78 James C. Widlak and Richard J. Neves 



Table 4. Comparison of mean ovary weights of sexually mature redline darters 

 in the North Fork Holston River, 1981-1982. 







Mean ovary 



weight (g) 





Size class (mm) 



May- Jul 



Aug-Oct 



Nov-Jan 



Feb-Apr 



40-44 



0.054 



0.012 



0.010 



0.011 



45-49 



0.086 



0.031 



- 



0.035 



50-54 



0.146 



0.048 



0.020 



0.060 



55-59 



0.145 



0.061 



- 



- 



60+ 



0.174 



0.110 



- 



0.080 



Mean 



0.118* 



0.042 



0.017 



0.026 



N 



62 



85 



3 



11 



♦Significant at p = 



= 0.05. 









statistical analyses have shown the ovary-body relationships of fishes to 

 be misleading (de Vlaming et al. 1982). Analysis of covariance indicated 

 that relationships between ovary weights and body weights and lengths 

 in female redline darters were not homogeneous for all stages of ova 

 development (p<0.001); therefore, the gonosomatic index did not give 

 an accurate indication of gonadal activity. Mean ovary weights for var- 

 ious size classes presented in Table 4 indicate that ovary weights were 

 highest from May to July (0.01-0.29 g) and lowest from November to 

 April (0.01-0.08 g). As judged by gonadal weights and egg maturity, 

 spawning apparently occurs from May to August in the North Fork 

 Holston River. 



Assuming that all mature eggs produced during the spawning sea- 

 son by a gravid female are laid (Winn 1958), egg numbers for redline 

 darters in this study (23 to 131) are lower than those reported for other 

 darter species (Winn 1958; Bryant 1979; Burr and Page 1979; Lindquist 

 et al. 1981). Winn (1958) reported that in several species females spawn 

 with different males and lay only a few eggs at each spawning. Female 

 redline darters have been observed burying themselves in the gravel sev- 

 eral times during spawning, laying several eggs at a time (Stiles 1972). 

 Females may already have laid a portion of their eggs before collection 

 in summer, and egg numbers reported here may not represent total 

 numbers of eggs laid during the spawning season. The unusually low 

 correlation between total length of females and number of eggs tends to 

 support that conclusion. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.— We thank C. W. Fay, H. E. Kitchel, S. 

 Moyer, P. Pajak, and L. R. Weaver for assisting with field collections 



