Life-history Aspects of Thoburnia rhothoeca (Torrent Sucker) in Southwestern Virginia

摘要

Life-history aspects of Thoburnia rhothoeca (Torrent Sticker) were investigated using specimens from the Roanoke College Ichthyological Collection and from recent collections to examine age. growth, food habits, and reproductive cycle. The largest specimen collected was a female aged 37 months, of 165.1 mm standard length and 73.73 g total weight. Spawning occurs from February to May, with a mean of 782.6 mature oocytes, and an oocyte diameter of up to 2.02 mm Sexual maturity is reached at 1-2 years of age, with a maximum lifespan of between 3 and 4 years. Chironomidae and detritus composed the bulk of the diet. Mass, number, and variety of food items peaked in spring and early summer.