7277

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7277
• Author: Papoulias, D.
• Title: Survival and Growth of Larval Razorback Sucker,
• USFW Year: 1988.
• Copyright Material: NO

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Razorback sucker larvae seem to have markedly greater survival at
lower food densities than most other species for which data are
available (Table 3). Overall survival of razorback sucker larvae in
ponds at Dexter NFH was 78.1±0.2% for the 50-d experiment, at mean
invertebrate densities of about 13 organisms/L in unfertilized ponds
and 24 and 43 organisms/L, respectively, for medium- and high-
treatment ponds. In laboratory studies (Papoulias 1988), 80%
survival, ale to that in ponds at Dexter NFH, was attained by
razorback sucker fed 60 Anemia nauplii/T-/larva/d over a period of 50
d. Similarly, larval lake Whitefish (Corwcnus clupeiformisl had 80
to 100% survival on a ration of 64 or more zocplankters/i/larva/d
(Taylor and Freeberg 1984) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) (Wyatt
1972) survival at 50 Artesia nauplii/L4/d was 72%. Duration of the two
last experiments was half or less than that of razorback sucker
trials. In contrast, white sucker (Catostomus co mmersoni) reared at
prey densities of about 560 org nisms/l/larva obtained only 55%
survival (Hart and Werner 1987), and most other species for which I
could find comparable data required even greater numbers of food
organisms to attain this level of survival (Table 3). In the only
sturdy performed in ponds, larvae of striped bass (Morose saxatilis)
had survival of 63 and 46% at mean zocplankton densities of 643 and
256 organisms/L, respectively, over a 28-d period (Geiger et al.
1985).
The apparent efficiency with which razorback sucker larvae
exploit a reduced food source may be adaptive, considering their