CALIPORNIAj

FISH-GAME

"CONSDVATION OF WILDLIFE THROUGH EDUCATIOIT

California Fish and Game is a journal devoted to the conser-
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1
J

b

VOLUME 55

APRIL 1969

NUMBER 2

Published Quarterly by

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THE RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

RONALD REAGAN, Governor

THE RESOURCES AGENCY

NORMAN B. LIVERMORE, JR., Secretary For Resources

FISH AND GAME COMMISSION

JAMES Y. CAMP, President, Shaffer

C. RANSOM PEARMAN, Vice President JOSEPH RUSS III, Member

Huntington Park Ferndale

SHERMAN CHICKERING, Member PETER T. FLETCHER, Member

San Francisco Rancho Santa Fe

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

G. RAY ARNETT, Director

1416 9th Street
Sacramento 95814

CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME
Editorial Staff

LEO SHAPOVALOV, Editor-in-Chief Sacramento

PAUL M. HUBBELL, Editor for Inland Fisheries Sacramento

CAROL M. FERREL, Editor for Wildlife Sacramento

HERBERT W. FREY, Editor for Marine Resources Terminal Island

DONALD H. FRY, JR., Editor for Salmon and Steelhead Sacramento

CONTENTS

Contributions to the Life History of the Piute Sculpin, Cottus
beldingvi Eigenmann and Eigenmann, in Lake Tahoe

Verlyn W. Ebert and Robert ('. Summerfelt 100

Observations on the Biology and Behavior of the California Spiny
Lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall)
Charles T. Mitch* II, Charles II. Turner, and Alec /.'. Strachan 121

Bluefin Tuna Migrate Across the Pacific Ocean

Harold />'. Clemens and Glenn A. Flittner 132

Tuna Schooling Terminology James Michael Scott 136

First Reporl of Anchovy Tagging in California

Richard Wood and Robson A. Collins 141

Notes

First California Record of the Guadalupe Cardinalfish, Apogon
guadalupensis (Osburn and Nichols) Edmund S. Hobson 14!)

Migrations of Striped Bass Occurring in Tomales Bay

Richard Plant 152

New Northern Record for the Threadfin Shad, Dorosoma
petenenst (Giinther), in Coastal Waters of California

C. /•'. Bryan and T. li. Sopher 155

Additional Record of a Troll-Caughl King Salmon, Oncorhy-
nchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), With Spawning Features

■I oh n M . Jackson 1 57

Book R( r'n ws 158

ERRATA

Chadwick, Harold K. Mortality rates in the California striped bass population.
54 (4) : 22S-246. 1968.

In equation S on page 233 the superscripl in the first term of the denominator
should range from 0 to li — 2i instead of to li — 1 ).

In equation 9 on page 233 the factor after the first + sign should lie:

A

Al(i_1)<°+---+»-2>)
A
(M(i_1)(«H---+«-2)) + M(i_1))

(99)

Calif. Fish and Game, r,r, (LM : 1(K) 120. 1969.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE PIUTE

SCULPIN, COTTUS BELDINGII EIGENMANN

AND EIGENMANN, IN LAKE TAHOE1

VERLYN W. EBERT- and ROBERT C. SUMMERFELT ::

Department of Zoology, Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

Certain facets of the life history of the Piute sculpin in Lake Tahoe
were studied. Data on diet, age and growth, reproduction, and para-
sites are presented. The most common foods of the sculpin were ostra-
cods, green filamentous algae, chironomids, plecopterans, amphipods,
cladocerans, moss capsules, and oligochaetes. Diet varied with size of
fish, season, depth of capture, and collection sites. Examination of an-
nuli on otoliths from 92 scuipins collected in November and December
1963 revealed five age groups, O, I, II, II, and IV. The calculated mean
TL in mm at the end of each year of life were 33.3, 48.9, 64.7, and
69.0 for age groups I through IV, respectively. The mean coefficients of
condition were 1.05 for 417 males and 0.99 for 382 females. The length-
weight relationship was log W = -5.244 + 3.166 log L. Analyses of
gonosomatic ratios and egg diameters, coupled with field observations
of nests, indicate that most scuipins spawn in May and June. The mean
number of eggs per female was 123. Scuipins do not spawn until their
second year of life. Three kinds of parasites were found: a large
plerocercoid larva of the genus Ligula (Cestoidea: Diphyllobothridae)
in the abdominal cavity, metacercaria of a strigeoid trematode in the
liver, and a microsporidian of the genus P/istophora (Cnidosporidia:
/Vticrosporida) in the body wall.

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this report is to describe certain aspects of the
life history of the Piute sculpin in Lake Tahoe, with emphasis on diet,
age and growth, reproduction, and parasites. It is the first published
report on the life history of this fish. However, three unpublished
theses (Dietseh, 1950; Miller, 1951; Jones, 1954) have contributed
to our knowledge of the life history of the species. Also, in a yet un-
published manuscript, Phillip H. Baker describes its distribution,
size composition, and relative abundance.

Descriptions of physical-chemical features of Lake Tahoe can be
found in Kemmerer, Bovard. and Boorman (1923), Juday (1907), and
McGauhey et al. (1963). Weidlein, Cordone, and Frantz (1965), and
Cordone and Frantz (1966) present maps of Tahoe and information
on the sport fishery. A check list of Tahoe invertebrates was presented
by Frantz and Cordone (1966).

1 Accepted for publication May 1968. This work was performed as part of Dingell-
Johnson Projects California F-21-R and Nevada F-15-R, "Lake Tahoe Fisheries
Study", supported by Federal Aid to Fish Restoration funds.

- Present address : Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Commission, Hays, Kansas 67601.
Part of this paper was presented at the 96th Annual Meeting- of the American
Fisheries Society, September 12-14, 1966, Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Ebert
shared the Society award for the best paper delivered by a student at the
meeting.

3 Present address : Oklahoma Cooperative Fishery Unit, Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074.

(100)

PITJTE SCULPIX LIFE HISTORY 101

METHODS

From September 1963 through September 1064, 6,424 seulpins were
collected with otter and sled trawls; and Prom shoreline rotenone treat-
ments. Most were collected with the otter trawl. Baker (1967, and
MS) describes the collection methods. All specimens were fixed in 10%
formalin soon after collection and later preserved in 40% isopropyl
alcohol.

From the total collection of preserved seulpins. 851 were randomly
selected for study. Total lengths were measured to the nearest mm
and body weights and gonad weights were determined to the nearest
0.001 g. Stomachs and otoliths wen' removed and stored in separate
vials of 40% isopropyl alcohol. Each fish was examined externally
and internally for parasites. These were preserved in vials of 40%
isopropyl alcohol.

LIFE HISTORY

Diet

The contents of all S51 stomachs were analyzed. The results besl
represent the diet of seulpins in relatively deep water, since about 89%
of the specimens were taken in bottom trawls at 100, 200, 'M)0. and
100 ft. .Most of the remainder were collected from rubble areas in the
littoral zone. The objectives were to determine the kinds of organisms
utilized and differences related to collection site, depth of capture,
season, and size of fish.

The volume of each taxa was determined by alcoholic displacement
to the nearest 0.001 ml in a graduated centrifuge tube. The category
"detritus" includes sand, diatoms, desmids, mud. and unrecognizable,
partially digested organisms.

In terms of frequency of occurrence, ostracods were the most pop-
ular food item, with about 50% of the stomachs containing them.4
Other popular foods, occurring in about 20 to 40%- of the stomachs,
were filamentous green algae, chironomid larvae, plecopterans, amphi-
pods, and cladocerans. Virtually all of the amphipods were the deep-
water scud, Stygobromus. The plecopterans were apterous forms of
the genus Capnia. Of lesser importance and in decreasing order were
moss capsules, oligochaetes, gastropods, pelecypods, water mites, cope-
pods, Cham, and seulpins. No fish eggs were found in the stomachs,
and the only fish remains consisted of an occasional sculpin.

Nearly 50% of the total volume of sculpin stomach contents was con-
sidered detritus. Most of it probably represents partially digested food,
and bottom material accidentally taken while ingesting prey organisms.
Next, in importance were green filamentous algae, which may also be
consumed accidentally (this may be true for all types of aquatic plants
found in sculpin stomachs). Stygobromus comprised an average of
about 7% of the total volume of stomachs examined. In decreasing
order, the next most significant food items were seulpins, gastropods,
oligochaetes, moss capsules, plecopterans, and chironomid larvae. Al-

4 Numerous bottom fauna collections taken from widely separated areas and depths
ranging from the shallows to the lake floor revealed only a single species of
free-living ostracod (Frantz and Cordone, 1966). It was described by Ferguson
(1966) as Candona tahoensis.

1 1 12

CALIFORNl \ PISB WD GAME

though ostraeods occur tnosl frequently in sculpiu stomachs, they sup-
ply very little of the total volume because of their small size The op-
posite is true for the few sculpins which enter the diel of oilier sculpins.
Stygobromus, ostraeods, gastropods, and chironomid larvae were nu-
merically the most abundant organisms in stomachs which contained
i hem.

There was strong similarity in the diel of sculpins from the north and
south ends of Tahoe (Table 1 i. Sculpins apparently consumed nearly
the same amounl of food in each habitat, since the percentages of
empty stomachs were similar. Bowever, there was a greater frequency
and volume of cladocerans, gastropods, and the amphipod Hyallela
in the stomachs of sculpins from the south end. Moss capsules and
oligochaetes were more importanl volumetrically and numerically in

TABLE 1
Diet of Piute Sculpins at Two Locations in Lake Tahoe

Food item

Oligochaeta
1 lastropoda_

Pelecypoda

I ' ' idium sp.) .

Cladocera

Ostracoda

(Candona tahoensis) .

Copepoda

Amphipoda

Stygobromus sp.
II ijnlb hi sp

Acari .

Plecoptera
(Capnia sp.)_

Diptera

Chironomid larvae^
Chironomid pupae .

Coitus beldingii

Musci (moss capsules)

Charophyceae (Chara sp.).

Chlorophyceae

Detritus

Mean volume of food (ml)_

Empty (% of total)

Xo. stomachs examined

Percentage frequency
of occurrence

North

10.17
t . 22

0 . 74
16.38

50. 02
0.99

27.05

0.99

31.76

35 . 73

8.44

0.25

13.15

45.15

4.50
450

South

0.38
5.77

1 . 52
20.14

51 .97
0.91

27.90
3.64

0.91

38.30

34.04
10.94

0.30

5.47

0.91

43.10

6.80
370

Mean number of
organisms

North

2.28
3. 17

1 . 00
2.39

5.70
1.67

11.31

1.00

3.40

3.30
2.00

1.00

3.40

South

1.87
3 . 73

1 . 10
3.88

5.51
1.00

7.44
2.00

1.00

3.07

3.40
2.12

1.00

2.94

Percentage of
total volume

North

4.45
0.02

0.01
0.02

1.20

7.39

2.05

2.22
0.51

4.84

4.04

0.01

10.35

45.70

0.048

South

3.04
9 . 33

0.23
0.43

1 . 16

0.80
0.29

3.17

2.33
0.39

5.40

1.88

0.01

11.58

53.80

0.042

* In stomachs containing them.

PIUTE SCULPIN LIFE HISTORY 103

samples from the north end. These area differences probably reflect dif-
ferences in availability of the organisms in the two areas. Miller (1951)
found pronounced variations in the diet of sculpins from three widely
separated areas in Lake Tahoe.

Some obvious changes in diet with depth were noted, suggesting
qualitative and quantitative zonation of the food organisms (Table 2 .
The percentage of empty stomachs varied inversely with depth, whereas
the total volume of food in stomachs containing food varied randomly.
There was a well-defined decrease in the percentage occurrence of cla-
doeerans with increasing depth. Eowever, the mean number and per-
centage of total volume of cladocerans in sculpin stomachs varied ran-
domly with depth. Gastropods tended to decrease with depth, except
for a slight increase at 400 ft. A few sculpins from depths of 100 and
200 ft contained Hyallela, but these were absenl from fish collected at
300 and 400 ft. Both Stygobromus and oligochaetes tended to increase
with depth. A single sculpin taken from 700 ft contained 15 Stygo-
bromus. The frequency of copepods and chironomid larvae and pupae
in sculpin stomachs varied randomly with depth of capture. Oslracods
plecopterans. moss capsules, and filamentous algae tended to be more
frequent in sculpins taken a1 the intermediate depths of 200 and 300 f1
than at 100 or 400 ft. This pattern is xrvy likely directly related to

the depth distribution of aquatic plants. Frantz and CordN (1967

describe these extensive beds of deepwater plants (Chara, mosses, and
filamentous algae) in hake Tahoe. The plants attain their greatest den-
sities at depths from 200 to 350 ft and rapidly diminish at greater and
lesser depths.

