexes (t-test, t = , P < 0.001). Since the two sexes were significantly different in the above functions (ANCOVA, F = 15.18, Pe0.00 l), a combined L-W equation would not be acceptable for A. fasciatus. L-R relationships for females and males were both linear and were described as follows: LF = 0.03R (R' = 0.91, n = 223) and LM = 0.03R (R' = 0.88, n = 247). The two sexes were not significantly different (ANCOVA, F = 2.60, P = 0.11 > 0.05), and their L-R relationship was calculated with a combined equation, L = 0.03R (R' = 0.90, n = 470). L1, L2, and L3 of back-calculation were respectively 54.1 mm, 81.0 mm, and mm for females and 56.4 mm, 79.8 mm, and 99.5 mm for males. For both sexes, BCL increased significantly with increase in age [one-way ANOVA. df = 2. F = , P < (female); df = 2, F = , P < (male)]. However, for L1, LZ, and 4 Month Figure 1. Monthly changes in marginal increment (MIR) ratio for A. fusciorus in the Puxi Stream of the Huangshan Mountain: (A) the first rings, n =176; (B) the second and third rings, n = 112. Mean values are indicated by the solid circles.

5 Downloaded by [Institute of Hydrobiology] at 23:11 24 March 2012 independently, no significant difference was found between the two sexes (t-test, t = -1.79, P ~0.07 > 0.05 (L ); 1 = 0.09, P 4.93 > 0.05 (L2); t = 0.68, P ~0.50 > 0.05 (L3)). This perhaps suggests that A. fasciatus did not exhibit sexual size dimorphism. for BCL at a given age was the length at annulus formation. This sexual size homomorphism is also observed in A. wenchowensis and is associated with two likely causes - 1) males do not show obvious fighting behavior when mating and when caring for oosperm after mating, and 2) weight of females contributes more to fecundity than length (Xu et al. 2006). Although no significant difference occurred in L-R relationship or back-calculated length between the two sexes, their L-W relationships were markedly different. Therefore, derived VBGF in total length and weight were separately expressed for the two sexes as follows: LtF = (l-e"""('* 77'), LtM = (1+ O I' 55)), W IF = (1-C0" (I+O 77) ) 3 06,and WtM=106.67(1+""17(t+055'31S 1. From VBGF in total length and weight, the growth rates were dl/dt = 35.41e4 l3 "+07" and dw/dt = ~-013('+0 77)(1+4 13(1+077) ) 2 06 (for females) and dl/dt = 34.22e4 '7"+0 ") e4 17(1+0 55) 2 15 and dw/dt = e* 17(1+055) (1- ) (for males). As age increased, females and males both experienced declines in the growth rate for total length. However, an obvious inflection point occurred for weight when individuals were at age 6.84 for females and 5.20 for males (Fig. 2). In our results, the observed maximum age (age 4 for both sexes) was markedly lower than that at the inflection point, which perhaps resulted because the population of A. fasciatus has a young age structure in Puxi Stream, where this species is experiencing decreases in distributional range and population si~e (Yan et al. 2007). Compared with higher order streams, environmental conditions are often relatively unstable and available resources are relatively low in Puxi Stream. This could perhaps also explain why the maximum observed age was lower than the age at the growth inflection point for A. fasciafus in Puxi Stream. Age and growth of this species in higher order strcams might provide more insight into this. Females Males Figure 2. Curves of growth rate and its acceleration in VBGF for A. jasci~z~us in the Puxi Stream of the Huangshan Mountain

6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 'I3is study was supported by National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB ), Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation ( ), and Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Education Bureau (KJ2008B2 1 1, KJ2009A 1 10). We are grateful to the crew of the administration of Huangshan Aquaculture Bureau for their help in sampling. Our experiments comply with the current laws in China. Downloaded by [Institute of Hydrobiology] at 23:11 24 March 2012 LITERATURE CITED Chen, L.Q., Q. Wu, and S.M. Zhang Study on the artificial propagation of Acrossocheilus yunanensis. Freshwater Fish. 36: Chen, Y.Y Fauna Sinica, Osteichthyes, Cypriniformes (11). Science Press, Beijing Con, C.Y. and Y.T. Day Habitat use ofacrossocheilusparadoxus in Uanan Creek, Pingtung. BioFormosa 41 : Diao. Z.S. and J.R. Shen Geographical distribution of fish in southern mountainous of Anhui Province. Anhui Agric. Sci. 1 : Li, H.J The growth characteristics of the fish fauna in Nanling of Guangdong province. J. Xinyang Norm. Univ. (Nat. Sci.) 18: Luo, F. and X.F. He Impact of the sodium chloride concentration on spermatic vitality of AcrossocheiIus mon~icola. Sichuan J. Zool. 18: Welcomme, R.L Fisheries ecology of floodplain rivers. Longman, London Xu. D.Q., Z.H. Lin, and H.Z. Lei Sexual dimorphism in morphological traits and female individual fecundity of Acrossocheilus wenchowensis. J. Shanghai Jiaotong Univ. (Agric. Sci.) 24: Xu, Y.J Fish resources in Xinan River, Huangshan (Anhui reach). J. Huangshan Coll. (Nat. Sci.) 2: Yan, T.M., X.F. He, and J.S. He Observations on embryonic development of Acrossocheilus monricola. Acta Hydrobiol. Sin. 23: Yan, Y.Z., L.L. Guo, J. Tao, and G.F. Li Investigation to the upstream fish compositions of Stream Fuxi, Xiangxi and Puxi in Huangshan Mountain. J. Biol. 24: Yan, Y.Z., L.L. Guo, X.Y. Xiang, Y.L. Xi, and Y.F. Chen Breeding strategy of Acrossocheilus fasciatus in the Puxi Stream of the Huangshan Mountain. Curr. Zool. 55: Yuan. L.Y., Z.Q. Wu, and E. Zhang Sort ofacrossocheilus of China. Nanchang University, Jiangxi Zhao, J, and X.L. Chen Comparative study of Acrossocheilus f~biurus and A.paralens. J. South Chin. Norm. Univ. (Nat. Sci.) 1: Zhu. Q., L.Q. Xia, and J.B. Chang Computer identification on otolith microstructure of fish. Acta Hydrobiol. Sin. 26: Received: 11 September 2009 Accepted: 16 November 2009