Sex-specific life history strategies in capelin (Mallotus villosus)?

1998 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 631-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geir Huse
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Gonadosomatic Index ◽  
Somatic Growth ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Offspring Production ◽  
Darwinian Fitness ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Batch Spawning

The life history of capelin (Mallotus villosus) is presently suggested to be sex specific: while males follow a semelparous batch-spawning strategy, females are iteroparous. This hypothesis is based on predictions from a life history simulation model of Barents Sea capelin that shows that iteroparity is more profitable than semelparity for females, but for males, semelparity with several matings with females may be as profitable as iteroparity. These predictions are supported by (i) reports of males mating with several females during a spawning season, (ii) males having a lower gonadosomatic index than females and instead spending their energy on mating and somatic growth, and (iii) an observed higher mortality for males after spawning. The Darwinian fitness of female capelin is limited by the amount of eggs they can carry, and offspring production may only be increased by undertaking several spawning seasons with yearly intervals. Added together, these indices suggest that male and female capelin follow different life history strategies.

scholarly journals Early life growth is affecting timing of spawning in the semelparous Barents Sea capelin (Mallotus villosus)

2021 ◽  
pp. 102614
Author(s):  
Florian Berg ◽  
Samina Shirajee ◽  
Arild Folkvord ◽  
Jane Aanestad Godiksen ◽  
Georg Skaret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Timing Of Spawning

Fecundity of the Barents Sea capelin ( Mallotus villosus )

1997 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Huse ◽  
H. Gjøsæter
Keyword(s):  
Barents Sea ◽  
Mallotus Villosus ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus

Effects of predation from juvenile herring (Clupea harengus) on mortality rates of capelin (Mallotus villosus) larvae

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 1693-1706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvar H. Hallfredsson ◽  
Torstein Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Barents Sea ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Rate Estimate ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Larvae Density

Predation has been suggested as a cause of substantial mortality of fish larvae to the degree that it might influence recruitment. This field-based study concludes that juvenile herring ( Clupea harengus ) as small pelagic predator can significantly affect mortality rates of the planktonic larvae of capelin ( Mallotus villosus ) in the Barents Sea. Surveys were carried out in the summers of 2001 and 2003. In 2001, juvenile herring were widely distributed and overlapped with capelin larvae over a wide area, whereas in 2003, the herring were more aggregated. The study focused on predation in the areas of predator–prey overlap. Capelin larvae were observed in the herring stomachs at 11 of 24 stations and at 8 of 16 stations where herring were caught in 2001 and 2003, respectively. At those stations, an estimated 7.3% and 9.9% of the capelin larvae were eaten by herring per day in 2001 and 2003, respectively. Statistical models revealed that density of capelin larvae and copepods and occurrence of euphausiids in the stomachs affected the number of capelin larvae per predator stomach. A simplified model with only capelin larvae density as predictor was converted to a functional response relationship using an experimentally derived digestion rate estimate for capelin larvae in herring stomachs.

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