Sculpin food habits also varied seasonally 'Table 3). As indicated h\
the mean volume of stomach contents, sculpins consumed the least
amount in the fall and winter and greatesl amount in the spring and
summer. This same pattern generally held true for the frequency of
occurrence of cladocerans. but the average number and the percentage
of total volume of cladocerans varied randomly. The percentages of
empty stomachs were relatively similar for the four seasons, however.
Occurring much more frequently in the summer than in other seasons
were ostracods. chironomid larvae and pupae, plecopterans, amphipods,
cladocerans. oligochaetes, and moss capsules. No marked seasonal
changes could be detected for frequency of occurrence of gastropods
and green filamentous algae. Mean numbers of plecopterans and Stygo-
bromus present in sculpin stomachs exhibited pronounced peaks in the
spring, whereas mean numbers of most other food items varied ran-
domly or showed seasonal maxima in the summer. On a year-round
basis, the largest percentage of total volume of sculpin food was fila-
mentous green algae, which were particularly important in the summer
and fall. Volumetrically. gastropods were an important food item in
the summer, with Stygobromus the most important in the spring. Scul-
pins were significant items in the diet of other sculpins during all but
the spring season, although they occurred with low frequency through-
out the study. Variations in seasonal utilization of food by sculpins
were also reported by Miller (1951).

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PIUTE SCULPIX LIFE HISTORY 107

Sculpin food habits were also analyzed according to four length
• •lasses: 10-40 mm, 41-61 mm. 62-81 mm. and 82-127 mm (Table 4).
The mean volume of food in stomachs of the largest size category was
considerably greater than the others, but amounts in the other cate-
gories varied randomly. Sculpins less than 40 mm had a higher fre-
quency of empty stomachs than the other size groups. Larger fish con-
sumed a greater variety of food: 12 to 14 items were found in fish
greater than 41 mm. compared with only 8 items in fish less than 40 mm.
The frequency of occurrence of plant remains, gastropods, and oligo-
chaetes varied directly with sculpin size. Ostracods and Hyallela oc-
curred more frequently in the smaller sculpins. Ostracods were more
numerous and contributed more to the total volume consumed than any
other food item in the smallesl size class, whereas the larger food
items. like Stygobromus and gastropods, were more numerous in the
larger fish. Chironomid larvae and pupae, cladocerans, and plecop-
terans were consumed at relatively the same frequency by sculpins of

Jill si/es. However, the percent a "V 0f tile topll Volume of these same

items varied inversely with the size of the sculpin. Sculpin remains were
found only in the stomachs of the largest sculpins. Miller I 1951 > found
a positive correlation between the size of sculpins and the size of their
prey.

Detritus consistently made up a high percentage of the total volume
of food found in sculpin stomachs of all size classes, ranging from
31.5$ in the s2 lL'7-uim group to 59.0$ in the 41-61-mm group
(Table 4 . Also, detritus made up 1:5.7 and 53.8$ of the total
volume for the north and south shop,, sites, and 37.0, 57.1, 56.9,
and 4."). 4', for the 100-, 200-, 300-, and 400-ft depths, respectively
(Tables 1 and 2). The large volume of detritus consumed by sculpins
suggests that this feeding activity plays an important role in energy
transfer by converting the organic component of the bottom detritus
into a form available to The large piscivorous fishes which prey on the
sculpin. However, plant material in the detritus may not contribute
much energy. Miller (1951 observed that the extremely short digestive
tract of the sculpin suggests dependence on high protein food.

The diet of the Piute sculpin from Lake Tahoe differs markedly
from that of the same species from Sagehen Creek. Immature insects
were more frequent in Sagehen Creek sculpin stomachs (Dietsch,
1950). The differences are no doubt attributable to the difference be-
tween the environments. Comparison of the food habits of sculpins
from the two environments suggests that the species is an opportunistic
feeder, whose diet varies with the availability and vulnerability of
the food items.

Our observations on the food habits of Piute sculpins also differ
from those reported for the same species from Lake Tahoe by Miller
(1951). We found a greater frequency of plant remains, ostracods.
e;istropods. and amphipods; a greater diversity of food items; the
presence of plecopterans, oligochaetes. pelecypods. sculpins. and cope-
pods; and fewer emptv stomachs. Moreover Miller reported trichop-
terans. fish eggs, and branchipods (phyllopods), whereas these items
were not encountered in the present study. These differences are likely
related to depth of capture. The majority of Miller's specimens were

108 I \l.ll"<>i:\l \ FISH AM) CAME

taken from shallow, rubble areas of the littoral zone, while most of ours
were collected from the vegetated flats of depths from 100 to 400 ft.

The area of capture may ;ils<> be responsible for the virtual absence
of fish and fish eggs in sculpin stomachs during the current study.
Probably only the lake troul {Salvelinus namaycush) spawns in tins
depth range, but mosl likely over sleep, rocky shelves which provide
shelter for eggs and fry. The only other bottom-dwelling species com-
iii, ,1, a1 depths over !<>(> f1 are the tui chub (Gila bicolor) and
Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis). These species spawn in shallow
water (the latter also spawns extensively in tributary streams) and
by the time their young-of-the-year penetrate into deep water they
may be too large to be eaten by sculpins. Although none was found
in the present study. Miller (1951) found nine sculpin eggs in one
sculpin and four in another. Both fish were collected in May.

The Piute sculpin of Lake Tahoe is closely associated with the sub-
strate throughout its life cycle (Phillip II. Baker, MS). Therefore,
the cladocerans that contribute signficantly to its diet are probably
the common pelagic forms which come in contact with the substrate,
as well as those forms associated solely with the bottom. Twelve species
of cladocerans found associated with the substrate have been described
from Lake Tahoe (Frantz and Cordone, 1966).

Age and Growth

Because sculpins lack scales, their age is determined either by length-
frequenev analysis or by counting annuli in otoliths or vetebrae
(Bailey, 1952 ; Zarbock, 1952). Both length-frequencies and otoliths
were used to age Lake Tahoe Piute sculpins.

The otoliths are located in the chambers of the labyrinth, which
are exposed by removing the lower jaw and the roof of the mouth.
When exposed, the chambers appear as bulbous structures below each
eye. Before examination, otoliths were cleared in oil of wintergreen
(methyl salicylate) for about 1 week. However, oil of cloves was used
on otoliths which did not clear sufficiently in oil of wintergreen and
actually proved to be a much more effective clearing agent. The oto-
liths were examined under a dissecting microscope with reflected light
;ie;;iinst a black background. The annuli appear as dark, translucent
bands alternating with light or opaque zones. The distance from the
focus to each annulus and to the edge of the otolith was measured with
an ocular micrometer at a magnification of 20 X-

Ages were determined by counting annuli for 92 fish collected in
November and December 1963 and 61 fish collected from April
through June 1964. Five age groups were established and designated
as 0, I, II, III, and IV. These indicate the number of annuli, and in
all cases there was growth beyond the last annulus. The large amount
of growth beyond the last annulus in April-June otoliths suggests
that annulus formation occurs early in the spring.

Length-frequency distributions were prepared for 1,223 sculpins
from the April-June collection and 475 sculpins from the November-
December collection. Comparisons of these distributions with the range
in lengths of fish aged by the otolith method illustrate the difficulties
involved in identification of the year classes from multimodal distri-
butions (Figure 1). The April- June collection shows modes at 38,

PIUTE SCULPIX LIFE HISTORY

109

53, 64, and 84 mm, which would indicate age groups I through IV,
respectively. The modes at 53, 64, and 84 mm correspond most closely
to mean lengths at capture for age groups I, II, and IV (Table 5).
There is no mode corresponding with the mean for age group III, but
the distinct mode at 38 would appear to best represent age group I.
Comparisons of length-frequency modes with mean length at capture
for November-December samples (Table 6) adequately reflect age
group 0. However, modes ;it 51, 56, 61, and 73 mm do not correlate
well with mean Lengths of the remaining age groups. Because of the
wide length range for fish of the same age group, the length-frequency
method appears very inaccurate for assigning ages to individual speci-
mens, except possibly the age group 0 fish.

60i-

45

30

15

^/SA

UJ

^120

UJ

or
or

§105
o

90

UJ

2 75

or

60 -

45 -

30

NOV - DEC, 1963
N= 475

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

APR - JUNE, 1964
N= 1223

15-

40 50 60 70 80 90

TOTAL LENGTH IN MILLIMETERS

FIGURE 1— Length-frequency analysis of two collections of Lake Tahoe Piute sculpins compared
with the range in length of age groups determined by counting annuli on otoliths.
Wedges represent mean lengths of the age groups.

00

110

i \|.MM|;\| \ !-|>ll AND CA.MK

TABLE 5

Lengths at Capture, Calculated Lengths, and Increments of Growth of Lake
Tahoe Piute Sculpins Collected in April-June 1964

Age group

0

I

II
III
IV

Numl "T
of fish

36

1 1
2

Mean
total lengl h

(mm)

18 1
16 56
65.1
(53 76)
75.5
64 86
86.5

Total number 61

Weighted mean total length (mm)

Mean annual increment (mm)

Number of fish

* Range in parentheses.

Mi in c alculated total length at end of year of life (mm)

35.6
32.5

27.1

31.5

31.5

61

19.0
16.6
tl .0

47.6
16.1

49

57.7
57.0

57 . 6

10.0

13

70.5

70.5

12.9

2

TABLE 6

Lengths at Capture, Calculated Lengths, and Increments of Growth of Lake
Tahoe Piute Sculpins Collected in November— December 1963

Number
of fish

Mean

total length

at capture*

( mm)

Mean calculated total length at end of year of life (mm)

Age group

1

2

3

4

0

4
44
33
10

1

(30 4:;

53.7
1 16 66)

67.6

58 76

83.8
(71-91)

97.0

3 1 . 7
31 .7
33.2
23.0

.;:; .;

33 . 3

88

49. 1
19.9

35.0

48.9

15.6

44

66.0
52 . 0

64.7

15.8

11

I

II

III

IV

09.0

Total number 92

"Weighted mean total length (mm)
Mean annual increment (mm)
Number of fish _

69.0

4.3

1

* Range in parentheses.

PIUTE SCULPIX LIFE HISTORY

111

The sculpin body length-otolith radius relationship was determined
for 168 sculpins from the combined November-December and April-
June collections. The seattergram of these data approximates a linear
relationship between total body length and otolith radius (Figure 2).
The straight line fitted by least squares to these data is represented
by the equation L = 13.40 -f- 1.55R. where L is the length in mm and
R is the enlarged anterior otolith radius in ocular micrometer units
measured at a magnification of 20X-

Growth was back-calculated by the nomographic method of Car-
lander and Smith (1944). Back-calculated Lengths for a given age
group approximated lengths at capture Eor corresponding age groups,
and back-calculated lengths Eor the two collections were very similar
(Tables 5 and 6). This tended to corroborate the reliability of the

OTOLITH RADIUS

FIGURE 2 — Linear regression of the total length-otolith radius relationship for 168 Lake Tahoe
Piute sculpins. Dots represent the means of the otolith radius lengths for each of
the midpoints of the length classes.

1 12 CALIFORNIA PISH \M> GAME

age ass ssments. However, Lee's phenomenon was shown by the pro-
gressive decrease in calculated lengths in successively older fish. Lee's
phenomenon appeared in every year class for both the November-
D cember and April June collections. This made the back-calculated
lengths Prom older fish smaller than back-calculated lengths from
younger fish for corresponding age groups.

In the November December collection (Table 6). the length at cap-
ture for age group 0 was closely approximated by the mean calculated
length of the age -roup I fish for the end of the first year of life. Where
sample sizes were adequate, this same general agreement was found for
the remaining age groups and for fish from the April June collection
Table 5 The difference in mean total lengths at capture for fish of
a given age -roup between the two periods represents the approximate
length incremenl between November December and April-June ^Tables
5 and 6 . Thus, the 0 age group fish grew from about 35.5 mm in No-
vember December to 48.4 in April-June; age group I fish grew from
53.7 to 65.1 : and age group II fish grew from (i7.fi to 75.5. Except for
differences due to sample variation, the difference in size between fall
and spring collections suggests that most of the annual growth occurs
in the spring and early summer.

Age and growth data presented by Jones I 1954) and Dietsch (1950)
for Piute sculpins from Sau'ehen Creek, California, were compared with
data for Tahoe sculpins Table 7). There was very close agreement in
mean lengths for all but age -roup 0 in the November-December collec-
tion and age -roup I in the April-June collection. Tahoe specimens
appeared significantly larger than Sagehen specimens at these ages.
The small number of fish used in the Tahoe sample could account for
these dit'fe ivn ccs. however. Although differences for the older age groups
are small, Tahoe sculpins were generally larger at a given age than
fish of the same age from Sagehen Creek. No 5-year-old fish were aged
but some of the largest fish shown in the length-frequency distribution
may have been 5-year-olds (Figure 1).

TABLE 7

Lengths at Capture of Lake Tahoe Piute Sculpins Compared with Sculpins
from Sagehen Creek (TL in mm) *

Lake Tahoe
Nov.- D<

Sagehen Creek

Lake Tahoe
(Apr. -June)

Age group

Jones, 1954
(Oct.-Dec.)

Dietsch, 1950
(Oct. -Nov.)

Sagehen Creek
Jones, 1954
1 May-June)

0

I

35.5

53 . 7
67.6
83.8
97.0

26 . 3
53 . 8

82.5
93.0

26-30
46-50
71-75

48.4
65.1
75 . 5
86.5

28.3

II

65.3

III

72.1

IV

85.1

V

97.0

* Ages for Lake Tahoe fish were determined by examination of otoliths, whereas
ages for Sagehen Creek fish were from length-frequency analysis.

