6 
Fred C. Rohde and Steve W. Ross 
period ranged from 14 to 18 °C in April to 21 °C in June and July. The 
female gonosomatic ratio was low in January, increased rapidly in Feb- 
ruary and March, and peaked in April and May at maximum spawning 
(Fig. 2). Values dropped rapidly in June and July, reflecting the large 
number of spent females, and decreased sharply until September, after 
which the values increased as ova production began in maturing fish. 
The monthly gonosomatic ratio pattern of males was similar to that of 
females, but not as pronounced (Fig. 2). 
Few females were in spawning condition at the same time; only 8 of 
the 43 mature females collected on six dates from April through July 
contained ripe ova (Class I). Two of the eight mature females (May, 
June) were spent, as evidenced by the presence of but a single mature 
ovum in the flacid ovary. Ripe ova were first found in two females 
collected on 2 April and were last observed in two females taken on 21 
July, indicating a long spawning period. On 13 April 1982, six of the 
fourteen females taken contained ripe ova, while the rest contained 
developing ova. 
Other Southeastern members of the genus Etheostoma tend to have 
long spawning periods: two months for E. simoterum (Page and Mayden 
1981); three months for E. striatulum (Page 1980) and E. coosae (O’Neil 
1981); and four months for E. ditrema (Ramsey and Suttkus 1965), E. 
okaloosae (Yerger 1978), and E. perlongum (Lindquist et al. 1981). 
Taber and Taber (1983) observed a similar protracted spawning period 
(March-July) for E. tetrazonum in Missouri, combined with the produc- 
tion of many small clutches of eggs. They suggested that these two fac- 
tors enhance the reproductive success of this species in a fluctuating 
riffle habitat. Hubbs (1985) suggested multiple spawnings and clutches 
by a single female by a number of darters with protracted spawning 
periods. We found no evidence to suggest that E. mariae has multiple 
spawnings. 
Fecundity was calculated only for peak spawning periods (April, 
May). Mean mature (Class I and II) ova number per female (N = 35) 
was 57.6 ± 3.4SE (range 21-109). In April 1982, mean ova number of 14 
females was 59.7 ± 5.7SE (range 38-1 17). These estimates of mature ova 
are similar to those observed in a number of darters, as summarized by 
Page (1983). The regression equation for the relationship between SL 
and mature ova number (Y) in 1978 is Log Y = -2.8523 + 2.8710 Log SL, 
r = 0.89 (P < 0.001), indicating a significant increase in ova production 
with increasing length. 
The regression equation for the relationship of mature ova number 
(Y) to body weight (W) is Log Y = -1.5248 + 0.9643 Log W, r = 0.90, and 
the relationship of ova number to ovary weight (OW) is Log Y = 2.2735 
+ 0.5994 Log OW, r = 0.89. These correlation coefficients are highly 
