Date of Award

Summer 1970

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Biology

Abstract

Two closely related species or darters, Percina peltata and Percina notogramma, occur sympatrically in Virginia. An analysis or the number of scale annuli and standard length measurements on 447 peltata and 195 notogrannna revealed four year classes in both species, with very few individuals surviving to III-year class. Both species had approximately 1:1 sex ratios after the first year, in which males were predominant. The growth of both species was approximately the same after the first year; however peltata, the larger species, apparently gains an advantage during the first year which it never loses. The sexes did not differ significantly in either age or growth.

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Biology Commons

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