PIUTE SCULPIX LIFE HISTORY

113

Length-Weight Relationship

The relationship between length and weight was derived from all 851
specimens, males and females combined. The collection was condensed
into 23 size groups of 5 mm each. The midpoint of each group was used
as the mean length of that group and the mean weight for each group
was derived. These values were used to determine the length-weight re-
lationship according to the equation W = aLn, where W = weight in
g, L = tl in mm, and n and a are constants.

The length-weight relationship in logarithmic form is log W =
— 5.244 -f- 3.166 log L. The curve plotted from calculated weights de-
rived from the length-weight equation closely parallels the empirical
length-weight data for size groups from 5 to 102 nun I Figure 3). For
size groups larger than 102 mm there is an obvious difference between

CO

o

i

LU

S

27

•

26

25

•

24

23

-

22

2 1

20

19

16

17

-

•

16

-

•

15

-

14

-

13

-

LOG W =

- 5.?44 • 3.1E6 LOG L

12

II

-

10

-

• /

9

e

7

-

/ •

6

5

4

• / •

3

•/■^

2
1

0

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1

i

1 ._

17 22 27 32 37 42 47 52 57 62 67 72 77 82 87 92 97 102 107 112 117 122 127

TOTAL LENGTH (MM)

FIGURE 3— Length-weight relationship of the Lake Tahoe Piute sculpin (851 specimens). The
line was drawn from the calculated length-weight relationship. Dots represent the
mean weight for midpoints of the length classes.

2—78404

1 1 1

i \l,ll'(ii;\IA PISH \M> GAME

empirical and calculated weights. This tnaj resull from a change in
body form of larger sculpins or may be due to small sample size The
relationship between body form and length is considered again in the
nexl section.

Coefficient of Condition

The coefficienl of condil ion was computed
; 0,000 W

L3

where \V — weiffhl in ^ .iml I.

;rom the equation : K =
Because tin- co-

'ii. in nun.

, fficienl lit' condition can vary with a number of environmental and bio-
logical factors, the data were stratified by sex, body length, collection
site, and season.

The mean K values for pooled data are 1.05 for 417 males and 0.99
for 382 females. Although the value for males is about 6' < greater than
the value for females, this difference is not significant '/-test. P> .05 .
The largest K value for males is 1.56 in the 115 119-mm class, and the
largesl value for females is 1.34 in the 125-129-mm class.

The mean coefficent of condition varies directly with body length
Table 8 . The length-condition relationship is Y := 0.804 + 0.0031X
for females and Y = 0.650 -(- 0.0063X for males, where Y is the mean
ei efficient of condition for the various length classes and X is the mid-
poinl of these classes Figure 4 . The difference between the two re-
gression coefficients was tested according to the formula given by Steel

TABLE 8

Coefficients of Condition (K) of Lake Tahce Piute Scuipins Stratified
by S;ze, Collection Site, and Sex *

- ith shore

North shore

Both sites combined

Length class
(mm)

Mil;

Males

1 i i

Males

Females

Males

Females

20-24

22

27

12

37

12

47

52

57

-

67

72

77

32

87

-

97

102

107

112

117

122

127

■

-:
0.8 1
1 00(14)
90 7
95 5
6 13)
1.00 -•
1.04
1.13 "

1.18 -

1.19 21
1.15(14)
1.25

1.53(1)
1.56(1)

15

l.OO -

. , , ,

• :
2
1.05 27
0.90 25
1.04 -
1.07(17

5 "
1.01(11)
1.15 6

0.9: ;

0.82(4
0.94 i ;
0.91 27
28
1.03
1.09
1.10 i
1.09 2
1.26 :
!.:;: i

'i 76 2
0.86 J
0.9" '
0.93(22
0.9!' 21
0.95(51)
1.01' 14
0.9!'
1.05
1.06(4)

1.01(2)

1.34(1)

0.86(3)
J
0.91(11)
0.91(13)
II 18
0.92(20)
0.92(42)
1. 01
1.01 '
1.07 53
1.11 -
1.14 •
1.20(32)
1.14(15)
1.25(6)

1.53(1)
1.56(1)

0.95(1)

30-34

0.76(2)
0.93(4)

40-44

45-49

55-59 - . .

65-69

70-74

75-79

85-89

90-94

95-99

100-104

105-109

110-114

0.97(13)

0.92(36)

0.99(43)

0.96 ;

1.03C1)

0.97(59)

1.04(33)

1.07(21)

0.95(5)

1.01(13)

1.15(6)

115-119

120-124

-

125-129

1.34(1)

Total number.

Weighted mean K„

190
1.07

•
1.02

227
1.04

202
0.98

417
1.05

382
0.99

* Number of specimens in parentheses.

PIUTE SCULPIX LIFE HISTORY

115

and Torrie (1960, p. 173). The computed / value (/.,„. 791 d.f.) is sig-
nificant a1 the V> Level, requiring that the relationship between body
length and coefficient of condition be presented separately for males
and females. The K values are similar for males and females to aboul
65 mm, but then the values for males increase more rapidly. The dif-
ference between the mean K values for males and females Larger than
65 mm is statistically significant (£-test, P <.05). Two-year-olds have
a mean Length of about 65 mm, indicating that significant sexual di-
morphism occurs at this age. Although it is generally assumed that the
basic difference in body shape between the sexes is related to gonadal
development, a change in body configuration makes mature males
broader and heavier-bodied than the more streamlined mature fe-
males. There were no obvious differences in condition between indi-
viduals from the north and south ends of the lake.

A seasonal fluctuation in K values was observed in both sexes (Fig-
ure 5). For females this is apparently directly related to gonadal de-
velopment. The K values for females were Lowest in -July and highest in
April. May. and dune. However, in the males, the K values were lowesl
from late summer through early winter and highesl from March through
July. The K values for males declined well pasl the spawning season.
This suggests that their fluctuations in conditio]] may be related to

1.50

1.40
1.30

1.20

z
o

5 1. 10

5

o

fe 1.00

o
£ 0.90

o
o

0.80

0.70 -

0.60

-,• MALE

Y=0.650f 0.0063 X

N=4I7

-, FEMALE

Y=0.804+ 0.0031 X
N=382

j_

_L

J 1

22 27 32 37 42 47 52 57 62 67 72 77 82 87 92 97 102 107 112 117 122 127

TOTAL LENGTH IN MILLIMETERS

FIGURE 4 — Comparison of coefficient of condition-total length regressions of male and female
Lake Tahoe Piute sculpins. Regression equation predicts coefficient of condition
(Y) from total length (X).

lie

CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME

other factors, possibly the vernal increase in food supply, as revealed
by the larger volume of food found in the stomachs in spring and sum-
mer compared \\ ith fall and winter Table 3).

I 15

z IK)

Q
O

§ 105
u

u.

o

i_ 1.00

z

UJ

o

UJ

o
o

0 95

0.90

0.85

0.80 -

- L

_

_

SEP

J_

OCT NOV
1963

DEC

.-'.

FEB MAR

APR MAY
1964

JUNE JULY AUG SEP

FIGURE 5— Seasonal variation in coefficient of condition of male and female Lake Tahoe
Piute sculpins.

Reproduction

The time of spawning of the Piute sculpin was determined from
monthly changes in mean egg diameters and computation of the
gonadal-body weight ratio, or gonosomatic index. A random sample of
20 eggs was taken from the ovaries of each of 136 fish. Diameters were
measured to 0.001 mm. Fecundity was measured by direct count of the
total number of eggs from both ovaries.

Low monthly mean gonosomatic indexes for females occurred follow-
ing spawning and in the fall and winter months (Figure 6). Peak
monthly indexes of over 13% for females occurred in April. May. and
June. The peak value for males was only 0.86% and it occurred in
April. The index for females dropped sharply between June and
August, coinciding with a sharp decline in the condition factor during
the same interval (Figure 5). Changes in males were of a lower magni-
tude and preceded similar changes in females by nearly 2 months.
Fluctuations in the gonosomatic ratios for males did not correspond
with seasonal variations in condition factors. Gonadal development in
males apparently exerts little influence on their condition.

Mean diameters of sculpin eggs increased from a low of 0.397 mm
in September, corresponding to the lowest monthly gonosomatic index,
to a high of 2.104 mm in May and then dropped to 1.503 mm in
June. No samples were available for July, but the mean diameter in
August was 0.750 mm.

PITTE SCULPIN LITE HISTORY

11"

Seasonal changes in gonosomatic ratios, mean egg diameters, and
condition factors indicate that the major spawning period of the Piute
sculpin in Lake Tahoe during 1964 probably occurred in May and
June. Miller (1951 found nests - early as May 7 and as late
July 4. but he also reports the presence of ripe females in lake trout
stomachs as late as August 28. In the present study, one nest was found

on June 21. 1965. Nesting behavior of the Piute sculpin has 1 n

described by Miller 1951 and Jones 1954 . and of other species of
sculpins bv Bailey 1952 . Zarbock 1952 . and Simon and Brown
(1943 .

x

H

o

r-
<

o

C7)
P

z
p

O

LU

_1
<

—

1.00

~

\

095

0.90
0.85

M

■

—

080
0.75

/i \

' \
i \
/ i

\

\
\

V

0 70

i \
i

065

/

0.60

/
/

/

1 —

0.55

MALES 1

0.50

i
/

045
040

1

1

1
/
1

1

\ J

0.35

1 /"

0.30
0.25
0.20

0.15
0.10

FEMALES

y

/
/
/

1

1
1
1
1

\
\

\ _
i
i
i -

0.05

1 1 1

1 '

i i

1 1

' i

15

14

13
12

10

9

8

7

6
5
4

3
2

m

-I Q J>

r-
m

CD

o

O
CO
O

>
H
O

n
x

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
1963 1964

SEP

FIGURE 6— Seasonal variation in gonosomatic index (gonad weight -5- body weight X TOO)
for male and female Lake Tahoe Piute sculpins.

•

••.ME

18 s sts L T Eg gs

----- a st. c re-like ture

- - • - roni th< - t>sti " and

st was - I sandL All nests were

...i]. ' ther limited area of

• Taylor i : at the south

ilar habitat in a wave-swept

a northwesl the Coast G lard

t Sug ' • ibt many additional spawning ar< s

- -- - According to E i rlett unpublished

- monthly reports . seulpins also

ato Griff < reek and at the mouth of Tunnel

tering 1 oortl st cornel stal Bay.

_•_- s 123.4. Tin ghest monthly

s 217 i s1 s 76 in S tember.

- 11 in a 67-mm s men, and the maxi-

- ?7 _■_■- 2-nn - - N data pertainn g 1 the f < -undity
f the Piute s I und in the literature, but Bailey (1952)

ggs ] - Coti pmwtulatus.

tl had egg • rs sufl nt to be e s-

s ma1 " s to that of maximum egg size of

g - djiiu ; Le., 1.5 2 oi. . With one exception, all females

. _ - ined eggs that appeared i smaU to ripen at

il _

- - oipiled for " seulpins. The ratio for the north

- __" s to 202 i - and 190 males to 180

s f or 1 south s I s. Tl rerall ratio was 417 m«

-_ - s. Thes ratios re subjected 1 -hi-square analysis and

s f . a 1:1 rati I = gi ficant.

Parasites

During gross ~ 1 ~~1 seulpins. three species of internal

sites i ~ ed I Tal To determine if the degree of

testation ^ results analyzed by three areas:

li shore, south s the wesl shore and Emerald Bay. Seulpins

ghi ' first t1 s we] taken h tively deep water (100

- ght in th< remaining area were taken in

- - 1 to 5 fl

TABLE 9

Percentage infestation of Three Types of Parasites on Piute Seulpins
from Th'ee Localities in Lake Tahoe

P;

Tm ■

aria

Cestode

25

-

-

■

PIUTE SCUIiPIX LITE HISTORY 119

Whi1 -s sts adint inal wall of 6 "

6s exami One to s sts appr xiniate :iim

long the s :in and th - of the body wall of

infe fis This site was 3 ridian — l ni s iia :

f the genns Plisi
tely the s * t th and south ends of the lake.

Factors - - - t f or the 1

E nd th- si s

A large id lai 2 s I (Class Cesl

■ 1 in the abdominal ty wil

quency of 1.2 These 1 3 te larg

in relation to their hosl t 1 restive t

Usually tl rth of 1 s to 1 urths the

- dpin. T s an interesting the deg

- ■ _ - , s f j

'raid Bay and the west s I I >nly

the nor* soul

• T _ festal fish - ter mighl lue 1

F fish-eating
T • third t;. si1 s s sts in the

These app strigeoid trematode. They oc-

curred in 24. f the sen s i the s uth shore and only

- abitat differ-
ni<-.- bel ' ■ - - _ " it for 1

higher inc sts. is 1 3 - 5 al

the Upper Truekee ! :. Tayl Such

- re much less - > in the Again, t":

infi fis st shore is probabh

late I to th or small s

DISCUSSION

Sculph s an important link in the _rame

Lake T F - - S1 idy, ur.publ. da-

They occurred in aboul trout stomachs which

contain This s ti sizes ike trout I hat

non si in I in lake trout smaller thai ' - fl. In terms of

percent _ :' total volume, they \ I y more important -

11 lake troul Si - trout in the 5.0- to 9 -ich

tained " - - hv volume. 10.0- to 14

fish 42.5" . . 1" nch fish 22.] _ inch and larger fish

only 4 ^ . They v. atively unimportant in the diet of rainl

troul v occurring in only 1.1 £ the 702 si machs

containing r, they annion in the diet of 66

brown trout Salmo truti si machs with foe: irring in

them.

