First documentation of spawning and nest guarding in the laboratory by the invasive fish, the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)

AbstractFish are known to communicate in many ways and commonly use olfactory and visual signals. When round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) males become reproductive, they change from mottled grey to black and release sex steroids in their urine. In this study, we conducted a laboratory experiment to determine if reproductive female round gobies were attracted to a combination of olfactory (urine) and visual (silicone models) stimuli, representing reproductive and non-reproductive male round gobies. Females spent significantly more time at a nest with a black reproductive male model compared with a mottled non-reproductive male model. Neither urine type nor the interaction between model type and urine affected the time spent by reproductive females at a nest. Knowledge of the reproductive habits of the round goby may enable researchers to develop a method of species control for this invasive fish by manipulating its breeding habits.

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Invasive male round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) release pheromones in their urine to attract females

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2012-0246 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 70 (3) ◽

pp. 393-400 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Keith B. Tierney ◽

Matthew Kereliuk ◽

Yogesh Kumar Katare ◽

Alexander P. Scott ◽

Stephen J. Loeb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Previous Investigation ◽

Sensory Deprivation ◽

Round Goby ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

Laurentian Great Lakes ◽

Invasive Fish ◽

Behavioural Responses ◽

Round Gobies ◽

Reproductive Females ◽

Free Steroid

The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is an invasive fish in the Laurentian Great Lakes and beyond. Pheromones appear to be important for their reproductive success, as females are attracted to water in which reproductive males have resided (“conditioned water”). Previous investigation has shown conjugated and unconjugated forms of 3α-hydroxy-5β-androstane-11,17-dione (11-oxo-etiocholanolone; 11-O-ETIO) are released in the urine of these males. The goal of this study was to determine if the urine of reproductive males and fractionated extracts attract females. We found that reproductively active females were attracted to male urine and to isolates of male-conditioned water that contained conjugated 11-O-ETIO. The fractionated preparation that corresponded to unconjugated 11-O-ETIO (i.e., “free” steroid released via the gills of males) was not attractive to reproductive females, but curiously, it was attractive to nonreproductive females. Olfactory sensory deprivation confirmed that the behavioural responses were mediated by olfaction. These findings take us closer towards identifying the pheromone(s) that attract female gobies and, therefore, closer to having a method to limit this species' damaging invasion.

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qPCR assay for detecting round goby invasive fish species Neogobius melanostomus v1

protocols.io ◽

10.17504/protocols.io.bq3umynw ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Omneya Ahmed ◽

Alexander Eiler

Keyword(s):

Fish Species ◽

Round Goby ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

Qpcr Assay ◽

Invasive Fish

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Condition and population structure of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1811) in Szczecin Lagoon in 2010–2014

Journal of Water and Land Development ◽

10.2478/jwld-2018-0024 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 49-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Przemysław Czerniejewski ◽

Adam Brysiewicz

Keyword(s):

Population Structure ◽

Fish Species ◽

Round Goby ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

Fish Sample ◽

Invasive Fish ◽

Szczecin Lagoon ◽

Mean Values ◽

The World ◽

Lagoon Environment

AbstractThe round goby (Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1811) is one of the most invasive fish species in the world, including Poland. 300 fish of this species were collected in the waters of Szczecin lagoon between 2010 and 2014 and examination of the size, sex and age structures of the population and of the condition of the fish was performed. Total length and standard length of all the collected fish amounted to 149.2 mm (±42.21) and 128.1 mm (±38.65), respectively. The age structure of the fish consisted of nine generations, with clear prevalence of the fish aged 3+ and 4+. Mean values of condition factors for the whole fish sample amounted to 0.20 (±0.02). However, no statistically significant differences in particular years were observed (ANOVA, p > 0.05), but the condition of the fish between 2010 and 2011 was slightly higher than between 2013 and 2014. The obtained results indicate that the Szczecin Lagoon environment provides this species with favourable living conditions and it can be stipulated that the quantity of individuals of this fish species will increase.

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Morphometric variability in round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Perciformes: Gobiidae) from the Sea of Azov

Zoosystematica Rossica ◽

10.31610/zsr/2017.26.2.392 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 392-405 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

O.A. Diripasko ◽

T.A. Zabroda

Keyword(s):

Round Goby ◽

Joint Effect ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

Sea Of Azov ◽

Morphometric Characters ◽

One Dimensional ◽

The Sea Of Azov ◽

Size Dependent ◽

Size Variability ◽

Males And Females

A total of 38 morphometric characters of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) were studied in its native range in the Sea of Azov. The aim was to assess joint effect of sexual dimorphism and size variability on overall variability within groups of samples (populations) using appropriate methods of traditional statistical analysis (one-dimensional and multivariate statistics). Sex and size-dependent variability was studied based on model samples of males and females of different size. Most of the studied morphometric characters of round goby from the Sea of Azov demonstrated statistically significant sex- and size-dependent in-group variability. The pattern of the variability suggests that, for a comparison of round goby from different sea regions and between populations, separate samples of males and females within the range 9–13 cm SL should be examined in order to minimise the effect of the size and sex factors. The approach of searching for the most informative size range could be useful not only for further studies of infraspecific variation but for comparisons between morphologically close gobiin species.

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Feeding activity and diet composition of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814) in the coastal waters of SE Baltic Sea

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies ◽

10.1515/ohs-2015-0048 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Artūras Skabeikis ◽

Jūratė Lesutienė

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Feeding Activity ◽

Macoma Balthica ◽

Round Goby ◽

Benthic Fauna ◽

Neogobius Melanostomus ◽

The Body ◽

Gut Contents

AbstractFeeding activity and diet composition of round goby were investigated in the south-eastern Baltic Sea, the Lithuanian coastal waters during May-October 2012 in order to determine main feeding objects and seasonal periods when native fauna could be most affected by predation of this highly invasive species. In total, prey represented by 18 taxa was found in the gut contents of dissected fish. Feeding activity of round goby varied depending on the body size, sex and stage of the reproduction period. The gut contents of < 50 mm specimens were dominated by zooplanktonic and meiobenthic organisms, whereas larger individuals (50–99 mm) shifted to amphipods and mollusks. Individuals of the intermediate 100-200 mm length had a variable diet, changing depending on the season; in spring they mostly preyed on Macoma balthica, in summer − on polychaetes, while in autumn the contribution of Mytilus trossulus and fish considerably increased in their diet. Diet composition of individuals ≥ 200 mm was relatively constant in the course of the study with substantial preference to M. balthica. These findings imply that benthic fauna, particularly a newly settled generation of epibenthic mollusks in autumn is under strong predatory pressure of the round goby.

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