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Title: Fecundity and Length at First Spawning of the Hawaiian Anchovy, or Nehu (Stolephorus purpureus Fowler) in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu ﻿
Author: Leary, Daniel F; Murphy, Garth I; Miller, Marlyn
Date: 1975-04
Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press
Citation: Leary DF, Murphy GI, Miller M. 1975. Fecundity and length at first spawning of the Hawaiian anchovy, or Nehu (Stolephorus purpureus Fowler) in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu. Pac Sci 29(2): 171-180.
Abstract: Fecundity, length at first spawning, and spawning seasonality of
Stolephorus purpureus were determined by examining preserved ovarian eggs and fish
captured throughout a 4-year period. Fecundity was estimated from the number of
eggs in the most advanced ovarian mode after it was determined that all these eggs
hydrated and were spawned. Fecundity (Y) was related to fish weight (X) by the
hyperbolic function, Y = X/(0.0049-0.0033X). According to this relationship, a
fish having a weight equal to the mean for the population contains 566 eggs/g of
fish weight. Large variations in fecundity from year to year were attributed primarily
to environmental factors whose influence on reproduction by Stolephorus
purpureus has not been studied. Length frequencies of ovarian eggs were bimodal,
but the smaller modes remained stationary regardless of the position of the larger
modes. This was interpreted as evidence that individual fish spawned only once
per year. From data on egg length versus fish length it was estimated that fish were
first capable of spawning when 35 mm (standard length); the smallest fish observed
to contain hydrated eggs was 37.8 mm. Captured fish containing hydrated eggs were
rare, 1.1 percent of 1,735 adult females examined. Spawning occurred year around
but the incidence was higher during the spring and summer than during the remainder
of the year.
ISSN: 0030-8870

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