Becaus of their role in the diet of the game fishes, their widespread
distribution and abundance Phillip H. B ker, BIS . and their omniv-
is 1 1 habits, sculpins ;upy a key role in the ecology of Lake
Tahoe. A> a _•• fish, they rt a great d: - : bottom-

dwelling invert- - ietritus into a form readily available to

piscivorous game fishes, notably the lake trout. Significantly, it is the

120 < U.IFORMA FISH AND GAME

lake troul thai supports the Lake Tahoe sport fishery (Cordone and
Frantz, 1966 .

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Lake Tahoe Fisheries study made available the collections on
which this study is based, and appreciation is extended to the many
men who were Involved in that work. Special credit is due Project
Leader Almo J. < !ordone and -lack- A. Hanson and Phillip II. Baker for
their assistance and advice. Appreciation is expressed to the Zoology
Department of Kansas State 1 nivccsity for laboratory space and
equipment.

REFERENCES

Bailey. Jack E. 1952. Life history and ecology of the sculpin Coitus bairdi punc-
tulatus in southwestern Montana. Copeia, (4) : 243-255.

P.nkcr. Phillip II. 1967. Distribution, size composition, and relative abundance of
the Lahontan speckled dace, Rhinichthys osculus robustus (Rutter), in Lake
Tahoe. Calif. Fish and Game, 53 (3) : 165-173.

Carlander, Kenneth D., and Lloyd L. Smith. Jr. 1944. Some uses of nomographs
in fish growth studies. Copeia, (3) : 157-162.

Cordone. Almo J., and Ted C. Frantz. 1966. The Lake Tahoe sport fishery. Calif.
Fish and Game, 52 (4) : 240-274.

Dietsch, Eli Lee. 1950. The ecology and food habits of the sculpin (Cottus bel-
dinfii) in relation to the eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Univ. Calif.,
Berkeley. M.A. Thesis. 63 p.

Ferguson, Edward. Jr. 1900. Some freshwater ostracods from the western United
States. Trans. Amer. Micros. Soc, 85 (2) : 313-318.

Frantz, Ted C, and Almo J. Cordone. 1066. A preliminary checklist of inverte-
brates collected from Lake Tahoe. 1061-1064. Oce. Pap. Biol. Soc. of New,
(8) : 1-12.

■ . 1007. Observations on deepwater plants in Lake Tahoe, California and

Nevada. Ecology, 1^ (5) : 700-714.

Jones, Albert C. 1954. Age. growth and reproduction of the sculpin (Cottus bel-
dingi) in Sagehen Creek. Nevada-Sierra counties, California. Univ. Calif., Berke-
ley. M.S. Thesis. 73 p.

Juday. Chancey. 1007. Notes on Lake Tahoe. its trout and trout-fishing. Bull. U.S.
Bur. Fish.. 26 : 133-140.

Kemmerer, George, J. F. Bovard. and W. R. Boorman. 1923. Northwestern lakes
of the United States: biological and chemical studies with reference to possibilities
in production of fish. Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish.. 30 : 51-140.

McGauhey, P. II.. Rolf Eliassen. Oarard Rohlich. Harvey F. Ludwig, and Erman
A. Pearson. 1063. Comprehensive study on protection of water resources of Lake
Tahoe Basin through controlled waste disposal. Engineering-Science, Inc., Oak-
land. Calif., 157 p.

Miller, Richard Gordon. 1951. The natural history of Lake Tahoe fishes. Stanford
Univ., Ph.D. Dissertation, 160 p.

Simon, James R., and Robert C. Brown. 1943. Observations on the spawning of
the sculpin. Cottus semiscaber. Copeia. (1) : 41— 12.

Steel, R. G. D., and J. II. Torrie. 1960. Principles and procedures of statistics.
McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York. 481 p.

Weidlein, W. Donald, Almo J. Cordone, and Ted C. Frantz. 1965. Trout catch
and angler use at Lake Tahoe in 1962. Calif. Fish and Game. 51 (3) : 187-201.

Zarbock, William M. 1952. Life history of the Utah sculpin, Cottus bairdi semi-
scaber (Cope), in Logan River. Utah. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc, 81 (1951) : 249-
259.

Calif. Fifth and Game, 55 (2) : 121-131. 10G9.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
OF THE CALIFORNIA SPINY LOBSTER,
PANULIRUS INTERRUPTUS (RANDALL)1

CHARLES T. MITCHELL,"' CHARLES H. TURNER, and ALEC R. STRACHAN

Marine Resources Operations
California Department of Fish and Game

Employing scuba diving techniques, California spiny lobsters, Panulirus
interruptus (Randall), were collected at monthly intervals off San
Clemente Island, California (intertidal to depths of 100 ft). A total of
1,553 lobsters was taken from August 1964 to January 1967. Examina-
tion of shell and reproductive condition showed that ecdysis occurred in
late summer to fall, immediately after completion of the reproductive
cycle. Frequency distribution plots of the carapace lengths of 897 male
lobsters and 656 females showed modes indicative of year classes.
Analysis of these modes yielded annual carapace growth increments of
3.7 mm for males and 4.4 mm for females. Based on collected data, the
time required for a California spiny lobster to reach to legal size of 3'/4
inches (83 mm) carapace length is approximately 10 and 11 years for
females and males respectively. An inshore movement of the popula-
tion during spring and summer and an offshore movement in fall and
winter correlate with seasonal variations in water temperature; how-
ever, availability of forage, reproductive condition, suitable habitats,
and the degree of subsurface wave action (surge) may be factors in
this movement.

INTRODUCTION

Although California's spiny Lobster fishery is quite valuable valid
biological data on tbe species are sorely lacking. Research on the Life
history and behavior of P. interruptus Lias been sporadic and largely
inconclusive. Information on the fishery, other than that obtained by
monitoring the commercial catch, is lacking and the single description
of the commercial fishery in 1947 (Wilson, 1948) is no longer appli-
cable because of recent changes in gear and fishing techniques. The
sport catch is at present still undetermined. If the fishery is to attain
a maximum sustainable yield we must have information about the
size of the population and its reproductive capacity, the annual re-
cruitment and its availability to the fishery, the catch per unit of
effort (both sport and commercial), and the animal's life history and
behavior.

The data presented in this paper should clarify and add to existing
information concerning this species and point out areas of paucity in
biological information to guide future workers.

Section 8252 of the California Fish and Game Code specifies that
lobsters may not be taken if their carapace is less than 3^ inches
(83 mm) in length. This paper is an outgrowth of an effort to supply

1 Accepted for publication May 1968. This ■work was performed in supplement to
Dingell-Johnson Project California F-22-R, "Environmental and Behavioral
Studies of Coastal Sport Fishes".

2 Present address: California Institute of Technology, Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory,
Corona del Mar, California 92625.

(121)

1 22

[PORNl \ FISH AND Q Wli:

he Department's Wildlife Protection Branch, Marine Patrol, with
information thai would enable them to determine the length of ;i
lobster's carapace when only iis tail was available I'm- measurement.
The biological and behavioral data, while gathered extralimitally, were
of major interesl in our projecl work.

METHODS

Employing scuba diving techniques, we collected spiny lobster sam-
ples off San Clemente Island, California (intertidal to 100-fl depths)
;it monthly intervals from Augusl 1964 in January 1967. The animals
were kepi alive until their return to the California State Fisheries
Laboratory, where they were frozen for later detailed examination.
After thawing and segregation by sex. the carapace length was re-
corded for each individual (Figure 1). Shell and reproductive con-
ditions were designated as follows: 1) old hard shell, (a) ready to
he plastered (portion of ventral thorax soft, ready to receive sperm
•■packet'*^, (b) plastered (sperm "packet" in place), (c) berried
eggs attached to pleopodsi; 2 1 old soft shell (ready to be shed);
'■'< new sofl shell 'just shed i ; 4 i new hard shell. Shell condition was
determined by inspecting it for encrusting organisms and testing its
rigidity. At this point, an identifying number tag was attached to
each tail. The tails were then separated from the thorax with the
same quick wringing-pulling motion used in fresh fish markets. After
tail length and weight had been recorded, the entire sample was cooked
in boiling water for approximately * to 15 min. The tails were then
cooled and their respective weights were recorded.

Data concerning the physical habitat were limited to water tem-
perature, type substrate, and depths of capture.

FIGURE 1— Dorsal view of a California spiny lobster, with tail separated, showing measure-
ments taken.

SPINY LOBSTER BIOLOGY AXD BEHAVIOR

123

LIFE HISTORY
Molting and Reproductive Cycle

A total of 1,553 lobsters was categorized by sex, shell, and repro-
ductive slate. Shell conditions were tabulated by sex and expressed
as a percentage of the total number of individuals exhibiting that
particular phenomenon thai month. Since all females in any repro-
ductive state possess old hard shells, our data concerning these condi-
tions are presented as percentage of the total number of females posses-
sing an old hard shell.

From December to -Inly, male Lobsters with old hard shells comprised
82.8 to KM)', of each sample (Figure i* . This level of occurrence de-
creased rapidly through Augusl and September to a low < 11.0', I in
October. Calcium resorption and subsequent shell softening (old sofl
shell i was observed from July to October and reached its maximum
19.3%, in the August samples. New soft-shell males were present from
June to November, with September and October being the peak
months. In those two months. l'.'!.4 and 21.7', of each sample was soft.
Individuals with new hard shells were firsl recorded in June. Their
occurrence increased monthly to a maximum of 53. 4' , in October,
then decreased abruptly. None was recorded after January.

bJ
O

cc

JAN

FEB MAR

APR

MAY JUN

JUL AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV DEC

FIGURE 2 — Shell conditions of male lobsters, by months, expressed as percentage of the
total number of individuals sampled.

Old hard-shell female lobsters were also dominant from December
to duly, accounting for 97.1 ', of each sample i Figure 3). As with the
males, this rate of occurrence decreased rapidly through August and
September, and reached a low of 12.7% in October, then increased
in November. Individuals ready to be plastered appeared abruptly in
January, encompassing 39.4', of the old hard-shell females, then de-
clined in abundance, accounting for only >.!' , of the May sample.

Plastered females, observed initially in January in relatively large
numbers (54.6% of the sample*, became more common each month
through April (90%), then decreased steadily to only 2.3% of the
August sample. The first berried lobsters were observed in May. In
June they comprised 77. S', of the sample, but decreased markedly
through July and accounted for only d.Sr'f of the August sample. Old
soft-shell females were most abundant in August (20.3$ ), decreasing

124

CAU!--|»K\| \ FISH AM) CAMK

JAN FEB MAR APR

MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT

NOV DEC

■

.-

w

o

n:

UJ

a.

FIGURE 3— Shell and reproductive conditions of female lobsters, by months. Shell conditions
are expressed as percentage of the total number of individuals sampled. Repro-
ductive states are expressed as percentage of the total number of individuals
possessing old hard shells.

to 3.9% occurrence in November. New soft-shell females were observed
during these same months but reached their maximum occurrence
(17.5%) in October. New hard shells were observed primarily from
August through November. In October, 65.1% of the sample was in
this condition.

Various members of the family Palinuridae, PanuUrus argus (Smith,
1948 and 1951; Travis. 1954). P. guttatus and P. laevicauda (Smith,
1954), P. longipes (Sheard, 1949). and Jasus lalandii (Von Bonde
and Marchand, 1935) are reported as molting twice yearly. Semiannual
molting is also reported for /'. interruptus by Lindberg (1955). How-
ever, our data and the reports of Allen (1916) and Backus (1960)
indicate that adult California spiny lobsters (larger than 41 mm cara-
pace length) molt once yearly immediately after completing the repro-
ductive cycle. Maximum occurrence and termination of ecdysis for
both sexes is simultaneous, although males begin molting nearly 2
months earlier than females.

Growth

Carapace lengths Avere determined for 897 male and 656 female
< 'alifornia spiny lobsters. These ranged from 41 to 123 mm. Monthly
median carapace lengths for females were significantly greater than
for males, indicating more rapid growth or greater age in the females
sampled (Table 1).

Carapace length frequencies plotted for both sexes yielded peaks
which occurred with some regularity and were assumed to represent
year classes (Figure 4). If these peaks are truly annual increments of
growth, we may make seATeral statements about the lobsters sampled :
carapace lengths of males increased from 51 to 88 mm in 10 molts, an

SPINY LOBSTER BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

125

TABLE 1
Median Carapace Lengths (mm) of California Spiny Lobsters, by Months

Month

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Ann.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Male

Female .

