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gone unreported in the literature. Minckley (1983) reported <br />that razorbacks reared at Willow Beach NFH attained sexual <br />maturity at six years when the fish were 14 to 16 inches in <br />length. Fish less than 14 inches total length were not <br />mature. Two-year-old male razorbacks reared at Dexter NFH <br />were sexually mature and running milt in 1983. Microscopic <br />examination of the milt showed it to contain viable spermatozoa. <br />These fish averaged 15.6 inches and 1.6 pounds. Examination <br />of female razorbacks (16.2 inches, 1.9 pounds) showed the <br />ovaries to contain developing eggs; later in the summer a few <br />of the females were releasing a few eggs. It appears that <br />sexual maturation of razorback sucker is most closely related <br />to size but males will mature in two years and females possibly <br />in two years but at least in three years when the fish are well <br />fed and grow rapidly. <br />Development of secondary sexual characteristics in female <br />razorbacks is monitored periodically through January and <br />frequently as spawning approaches in February. At Dexter <br />females become gravid as the water temperature approaches 500F <br />and are usually ready to spawn when the temperature reaches 550F. <br />As they ripen their abdomen and pregenital area softens and the <br />genital papillae enlarges considerably. Ripe male razorbacks <br />develop large tubercles on their anal and caudal fins while <br />females occasional develop a few tubercles on the same fins. <br />Females ripen at different times and the "best looking" fish <br />are selected for each spawning period. It takes five or six <br />weeks to complete spawning of all females. <br />Female razorbacks are injected with human chorionic gonado- <br />tropin (HCG) to finalize maturation and to stimulate ovulation <br />of maturated eggs. Inslee (in press) determined that 100 <br />International Units (IU) of HCG per pound of body weight injected <br />intramuscularly to be the preferred hormone, dosage and site of