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1 March 2004 AGE, GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTION OF SPOTTED GAR, LEPISOSTEUS OCULATUS (LEPISOSTEIDAE), FROM THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN ESTUARY, LOUISIANA
Joseph W. Love
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Abstract

The spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus, population in the Lake Pontchartrain estuary in southeastern Louisiana was sampled monthly to characterize its reproduction, age, and growth from November 1998 through October 1999. Males ranged from 285 to 568 mm standard length (SL) and 0 to 8 years; females ranged from 395 to 606 mm SL and 0 to 10 years. Both sexes were mature before age 2. Spawning was from February to June, and fecundity was highest during October (mean number of eggs = 13,798 ± 7,654 SE) and lowest during June (mean number of eggs = 1,772 ± 392 SE). Ova diameters varied among months and among individuals within a month. Mean ova diameter during the spawning season was 3.02 mm ± 0.02 SE. Males grew significantly faster than females, but had a shorter lifespan. Condition was generally lowest during fall and varied by sex among seasons.

Joseph W. Love "AGE, GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTION OF SPOTTED GAR, LEPISOSTEUS OCULATUS (LEPISOSTEIDAE), FROM THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN ESTUARY, LOUISIANA," The Southwestern Naturalist 49(1), 18-23, (1 March 2004). https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909(2004)049<0018:AGAROS>2.0.CO;2
Accepted: 1 April 2003; Published: 1 March 2004
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