09. 0
74.5

70.0
72.0

07. 5
72.0

67.0
72.0

73.0
72.0

72.0
75 . 5

72.0

77.(1

68.5
75.5

04.0
09.0

61.0

69.0

66.5
68.5

69.5
09.0

annual increment of 3.7 mm; carapace lengths of females increased
from 5G to 91 mm in 8 molts, an annual increase of 4.4 mm. Lsing the
value 0.31, given by Backus I I960) for the average ratio of carapace
length to total length, the annual total length increment would be 11.5
mm for males and 13.6 mm for females, slightly lower than the Incre-
ments reported by Lindberg (1955) and Backus for this species.
Oshima (1948), working with /'. japonicus, indicated that individuals
52 mm in carapace length are in their third year. Masuda I 1954 i, using
the anteimuie flagella to determine ages for the same species, found that
by age 3 these lobsters have passed through IS molts and arc 14s to
1!)1 mm tl. Assuming that Masuda measured "total length" in the
same manner as Backus, we can adjust these figures using Backus's
0.31 value i to a mean carapace length of 52.5 mm. This puts Masuda "s
animals within the lower size limits sampled in our study. Assuming
that our smaller individuals are in their third year, female California
spiny lobsters attain legal size (83 mm carapace length) in approxi-
mately 10 years, the males in 11. This is appreciably older than the 7
or 8 years suggested by Lindberg.

52

58

64

70 76 82 88

CARAPACE LENGTH IN MM

94

100 106

112

118

FIGURE 4 — Carapace length frequencies for male (solid line) and female (broken line)
lobsters. Arrows indicate assumed year classes.

126 ( \l.ll'ni;\ | \ risil AND GAM i:

Migrations

The inshore-offshore migration of these animals correlates in part
with seasonal variations in water temperature (Allen, 1916; Lindberg,
1955 . From June 1965 to October 1966, we made a continuous record-
in.- of water temperatures on t f t< • northeasl side of San Clemente
Island. A Ryan Model D-30 recording thermometer was placed in 80
fi of water jusl inside a large cave from which many of our monthly
lobster samples were taken.

Summer temperatures a1 this depth showed a wide daily variation, as
much as H) to 12 F. apparently due to fluctuations in thermocline depth,
which presumably was influenced by the amount of ''piling up" of
warm surface water against the island by strong prevailing afternoon
northwesterly winds. Stratification of the water column broke down
and temperatures were more or less uniform during winter months.

During Lite March and early April, when the thermocline began to
form, female Lobsters which may have been plastered in deeper water
migrated into the shallows (less than 30 ft). By the end of April, when
the thermocline was well formed, the shallow-water lobster population
consisted largely of berried females and juvenile males. Although
larger males were distributed throughout the entire depth range
studied, a general inshore movement began about May. Both sexes were
observed in the warmer inshore water until hatching was completed
in late August to September. As thermal stratification decayed in Oc-
tober, both male and female lobsters were found farther offshore in
deeper waters; this coincided with the maximum occurrence of ecdysis.
By December most of the observed population was offshore (50- to 100-ft
depths, the limit of our study), and water temperatures had resumed a
uniformity that is characteristic of the winter months off southern
< lalifornia.

We believe that there are many reasons for this migration, and most
would be advantageous to the animal. Juvenile lobsters are most likely
to be found in the shallows, where the warmer water and lush growths
assure an abundant food supply for maximum growth. Small crevices
and other hiding places are usually abundant in shalhyw rocky areas,
offering more protection from predation.

Movement of berried females into the shallow warmer water presum-
ably assures a more rapid development of the eggs. Further, females
appear less prone to forage about during this period because of diffi-
culty in locomotion caused by the large abdominal egg masses. In the
shallows their caloric needs are more likely to be met, in part, by surge-
carried food drifting into their areas of concealment. A possible expla-
nation for the delayed movement into shallow water by males (almost
a month after the females) is the decrease in competition for food and
protective cover after the females have moved inshore.

Migration into deeper water and the seeking out of dark holes and
caves before ecdysis doubtlessly is related to the newly molted lobster's
increased sensitivity to light (Hess 1938 and 1940). This also removes
the lobsters from the zones of heavy wave surge, where bodily damage
could occur during this soft-bodied condition. It may also reduce the
probability of predation by such animals as the California sheephead.
Pimelometopon pulchrum, and the California horn shark, Heterodon-
tus francisci, which are usually more abundant in depths of 15 to 60 ft.

SPINY LOBSTER BIOLOGY AXD BEHAVIOR

127

These observations arc based only on a limited segment of the San
Clemente Island lobster population. Spiny lobsters inhabiting the
coastal areas of the mainland and even those found at the other Chan-
nel Islands may exhibit slightly modified migration patterns. Additional
biological and behavioral data, as well as an analysis of the fishery, are
sorely needed.

Morphometries

The following morphometric data, although of interest biologically,
have been included primarily \'i>v use by members of the Department's
Wildlife Protection Branch, Marine Patrol. Unscrupulous individuals
are sometimes apprehended by enforcement personnel with quantities
of lobster tails which, from their small size, appeal' to have been from
lobsters below the legal minimum size of '■>>\ inches carapace length. In
such cases, it is desirable for the enforcing officers to have available
information thai would enable them to determine carapace lengths
quickly, within statistically valid parameters.

Tail lengths of 1,364 sublegal lobsters less than 83 mm (3^ inches'
in carapace length, ranged from M to 192 mm, while tail lengths of
187 legal-sized lobsters ranged from 157 in 267 mm. We calculated that
99. 7( i of all the barely legal spiny lobsters in southern California
(carapace length 83 mm have tails equal to or longer than 166 mm
but equal to or shorter 1 1 1 ■ n 1v'i mm Pi rur 5 .

50

40

| 30

UJ

o

S 20

10

°80

'

—*v—

: »■

I

ii i

\ M i
i" '

1 1

1 .

'" i

*

I '

i >

u

1

A

iVl n N r

■

w.V

—**—

90

100

110

120

130 140 150 160

170 180

190

200 210 220 230 260 270

TAIL LENGTH IN MM

FIGURE 5— Tail length frequencies of 187 lobsters 83 mm or greater in carapace length
(solid line) and 1,364 individuals less than 83 mm in carapace length
(broken line). Solid triangle represents the calculated tail length for a barely
legal lobster. Open triangles enclose 99.7 of all California spiny lobsters 83 mm
in carapace length.

Weights of freshly removed tails of 1,310 sublegals ranged from 32
to 288 g. Tail weights of 171 legal-sized animals ranged from 165 to
543 g. Weights of female lobsters with eggs were not included in these
data.

The range of tail weights after cooking did not differ significantly
from the range of raw tail weights; however, weights of individual
tails were highly variable because of water uptake and losses of por-
tions of flesh during cooking.

Regression data for carapace length on tail length (Figure 6) yielded
a coefficient of correlation | r) of 0.94 and a standard error of estimate
{Sx.y) of 3.44. Data for carapace length on raw tail weight (Figure 7)

128

C \I.IKilK\l A I' IS I I AM) GAME

produced an r of ,|vv and an Sx.y of 4.96. Carapace length on cooked
tail weighl Figure 8 yielded an r of 0.86 and an Sx.y of 5.43. Regres-
sion data for cooked tail weighl on raw tail weight (Fijrure 9) pro-
duced an r of 0.97 and an Sx.y of 15.51. This hi<rli standard error of
estimate reflects the extreme variability in the cooked tail weights men-
tioned previously.

:•

is

.-

<
<
<

IbU
140
120
100
80
60
40
20

^

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300

TAIL LENGTH IN MM

FIGURE 6— Carapace length on tail length relationship for 1,549 California spiny lobsters
(Y = 3.84 + .45X).

2.
7

130

110

90

70

50

30

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380

RAW TAIL WEIGHT IN GM

FIGURE 7— Carapace length on raw tail weight relationship for 1,549 California spiny
lobsters (Y = 49.68 + .14X).

SPINY LOBSTER BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

129

130

X

s

z MO

90

2
<
cr
<

70

50

30

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380

COOKED TAIL WEIGHT IN GM

FIGURE 8 — Carapace length on cooked tail weight relationship for 1,549 California spiny
lobsters (Y = 51.74 + .14X).

5
o

260
240
220
200
180
160

o 1^0

UJ

S

d 120

Q

uj 100

o
o

" 80

60
40
20

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300

RAW TAIL WEIGHT IN GM

FIGURE 9— Cooked tail weight on raw tail weight relationship for 1,549 California spiny
lobsters (Y= 15.74 + .14X).

SUMMARY

1. Employing scuba at monthly intervals. 1,553 California spiny
lobsters were collected off San Clemente Island, California (inter-
tidal to depths of 100 ft) from August 1964 to January 1967. In
the laboratory these were first segregated by sex, then carapace
length, shell and reproductive condition, and tail length and
weight (before and after cooking) were recorded.

130 CALIFORNIA PISH AM) GAME

2 Male lobsters were observed with old hard shells tb.rough.ou1 the
year, but over S0r/( of the population was in this condition from
December to July; old sofl shells occurred from July to October ,
new sofl shells from June to November, and uew hard shells from
January to < >etober.

3. Female lobsters with old hard shells were observed throughout
the vear. Inn over 90^ of the population was in this condition
from December to duly. All females in reproductive condition
possessed old hard shells. Individuals ready to be plastered oc-
curred from January to May. plastered individuals from January
to August, and berried females from May to August. Females
with old soft shells and those with new soft shells occurred from
Augusl to November, and individuals with new hard shells were
observed from August to January.

4. The California spiny lobster molts but once a year, immediately
after completing its reproductive cycle

5. Monthly median carapace lengths for females were significantly
greater than for males, indicating more rapid growth or greater
age for the females sampled.

6. Frequency distribution plots of carapace lengths of 897 males
and 656 females showed modes indicative of year classes. Analysis
of modal spacings shows an annual carapace growth increment of
3.7 mm for male lobsters and 4.4 mm for females.

7. Based on our data, the time required for a California spiny lob-
ster to reach the legal size of 3^ inches (83 mm) carapace length
is approximately 10 years for females and 11 for males.

8. Inshore-offshore migrations correlate with seasonal variation in
water temperature; however, availability of forage, suitable
habitat, and the degree of subsurface wave action (surge) also
may be causative agents.

9. The range of tail lengths for sublegal lobsters ( 84 to 192 mm)
overlapped that for legal lobsters (157 to 267 mm). Similar over-
lapping was present in weights of freshly removed tails (32 to
288 g and 165 to 543 g). Cooking did not affect the range in
tail weight significantly but did increase the amount of variabil-
ity. Regression data for carapace length < n tail length, raw tail
weight, and cooked tail weight showed high coefficients of correla-
tion (0.86 to 0.94). Similar treatment of cooked tail weight on
raw tail weight yielded a coefficient of correlation of 0.97.

10. Additional biological and behavioral data, as well as an analysis
of the fishery, are sorely needed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are indebted to the California Department of Fish and Game
Marine Patrol for the use of its vessels and assistance in collecting
the lobster samples. Particular thanks are due the skippers and crews
of the patrol boats Bluefin, Broadbill, and Marlin.

Our appreciation is extended to Wayne Dearden, Dearden Fish Com-
pany, Long Beach. California, who freely gave of his time and equip-
ment in cooking the larger samples for us; to Robert R. Given, Allan
Hancock Foundation, and Earl E. Ebert, California Department of

SPINY LOBSTER BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR 131

Pish and Game, who assisted in the collecting and examining of many
of the earlier lobster samples; to John E. Pitch, California Department
of Fish and Game, who reviewed the manuscript; and to the numerous
others who assisted in the study.

REFERENCES

Allen, Bennet M. 1!*1<>. Notes on the spiny lobster (Panulirus Interruptus) of the

California coast. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., 16 (12) : 139-152.
Backus, John. 1960. Observations on the growth rate of the spiny lobster. Calif.

Fish and Game, 16 (2) : 177-1 M.
Hess. W.N. 1938. Reactions to light and the photoreceptors in the spiny lobster,

Panulirus argus. Carnegie Inst. Kept. Tortillas Lai). Year Book, ."m p.

. 1940. Regional photosensitivity and photoreceptors of ('run yon armillatus

and the spiny lobster Panulirus argus. Carnegie Inst., Pap. Tortugas Lab.,

32 : 153 161. I Its Publ. 517.)
Lindberg, Roberl G. 1955. Growth, population dynamics, and field behavior in the

spiny lobster. Panulirus interruptus (Randall i. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., 59

(6) : 157-248.
Masuda, Tatsuyoshi. 1954. On the antennule flagella of the Japanese spiny lobster,

Panulirus japonicus i v. Siebold), as an age-determinant. Bull. Jap. Soc. Sci. Fish.,

19 i 10) : 1007-101 I.
Oshima, V. 1948. A consideration on the period of metamorphosis and the age

in spiny-lobster, Panulirus japonicus v. Siebold. Bull. Jap. Soc. Sci. Fish,

13 (5) : 210-212.
Sheard, K. 1949. The marine crayfishes (spiny lobsters), family Palinuridae, of

western Australia. Australia CSIR, Bull., (247) 18 : 1 15.
Smith. F. <;. Walton. 1948. The spiny lobster industry of the Caribbean and Florida.

Carib. Res. Council. Fish Ser., (3) : 19 p.

. 1951. Caribbean spiny lobster investigations. Gulf and Carib. Fish, [nst.,

3rd Ann. Sess., Proc, 128-134.

