Biology of Etheostoma rufilineatum 



11 



1200 1600 2000 2400 



SAMPLING TIME (h) 



0400 0800 



Fig. 1. Twenty-four hour feeding chronologies for redline darters in the North 

 Fork Holston River, 2 July, 13 August, and 9 September 1981. 



to 331; numbers of maturing (diameter 0.7-1.5 mm) and mature (1.6-2.2 

 mm) eggs combined ranged from 23 to 131. Diameter of mature ova 

 and total length of female were not significantly correlated (r = 0.08). 

 The number of mature ova and total length of female, and the number 

 of mature ova and adjusted body weight, were slightly correlated (r = 

 0.498 and 0.537, respectively). 



Spawning occurred between May and August 1981 at water 

 temperatures of 14° and 26° C. Ripe females were collected as early as 3 

 May and as late as 18 August. The gonosomatic index (GSI) was not 

 used to identify the spawning season of redline darters because previous 



