BREEDING TUBERCLES IN FISHES — COLLETTE 583 



3-5, but they may be found on the other pelvic fin elements when 

 more material (probably February specimens) is examined. 



Males of A. beanii develop tubercles on the ventral surface of the 

 pelvic spine and on soft rays 1-4 by March 9 (TU 3843, Louisiana, 

 Pearl R.)- By April 26 (TU 19992, Mississippi, Homochitto R.), 

 much larger tubercles are present on the ventral surface of all the 

 pelvic elements and on the distal eighth to two-thu*ds of all the anal 

 soft rays, but not on the anal spine. A few tubercles are present 

 distally on the dorsal surface of pelvic soft rays 1-3. A male taken 

 on August 17 (TU 24061, Florida, Yellow R.) also has this tubercle 

 distribution, but the tubercles are smaller. 



Breeding tubercles are present on males of A. clara from as early as 

 June 20 (UMMZ 127887, Arkansas, Saline R., 32-35 mm.) until 

 July 28 (UMMZ 148570, Missouri, Salt R., 38-43 mm.). At the 

 maximum development I have seen (UMMZ 148570), small tubercles 

 are present on the entire length of the ventral surface of the pelvic 

 spine and soft rays. Similar tubercles are present on the distal 

 half to three-fourths of the anal soft rays, but none are developed on 

 the spine. The ventralmost two primary caudal rays have tubercles. 



A tubercle distribution similar to that of A. beanii was found on 

 males of A. vivax taken May 13 (USNM 172539, Louisiana, Red 

 R.) and July 29 (USNM 172557, Louisiana, Red R.). 



Tubercles were present on the pelvic rays of males of A. pellucida 

 in three collections (UMMZ 100864, Indiana, Salomonie R., May 31; 

 UMMZ 107758, Ohio, Salt Cr., June 8; CU 32967, Ohio, Big Darby 

 Cr., Aug. 22). Additional material will probably show the presence 

 of tubercles on the anal fin also. 



Genus Etheostoma 

 Subgenus Boleosotna DeKay 



This subgenus can be divided into two or three species groups. 

 The nigrum group includes five species: nigrum Rafinesque, longi- 

 manum Jordan, olmstedi Storer, perlongum (Hubbs and Raney), and 

 podostemone Jordan and Jenkins. Breeding tubercles do not develop 

 in these species, the tips of the pelvic spines become swollen during 

 the breeding season, and the males have only brown and black 

 pigmentation. These species have a complex spawning behavior 

 under rocks. The second group is comprised of two closely related 

 species: E. stigmaeum (Jordan) and E. jessiae (Jordan and Bray ton). 

 Males of both of these species develop breeding tubercles on the 

 pelvic and anal fins. In addition, they also have tubercles on the 

 ventral scale rows as in the E. (Etheostoma) variatum species group. 

 Males are brightly colored during the breeding season. E. stigmaeum 



769-<667— 65 2 