. 1954. Biology of the spiny lobster, p. 463 465. In Paul S. Galtsoff

[coordinator] Gulf of .Mexico its origin, waters and marine life. U.S. Fish and

Wildl. Serv., Fish. Bull., 55 (89).
Travis, Dorothy F. 1954. The molting cycle of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus

Latreille. I. Molting and growth in laboratory-maintained individuals. Biol. Bull.,

107 (3) : 433-450.
Wilson. Robert C. 1948. A review of the southern California spiny lobster fishery.

Calif. Fish and Game, Ml (2) : 71-80.
Von Bonde, Cecil, and J. M. Man-hand. 1935. The natural history and utilization

of the Cape crawfish, kreef or spiny lobster. Jasus (Palinurus) lalandii (Milne

Edwards) Ortmann. Dept. Commerce and Industry, Union So. Africa. Fish. Bull.

(1) : 1-55.

Calif. Fith and Game, 55 (2) : L32 135. 1969.

BLUEFIN TUNA MIGRATE ACROSS
THE PACIFIC OCEAN1

HAROLD B. CLEMENS

Marine Resources Operations
California Department of Fish and Game

GLENN A. FLITTNER

Fishery-Oceanography Center

U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries

Eight bluefin tuna tagged and released in the California fishery mi-
grated westward across the Pacific Ocean and were recaptured several
years later near Japan. Tagged bluefin also have migrated eastward
across the Pacific. These were released near Japan and recaptured dur-
ing the following year in the California fishery. Bluefin tuna probably
undertake a regular migration across the north Pacific Ocean, and
Japanese and American fishermen are most likely harvesting the same
bluefin resource.

Eight bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus), tagged and re-
leased in the California fishery, migrated westward across the Pacific
Ocean and were recaptured near Japan (Figure 1). The bluefin were
among 2,800 that were tagged with spaghetti darts during a cooperative
project involving the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries — Fishery

FIGURE 1 — Eight tagged bluefin tuna migrated westward across the Pacific Ocean to Japan.
The black dots encompass the areas where bluefin were marked and released,
while the open circles represent general localities of recapture.

1 Accepted for publication October 196S.

(132)

BLUEFIN TUNA MIGRATIONS 133

Oceanography Center, the Oceanic Research Institute, and the Marine
Resources Operations of the California Department of Fish and Game
(Flittner and Iselin, 1963; Iselin 1963). Since the beginning of the
project in August 1962, about 20% of the marked bluefin tuna have
been recovered; 550 fish were recaptured in the California fishery dur-
ing the years 1962-1967, while none was recaptured in 1967.

The first three of the transpacific migrants were tagged and released
northeast of Guadalupe Island, Baja California, during the 1962 fishing
season. They were at liberty approximately 2 years (Table 1). Bluefin
No. 1 was recovered June 18, 1964. in the Sea of Japan. It was caught
in a trap net located near the coastal town of Fukaura. Honshu. The
second fish was recaptured August .17, 1964, on longline gear fishing
south of Cape Esan. Hokkaido, and the third was taken August 29,
1964, by an angler at Mutsu Bay. Honshu. Each bluefin tuna had
traveled more than 4.700 miles, as estimated by the great circle route.

The next two bluefin (Nos. 4 and 5, Table 1) a Ism were marked in
1962; however, they remained at liberty for almost 3 years. The first
of these bluefin was released August 14. 1962, northeasl of Guadalupe
Island, Baja California, and recaptured in a Japanese set net near
Nakiri, Honshu, about 5.100 miles from the point of tagging. The sec-
ond fish was released August 21, 1962, west of San Clemente Island.
California; it was recaptured by Japanese fishermen trolling near the
Hiura lighthouse, Hokkaido, about 4.520 miles distant.

The last three of our transpacific bluefin tuna (Nos. 6, 7. and 8;
Table 1) were marked and released in 1964. Bluefin No. 6 was re-
covered July 1, 1966, about 4,750 miles from the point of release. It
had been tagged August 20, 1964. near San Diego, California, and re-
captured almost 2 years later in a set net fishing near Awa Island, in
the Sea of Japan. The remaining two bluefin were recaptured off
Japan, in two-boat purse seines, nearly 4 years after being released.
Bluefin No. 7 was recovered July 4. 1968. about 4.7 Hi miles from the
release area. It had been tagged Ainrust 13. 1%4, west of San Martin
Island, Baja California, and recaptured east of Osaki Zaki, Honshu.
Bluefin No. 8 was recaptured July 14, 1968, approximately 4,550 miles
from the release location. It had been tagged August 20. 1964, near
San Diego. California, and was caught again off Todo Saki, Honshu.

Mather (1960) reported that a bluefin tuna marked near the Bahama
Islands, in the western Atlantic Ocean, was recaptured in the Bay of
Biscay, and Orange and Fink (1963) reported that a bluefin tagged
near Guadalupe Island. Baja California, was caught again south of
Tokyo. Both of these fish were at liberty for about 5 years.

Japanese scientists studying tuna migrations marked and released
several hundred bluefin tuna in 1965. Two of these were caught during
the following year after swimming eastward across the Pacific Ocean
and into the California fisherv (Figure 2). Both were tagged August
27, 1965, near Inubo, Saki, Honshu!" The first bluefin (No. 9, Table 1)
was recaptured July 15, 1966, in a purse seine near San Pablo Bay.
Baja California, and the second fish (No. 10) was netted August 9,
1966, by a seiner southwest of San Martin Island, Baja California.

Our investigations show that bluefin tuna probably undertake a regu-
lar migration across the Pacific Ocean — some even enter the Tsugaru

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BLUEFIN" TUNA MIGRATION'S

135

FIGURE 2— Two tagged bluefin tuna migrated eastward across the Pacific Ocean to America.
The black dot encompasses the area where bluefin were marked and released,
while the open circles represent general localities of recapture.

Channel and the Sea of Japan. These data also reveal that Japanese
and American fishermen are mosl Likely harvesting the same bluefin
resource.

Data concerning the recovery of tagged bluefin tuna were sent to us
through the courtesy of scientific personnel of the Tohoku Regional
Fisheries Research Laboratory, the Nankai Regional Fisheries Research
Laboratory, and the Japanese Fisheries Agency.

REFERENCES

Flittner, Glenn A., and Robert A. Iselin. 1963. Cooperative bluefin tuna tagging

program — A preliminary report. T'.S. Bur. Gomm. Fish., Calif. Fish. Mkt. News

Mo. Summ., March, pt. 2— Fish. Infor. : 1— (i.
Iselin. Robert A. 1963. Biologists tag mystery tuna. Outdoor Calif. 24 (7, 8) : *'».
Mather, Frank J.. III. 1960. Recaptures of tuna, marlin and sailfish tagged in

the western north Atlantic Copeia, 1960 (2) : 149-151.
Orange, Craig J., and Bernard I>. Fink. 1963. Migration of a tagged bluefin tuna

across the Pacific Ocean. Calif. Fish and Game. 49 (4) : 307-309.

Calif. Fuh a : L36 1 I". L969.

TUNA SCHOOLING TERMINOLOGY1

JAMES MICHAEL SCOTT

Bureau of Commercial Fisheries

Fishery-Oceanography Center

La Joila, California 92037

The terms used by California tuna fishermen to describe 18 school
types are listed, synonyms are identified, and a brief description of
each school type given. The school types are divided into categories
on the basis of depth, time of day or night, and association with other
animals or floating objects.

INTRODUCTION

Fishermen of the California tuna fleet use a variety of terms to
identify differenl types of tuna schools < McXeely. 1961). The many
terms and wide variations in their usage complicate any attempt by the

encies who study tuna (Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission,
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, and California Department of Fish
and Game to evaluate tuna eatchability with respect to types of tuna
schools. This paper records, defines, and categorizes the terms used by
< ialifornia fishermen.

Tuna are found in schools ranging in size from several hundred
pounds to several hundred tons, and in various environmental condi-
tions. These conditions, combined with the behavior of the fish, result in
different school types which are described in fishing logs by a word or
a short phrase.

The distinction between school types is not often exact; for example,
a school may exhibit several types of behavior in sequence or, less often,
simultaneously. The name assigned to a school may vary, depending
upon whether the observer is viewing it from the bridge or from the
mast of the vessel. Often only one name is assigned and other observed
conditions are ignored; for example, a "breezer" may have "jumpers"
out in front and an occasional "shiner" down deep. The dominant
behavior, "breezer", is noted in the logbook. When tuna schools are
found with porpoises, whales, sharks, or floating objects, it is the asso-
ciation that is logged, regardless of other environmental or behavioral
conditions. Schools which are similar in appearance and behavior are
i listinguished subjectively.

I have grouped the terms for the various school types into major
categories on the basis of depth of school, time of day or night, and
association with other animals or floating objects (Table 1). Descrip-
tions and terms are based on personal observations, interviews with
captains and mastmen of the San Diego based purse seiner fleet, and
analysis of the observers' logs of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries
and the logbooks of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.

1 Accepted for publication July 1968.

( 136

TUNA SCHOOLING TERMINOLOGY

137

TABLE 1

Terms Used by Southern California Purse Seine Tuna Fishermen to Describe
Various Types of Tuna Schools and Associations

School fish

Associated schools*

Surface schools*

Fish and mammal association*

Breezer

Porpoise schools

Finner

Spotters

Jumper

Spinners

Boiler, foamer, smoker, or meat ball

Spotters and spinners

U liitebelly

Subsurface schools*

Whale schools

Black spot, dark spot, brown spot, green spot,

Shark schools

or black ball

Shiner

Inanimate object association*

Log schools

Night schools*

Bait boat

Fireball, ardura, glow, white spot, or flare

Popper

These terms are used for organization of the table and are not used by the fisher-
men.

SCHOOL FISH

I define school fish as those tuna which are not associated with logs,
porpoises, whales, or sharks. Such schools are often detected by the
presence of large flocks of birds (gannets, boobies, terns, gulls, or
frigate birds) which are attracted by bait the tuna have driven to the
surface.

Surface Schools

Surface schools are those which are Located by the physical dis-
turbance they create at the surface of the water. These are classified
into six types.

1) Breezer — A school of fish which is located by a light to heavy
rippling of the water surface, similar to that caused by local wind
disturbance or a rip current. No part of a fish's body appears
above the surface of the water, and the school is generally moving
in one direction.

2) Finner — Any school or group of fish in which the dorsal and
sometimes the caudal fin of individual fish can be seen above the
water surface. These groups are generally less active than the
boiler or foamer schools.

3) Jumper — A school or group of fish which is characterized by the
jumping of individual fish. The activity of the fish is controlled
so that those jumping fish often return to the water head first.

4) Boiler or foamer — A very active, feeding school which can be
detected by the "boiling" white water caused by jumping fish
in pursuit of their prey. The activity is more frantic and less
controlled than in the jumping schools.

5) Smoker — This term is sometimes considered to be synonymous
with boiler or foamer. Most fishermen, however, say that the
"boiling" is greater and covers a wider area than in either the
boiler or foamer schools.

( VLIFORX] \ FISH AND GAME

• ball A school of fish which is feeding actively ou ;i ""ball"
sh. 'I'll,, tuna are generally boiling and foaming ;it the
surface of ili<' water and the term may be considered synonymous
with boiler.

Subsurface Schools

Subsurface schools are those which swim deeper and do not disturb
the wilier surface. They are detected by their color difference from the
surrounding water.

1 Black spot, dark spot, brown spot, green spot, or black ball — A
tuna school which appears as a spot much darker than the sur-
rounding water. The character of the water seems to lie the de-
termining factor in the choice of the term used. The color, how-
ever, may vary between species.

•_! Shiner— A school of fish, deep in the water, in which individual
fish twist and turn longitudinally, exposing- their silvery ventral
and lateral surfaces to the sun and reflecting a flash of color.
This school type is often observed with black spot schools.

Night Schools

It is possible to sight school fish at night because they disturb lumi-
nescent planktonic organisms, which are very abundant at times in
certain waters. The activity of fish and other moving objects causes
these organisms to emit flashes of light, making the fish school visible
to observers aboard a purse seiner.

A mast light is often flashed to stimulate activity of the school. This
facilitates identification of the species and permits an estimate of school
size before the net is set.

1) Fireball, ardura. glow, white spot, or flare — A light spot caused

by the activity of a tuna school in waters with luminescent plank-

ters. The glow is generally uniform throughout.
_ Popper — A fireball school in which brilliant bursts of light are

seen. These bursts are caused by the activity of individual fish.

causing a greater display of luminance.

ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

Associated schools are those found with porpoises, whales, sharks, or
floating objects. These schools may be divided into two groups: those
affiliated with animals and those associated with inanimate objects.

Associations with Fish and Mammals

1 Porpoise schools — Yellowfm and skipjack tuna are often found

associated with porpoises in the eastern tropical Pacific (Godsil.

1938; MeNeely, 1961). Four types of schools are recognized.

a I Spotter schools — the schools of tuna associated with the east-
ern Pacific spotted dolphin. Stenella graffmani. The common
name is derived from the numerous white spots distributed
over the gray body of this species of porpoise.

b) Spinner schools — schools of tuna associated with the spinner
porpoise. Stenella longirostris. This porpoise gets the name

139»

the disturbaii - -rarEaer

yreat disl

tter and - ... ;„(j>©]s of tuna associated

with both £

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- known

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•

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ing sha: sp.. and the wh - -p.

