Ambassis agassizii (Agassiz's Glassfish) collected from Barren Box Swamp was bred in ponds at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre on ten occasions between 1968 and 1971 when surface water temperatures were 19.0 - 27.0°C, between November and early January, and again in February. Breeding conditions and limited embryological development were determined. A single, demersal, transparent, spherical, telolecithal and slightly adhesive egg was collected on 9.xii.70 at 23.0°C. It possessed a single oil globule; and measured 0.61mm in diameter. Eggs hatched in about a day at temperatures between 20.0 and 29.0°C. The smallest larva collected was 2.59mm, and was about 1.6mm at hatching. The pro-larval stage terminated at under 10 days after hatching. The largest male and female adults were 60.0 and 68.0mm (TL) and 2.51 and 3.88g respectively. Egg counts were 380 to 9966 (mean 3257) with higher counts in larger fish. Ovaries generally had two size ranges of oocytes. Spawning was multiple. The GSI rose to 10.50 and 8.86 in females and males respectively. The breeding of A. agassizii was compared with the coastal population and some other ambassids, and some comparisons are made with other inland NSW species.
Research Article|
October 20 2011
Observations on the breeding biology of Ambassis agassizii Steindachner, 1867 (Teleostei: Ambassidae) from the Murray Darling Basin in New South Wales
L. Llewellyn
L. Llewellyn
1
Curlew Biological Services, PO Box 67, Pacific Palms, NSW, 2428
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Australian Zoologist (2008) 34 (4): 476–498.
Citation
L. Llewellyn; Observations on the breeding biology of Ambassis agassizii Steindachner, 1867 (Teleostei: Ambassidae) from the Murray Darling Basin in New South Wales. Australian Zoologist 1 November 2008; 34 (4): 476–498. doi: https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2008.026
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