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ts so 5 logs, trees. 1 jn in

' " - - " - ; Hianiter and

T « >-.•.!> been found ss ited
wi1 ssels at s

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unming. enabling a purse sein-. to set
around b« " I md the fish. TL-

f the cork lit :ng the fish to be eaug

-:•-.: .••.e:c- •••:%";

auk Richard Wl who gave encouragement during the early

stages the preparation of I - manuscrir -. ■' bn Hunter. Frank

Hesl g ^n of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, and

id Pat Boylan of the -A erican Tropical Tuna

who reviewed the manuscript : and the captains and er- -

. based pi: s s ner fleet for their cooperation through-

GodsiL H. C. 193& The hizh seas urns, fishery of California. Cal£ Kt. Fish

: 1— U-
F J . J R K stud R. K. Whitney. 1955. Jumping and spinning:

behavior in the spinner porpoise. Jour. MammaL . — 1 586-588

5B ND GAU

II hell. •■ • iation of & s ith fl<it-

sar Central A- erii 0 S Fish and WildL Sen.. Fish.

k (K atsutconu* peiamu - is in the water

-r animals and - sed "ii the

- BulL Tohoku Fish. Res. Lab., (3) : 1 87. (In Japa-

-
inrd I.. s ne revolution in tuna fishing. Pac.

27 M
Perr '■'■ m F. ~e and the tuna fishery. Sea Frontiers.

5 P ma. 195S ? □ the larvae and juvei. es

- ie — I. Research in the vicinity of Tsuyazaki.
- " 37 " 5S B rap. Soc ScL I sh., 24 (6-7) : 411-415.

(Tra:.- • !'• ;reau of Commercial Fisheries. Honolulu. Hawaii.)

Calif. FUh and 6mm 55 (2 141-148.]

FIRST REPORT OF ANCHOVY TAGGING
IN CALIFORNIA1

RICHARD WCC: ; and ROBSON - COU MS

•■';'ine Resources C;r"-'oos
California Department of : ":- and 3cnie

California Department of Fish and Game biologists began a tagging
study of the northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax, in March 19&6. Fish
were tagged and released in areas of the California Current Region as
far north as San Francisco Bay and as far south as Cape Colnett, Baja
California. In all, 100,114 anchovies were tagged with internal tags
made from a magnetic stainless steel alloy between March 14 and
November 22, 1966. Recoveries were made from the meal product, using
both plate and rotating-grate permanent magnets at reduction plants.

INTRODUCTION

T cline of the Pacific sardine. v fishery, the

:ing population of the northern anchovy, reported I fornia

:.: Pis - lstrom et

7 . and numerous he fishing indu-" -ulted in the

am; ion by the California Fish and Game Commissi d of an

perimental anchovy fishery for reduction. The fis began with the

f permits on November and in conjunction with this

tery tl rtment of F - me began a tagging

si idy. From Marc! - N mber 22. 19< partment biologists

saccessfolly * »g and r - 1 '.14 anc - .lifornia and

Baja California waters. B - t I _•_• I fish and the - il — quent : -

tags . n process was intended to provide

information on :. -s ith and ins -offis migrations, population

sth tes, and mortality rates. An - 'tagged and releasee

far north s San Francis si souti s Cape Colnett. Baja

California, and in southern California inshore and offshore water-

B :: ih 14 and April 30. 1966 the close of the 1965-66

anchovy reduction - so] imately 23.000 fish were tagged and

sed in southern California waters, md 15 I gs were recovered
m reduction plants n^ar San Pe Ir : I Hueneme. As expee~

all returns :am^ from -outhern California fishing areas because the
short time tagged fish were available for eaptu :he fishery pre-

cluded extensive mig n. At ol "7.000 additional anchovies were
tagged and r sed the close of the 1965-66 season and the

1966-67 s son Oct ber 1).

OBTAINING AND HOLDING ANCHOVIES FOR TAGGING

Two tagging and release conditions were essential to insure maxim mn
survival : i a minimum of damage to the fish during capture

r publication October 1968.
-v with Inland Pis -^ion 3, San Francisco.

-41)

1 \-2

< \i [PORN l \ PISH \M> Q \ M E

;in,| release; and ii the release of the tagged fish as a group to mini-
mize losses i" predation.

Four methods were used to obtain fish :

1 netting fish From departmenl research vessels;

taking fish from commercial fishermen's nets prior to brailing the

catch into the hold of the vessel ;
I purchasing fish from shoreside receivers of live-bait dealers;
t contracting with live-bail fishermen to catch and hold anchovies.

For the majority of tagging trips the fourth method was used be-
cause live-bail fishermen have the necessary equipmeni and knowledge
to handle live anchovies.

Typically, fish were caught in lampara nets (Scofield, 1951) early the
same morning that they were tagged. As a result, the fish were in
holding tanks a minimum of time before tagging. Anchovies were gen-
erally caught at sea and transported to sheltered waters where the
taggers could work- comfortably and efficiently. Under these conditions,
the fish suffered a minimum of damage.

FIGURE 1— Internal stainless steel anchovy tag ready to be inserted. Photograph by Bill Beebe.

FIRST REPORT ANCHOVY TAGGING

143

THE TAG

Anchovy tags arc similar in shape to those used by department
biologists to tag Pacific sardines (Janssen and Aplin. 1!)4.~)i. The flal
tags are made from type 430 stainless steel, an alloy with magnetic
properties, and are 13 mm Long, 3 mm wide, and 0.5 mm thick, with
a number stamped on one side (Figure 1). The tags were received
from the factory in numbered bays of 500. They were then sterilized,
coated with an antibiotic paste (tetracycline in alba), and packed in
aluminum foil in packs of 50. Each pack was numbered with the series
number, and all 500 banded together ( Figure 2).

F.GURE 2 — Fifty tags are packed in a single layer in aluminum foil with tetracycline anti-
biotic paste. Ten packages are bound together in a 500-tag lot. Photograph by
Jack W. Schoit.

TAGGING PROCEDURES

Two tanks were used aboard the tagging vessel, one to hold untagged
fish and one to receive tagged fish. The anchovies were dipped from the
holding tank and placed in a shallow plastic tray supplied with flowing
seawater. They were then caught by hand, tagged, and released into
tin1 receiving tank. On several tagging trips, only one tank was avail-
able and it had to be used concurrently as the holding and the receiving
tank. Fish mortalities were generally higher under this latter condition.

Tagging methods, based on tagging and mortality experiments con-
ducted by Vrooman, Paloma, and Jordan (1966), were as follows. A
pack of 50 tags was opened and placed in a slot cut into a block of wood

1 u

I VLIFORNIA FISH AND Q WIT.

tood Qprighl (Figure 3). An anchovy was caught from the
.. held firmly, and an incision was made through the body wall just
posterior to the tip of the pectoral fin. A tag was taken from the block,
using forceps, and inserted posteriorly through the incision into the
body cavity. Care was taken to inserl the tag parallel 1" the body wall
in order to avoid damage to internal organs I Figures 4 and 5). The
anchovy was then dropped into the receiving tank to be held until
of tl ntire group.

FIGURE 3— The tags are held vertically in the groove of the tagging board, ready for use.
Photograph by Jack W. Schott.

At the end of each tagging day, tagged fish along with the remaining
untagged fish were transported offshore and released in the general
area where they were caught. Normally they were released into or
near anchovy schools to provide protection from predators and prevent
"chumming" of predator fish (Janssen, 1938). When released, the fish
moved without hesitation toward the school. "When a school was not
present, the fish milled about near the surface for a short period of
time, formed a school, and then moved away from the vessel.

FIRST REPORT ANCHOVY TAGGING

145

FIGURE 4— The Incision is made with a quick stab of a scalpel blade (normally the fish is
heid much more firmly than is shown here). Photograph by Bill Beebe.

FIGURE 5— The tags are inserted posteriorly, parallel to the body wall. Photograph by Bill
Beebe.

] Lti

I \l tPORNl \ PISH Wl> GAME

RELEASE LOCATIONS

Release locations were chosen to tesl the hypothesis that anchovies
migrate between major fishing areas as well as offshore and inshore.
Tagging was generally restricted to areas near ports where anchovies
were caughl for live bait. One tagging trip was made into Baja Cali-
fornia waters aboard the Department's research vessel Alaska. Off-
shore tagging was also done near S;mt;i Catalina and San Clemente
Islands aboard the Oceanic Research Institute's research vessel Five
i:, lis.

Tagging began at San Pedro in March 1966 and continued that
same month at Por1 Hueneme. In April and early May, we tagged fish
around Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands. Releases were made
in late May off northern Baja California as well as at San Diego. Santa
Cruz and San Francisco Bay releases followed in duly. The taggers re-
lumed to Porl Hueneme for additional tagging in October, and tagged
at San Pedro in November 'Table 1 and Figure 6). During 1966, we
tagged and released 100,114 viable fish.

TABLE 1
Summary of Anchovy Tagging During 1966

Tagging area

Release locality

Date tagged

Number
tagged

Total
number
for area

San Francisco.

Santa Cruz

San Francisco Bay between Tiburon and
Sausalito

1 i 1 mile W of Aptos_.

1 >-\ mile SW of Port Hueneme

1 mile S Pt. Fermin __

1 i mile S Cabrillo Beach in Los Angeles

Harbor___ _ .
1 , mile SE East End

July 23

July 21, 25-27
March 22, 25 and

April 5-6
October 18-28
March 14-17

November 21-23
April 26, 27
October 2
Octobef 3
May 2

September 30
October 1
May 24, 25
May 19
May 22
Mav 23

1,990

5,390

6,914

24,360

7,962

12,450
7,977
4,973
4,871
1,448
8,655
5,451
3,914
1,952
900
907

1,990
5,390

Port HueneiiM1

San Pedro

31,274

Santa Catalina Is .

20,412

3 miles SSW China Pt....

15 miles SE China Pt.

17,821

San Clemente Is.

1 .-2 miles E Pyramid Pt.

3 miles S Wilson Cove.

5 miles S Pyramid Pt. __

15,554

San Diego

8-10 miles W Pt. Loma

Ensenada .

Cape Colnett

3,914

Baja California

3,759

Totals

100,114

100,114

FIRST RKI'OKT ANCHOVY TAGGING

147

AN FRANCISCO

MORRO BAY

IMPORT HUENEME
'<\2}\^>> -31 274

20,412
SANTA CATALINA IS. "^\7977

SCAIE OF M II ES

-1=1 — u—

SAN CLEMENTE IS. \\ 15 554

1,807 JCAPE

COLNETT

FIGURE 6 — Areas and numbers of tagged anchovies released during 1966.

METHOD OF RECOVERY

Tags are recovered with permanent magnets used in the reduction
plants to remove metallic scraps from the meal. In the reduction process,
the fish are first cooked and pressed to remove the oils, and then pulver-
ized before being dried. After drying, the meal is fine ground and bulk
stored or sacked. The process is practically unchanged since first de-
scribed by Hatton and Smalley (1938). The magnets are generally
placed between the dryer and the fine grinder. Metal scrap adhering to
the magnets at each plant is collected daily by a department employee,
screened to remove excess fish meal, and sorted for tags. Recoveries of
tags have largely come from fish at liberty only a day to a few weeks.

1 IB i ]|-mi:\ i \ fish AND GAME

and slmw little movement. Several, however, were a1 liberty an extended
period, ;ni<l showed movemenl from southern California to Monterey
Baj i Messersmith, I'M,;

T g recoveries up to Augusl 1968 can be assigned only to the major
areas <•)' fishim;: central California (Monterey . southern California,
and Baja California. Recovered tags cannol hi' assigned to individual
vessels, since several unload daily at each plant. Studies on tag recovery
rates ;it each planl show ;i large variation (0 to so', i in recovery
efficiency. Additional magnet installations have been made to improve
t;iLr recoveries and permil us to assign the ta<r recovery to individual
vessels. While the efficiency of the-.,, magnets has no1 been tested due to
lack of landings since their installation, we believe that we will be able
to determine the area of catch by checking the appropriate vessel's
fishin-_r log.

REFERENCES

Ahlstrom, B. H., J. I.. Baxter, J. D. Isaacs, and P. M. Roedel. 1967. Report of
the CalCOF] Committee. Calif. Mar. Res. Comm., Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish.
[nvest. Rept., (11) : 5 'a.

Hatton, Ross S.. and George R. Smalley. 1938. Reduction processes for sardines
in California. Calif. Fish and (lame. 24 (4) : 31)1-414.

Janssen, John F. 1938. Second report of sardine tagging in California. Calif. Fish
and Came. 24 (4 i : 376 390.

Janssen. John F.. and J. A. Aplin. 1945. The effects of internal tags niton sar-
dine-, p. 13-62. In Result- of tagging experiments in California waters on the
sardine, Sardinops caeruleus. Calif. Div. of Fish and Game. Fish Bull.. ( (»1 ) .

Messersmith, J. I>. 1!»t'>7. Tagged anchovies move from southern California to Mon-
terey Bay. Calif. Fish and Game. 53 (3) : 209.

Scofield, W. L. 1951. Purse seine and other roundhaul nets in California. Calif.
Dept. of Fish and Game, Fish Bull.. (81) : 1-83.

Vrooman, Andrew M., I edro A. Paloma, and Romulo Jordan. 1966. P^xperimental
tagging of the northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax. Calif. Fish and Game, 52
(4) : 22s 239.

NOTES

FIRST CALIFORNIA RECORD OF THE GUADALUPE

CARDINALFISH, APOGON GUADALUPENSIS

(OSBURN AND NICHOLS)

While diving oft' the southeastern tip of San Clemente Island. Cali-
fornia Mat 32 50' X. Long 118c 22' W . on November 12. 1967, I
observed six small fish, all approximately 50 mm long, hovering in
loose association beneath a Ledge at a depth of 50 ft. Since these fish
appeared to be members of the tropical cardinalfish genus Apogon, no
species of which was known to inhabit California waters. I took two
color photographs. Carl L. Hubbs, Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
compared these photographs with specimens in the Scripps collection
and identified the San Clemente Island fish as Apogon (jtiadalupcnsis
(Osburn and Nichols) i Figure 1).

FIGURE 1— A Guadalupe cardinalfish, Apogon guadalupensis .Osburn and Nichols), at San
Clemente Island, California.

This identification was confirmed after Lloyd D. Richards and I,
using an icbthyocide. took 11 specimens (31 11 mm sl ) at the same
location on February 22. 1968. These fish were collected along a precipi-
tous rock face, where water depths drop abruptly from about 15 ft to
over 90 ft. The cardinalfish were in rocky crevices at depths of 40 to
50 ft, usually with one to six fish in a crevice. We saw many cardinal-
fish that we did not take, and all were within approximately the same

(149)

150 I U.iroKN I \ PISH WD CAME

, • . collected. The specimens were deposited in the
pps Institution of Oceanography fish collection (SIO 68-135).

sin.T it was first described by Osburn and Nichols L916), .1. guada-

I a),, n .-.is has 1 n regarded as endemic to < ruadalupe [sland I lat. 29° N,

long. 118 15' W . which lies approximately 140 miles off the western

-• ■ Bajj I alifornia, Mexico, and 214 miles south of San Clemente

[sland T original description was based on a single specimen, but

many of these fish have subsequently 1 u taken in Guadalupe Island

waters, and 248 specimens I" 96 mm sl from 18 collections are now
in the fish collection at Scripps.

Apogon guadalupensis is very similar to Apogon atricaudus Jordan
and McGregor, which was one,, thought to be endemic to the Revil-
lagigedo fslands, Mexico, bu1 was taken recently at Cape San Lucas
B. C. Sur, Mexico, by Richard U. Rosenblatt, Scripps Institution of
< Iceanography. The lime specimen of .1. (/uacl'ihipcnsis listed by Breder
1936 from Cape San Lucas probably was A. atricaudus.

The similar body colors of the two species distinguish them from
other eastern Pacific species of Apogon. Under natural light at a depth
of 50 ft, the San Clemente Island A. guadalupensis is bluish-grey dor-
sally and posteriorly, with the head and ventral portion of the body
mostly pale orange. In freshly collected specimens out of water, the
bluish-grey areas are purplish-grey, and the pale orange is deep orange-
red. Richard H. Rosenblatt (pers. eomm.) found similar hues in fresh
specimens of A. atricaudus at the Revillagigedo Islands. Small indi-
viduals of both species have a prominent dark blotch on their first
dorsal, but this becomes less apparent in larger specimens. Other charac-
teristics distinguishing both .4. atricaudus and A. guadalupensis from
other eastern Pacific eardinalfishes are their relatively slender bodies
and the pale posterior margins of their caudal fins. A. guadalupensis
can be distinguished from A. atriraiirfus by its even more slender body
and by the wider pale posterior margin of its caudal fin.

•Mi February 13, 1968, Charles IT. Turner and Alec R. Strachan,
California Department of Pish and Game, collected 16 Guadalupe
cardinalnsh (36-48 mm sl) at San Clemente Island. These, too. were
taken along the southeastern shore, all from rocky crevices in water
30 to 60 ft deep (Charles H. Turner, pers. eomm.). John E. Fitch,
California Department of Fish and Game (pers. eomm.), after study-
ing otoliths from the specimens collected by Turner and Strachan,
believes that these fish were in their second winter.

Since tli is readily observable species previously has not been re-
ported from California and all observations and captures were made in
the southern part of the southermost of California's Channel Islands,
probably A. guadalupensis does not occur elsewhere in California
waters. Yet. it was numerous in the collection locality when these ob-
servations were made. Tn view of the small, rather uniform size of all
individuals sen or taken at San Clemente Island, compared with the
size ran<re of the species, these California representatives probably
are recent immigrants, having arrived together as pelagic larvae.

Surface waters surrounding Guadalupe Island generally flow south-
ward as part of the California Current system. Thus, it becomes note-
worthy that this fish was apparently transported northward to San

NOTES 151

Clemente [sland. A surface eountercurrent flows north along' the coast
of Baja California during late fall and winter (Rcid. Roden, and
Wyllie, 1!).')M], but tliis generally lies well to the cast of Guadalupe
[sland. Nevertheless, vagaries in the California Current system I Wyllie,
1966) readily permit exceptions to the general pattern.

I thank John E. Pitch for his estimate of age based on study of the
otoliths, Carl L. Hubbs for making the initial identification from the
photographs, Richard H. Rosenblatt for information regarding Apogon
atricaudus, and Charles II. Turner for providing data on specimens
collected by him and Alee \i. Strachan.

REFERENCES

Breder, C. M., Jr. 1936. Scientific results of the second oceanographic expedition

of the "Pawnee." 1926. Heterosomata to Pediculati from Panama to Lower

California. Bull. Bingbam Oceanogr. Coll.. 2 i :; i : 1-56.
Osburn, R. <'.. and J. T. Nichols. 1916. Shore fishes collected by the "Albatross"

expedition in lower California with descriptions of new species. Bull. Amer. Mus.

Nat. Hist.. 35 l L6) : 139-181.
Reid, J. I... Jr., <:. I. Roden, and J. <:. Wyllie. 1958. Studies of the California

Current system. CalCOFl Progress Report, 1 July 1956 to 1 Januarj 1958,

p. 27 •"><>.
"\\" \ 1 1 i <*. .1. <;. r.itit'.. Geostropic How of the California Currenl al the surface and at

200 meters. <',,]('( >F1 Atlas No. I. 288 p.

Edmund 8. Hobson, Tibiiron Marint Laboratory, I . 8. Hint an of spurt
Fisheries and Wildlife. Mailing address: Fisheries-Oceanography
Center, I'. 0. Box 271, l.<< Jolla, California 92037. Accepted Junt
1968.

MIGRATIONS OF STRIPED BASS OCCURRING
IN TOMALES BAY

The objective of this study was to learn aboul the migrations of
striped bass, Roccus saxatilis, found in Tomales Bay, California. The
entrance to Tomales Bay is on the Pacific Coast about 40 miles north-
wesl of San Francisco (Figure 1). The Bay extends 10 miles south-
west from the entrance and in most places is less than a mile wide.
Striped bass are caught in the shallow waters near Inverness, at the
south end of the Bay.

My personal experience indicates that very few striped bass were
caughl in Tomales Bay from some time before 1952 until after 1958.
There is a report that 7 tons of striped bass were accidentally caught
by a commercial fisherman in the spring of 1946 (Adams, 1958, p. 136).
The presence of striped bass in Tomales Bay before 1952 and after
1958 may be related to the findings of Chadwick (1967) that "migra-
tions into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean were much greater
in the late 1950's and early 1960 's than in the early 1950's", and that
"a substantial fislierv existed in San Francisco Bay from 1938 through
1943".

Between December 1963 and May 1966, 94 striped bass were caught
on sport tackle and tagged with disk-dangler tags using methods de-
scribed by Chadwick (1963). An additional 113 bass were caught in
gill nets and tagged in December 1964 and February 1965.

Tag return data from 65 fish were received as of July 1968. Forty-
six (70.7', of these fish were caught in Tomales Bay. Fifteen (23.0%)
were recaptured in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system and San
Francisco Bay. Four fish (6.3% i were caught in the ocean near Pa-
cifiea.

The times of recapture outside Tomales Bay varied widely, but eight
bass, almost half the outside recaptures, were recaptured either in San
Pablo Bay or upstream during April and May of different years (Fig-
ure 1). Also, four striped bass tagged and released in the Sacramento-
San Joaquin River system in the springs of 1958. 1960. 1961, and 1966
were recaptured in Tomales Bay (Figure 1). Thus, at least some of
the striped bass occurring in Tomales Bay participate in the Sacra-
mento-San Joaquin Delta spawning migration deseribed bv Calhoun
(1952).

Of the 46 fish recaptured in Tomales Bay. about 20% were caught
before a spring season had passed, 50% between the first and second
spring, and 30% between the second and third spring. One fish was
recaptured after the third spring. The implication is that these fish
were either resident or returned after spawning migrations.

Dates of release, elapsed times between release and capture, and
fork lengths were similar for bass recaptured in Tomales Bay and
those recaptured elsewhere. However. 47% of the latter group were
caught in April, May. and June, while only 16% of the Tomales Bay
recaptures were in these months.

(152)

NOTES

153

t ^

( |

fjh.

V

V V,

i>

t'

"-

^6

1

^V*

V \

Mb

6 *^

l^

V

\ \ CALIF N.

# •-•

C^ x- \ ;

*==j 0 /

^4 Q^1/

^ \ ^^"N /

lissqj

s

a

.

m 2,17

&C/I3

s£|^KL.

1#\ \U

!+. ** 'i ^XX/ ^Nfe

^>^"^t«^-^

- ■- — _^gf ^\

^*4 " \jMit

W/D

P^- 1 ' • *v^

TOMALES

3AY

N. V /^^v

RELEASE

RECAPTURE \i, ?■ «S

3A / 18%

Dec 1963

1) Colusa - May 1965 %. &j ' \

Dec 1963

2) Alcotraz - Oct 1965 >«i? » i.

Jan 1964

3) Honker Boy -Nov 1964 7^ f|J^\.

4) Verona - May 1965 W \ ~^&%

Sept 1964

\

Sept 1964

5) Pacifica - Spring 1966 §, 16 J> \ ^ ? \

\C)

Dec 1964

6 J Grimes - May 1965 19 ~~\'- ^sL^l
7) Mussel Rock - July 1967 C ^*lq^

\d

Dec 1964

.<

\ —

Dec 1964

8) Coroumez - Dec 1966 £ *\

1&^-

Dec 1964

9) San Pablo Boy - Apr 1967 V.

"*> V

Dec 1964

IO ) Steamboat Slough - Sept 1965 \

A

Dec 1964

II) Son Quentin Point - Mar 1968 ft

h

ta t

Dec 1964

12) Freeport-May 1968 1

-rn

<$%

Feb 1965

13) Isleton Bridge - Nov 1965 ^ li

vl J

Feb 1965

14) False River - May 1967 C\ \

\jLy

Feb 1965

15) Raccoon Strait - Jun 1966 ^t

16) Pacifica- Aug 1966 ^ V

I

Feb 1965

1

Jul 1965

17) Freeport - Apr 1968 ^ ^s*.

SCALE

Apr 1966

18) Franks Tract - Apr 1967 \->

0 25

50 Miles

May 1966 19) Pacifica - July 1968
SACRAMENTO-

\

SAN JOAQUIN TOMALES BAY

RELEASE

RECAPTURE

May 1958

A ) Broad Slough Sept 1959

May I960

B) Socromento River Jon 1962

May 1961

C) Shad Landing Nov 1961

Apr 1966

D) Prisoners Point Jul 1966

^_

FIGURE 1— Recovery localities for striped bass tagged in Tomales Bay and recovered outside
Tomales Bay and tagging localities for four bass tagged in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta and recovered in Tomales Bay.

Newspaper reports, game warden field records, and my personal fish-
ing records were compiled from October 1958 to December 1966. These
records show a 2-month period in spring or early summer of the yea rs
1960 to 1965 when there is no indication of striped bass having been
caught in Tomales Bar. However, this did not hold true in 1966. The
compilation indicates that bass were caught every fall and winter of
the years 1961 to 1966. This information corresponds closely with the
dates of bass migration away from Tomales Bay shown by the tag re-

3B AND GAME

vvning in the Sacramento-San Joaquin

of thes fish from Tomales Bay during

lated to seaward migrations described by

2 • s study ranged from 10.5 to 41 inches PL.

- 24 inches Thus, a majority of these fish were

ily mature, and if The smaller ones were males, they might

•ity of small bass suggi sts that striped

• sp wn in Tomales B y, and the predominance of larger

tes thai sent are largely of the size most likely

S rramento-San Joaquin system to the ocean

1967).

My findings monstrate that a1 si some Tomales Bay striped

Sac to-San Jo; quin River system population

suggesl that all of them originate outside Tomales Bay. The chief
im] " se findi gs - that striped bass fishing success in

Tomales Ba; - probably largely controlled by migrations from other
si . s. with tl s eontr Lling migrations out of the Sacramento-

system pr sumably }>"\]yj the most important factor.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

[ am o - Arnold B. Albrecht (deceased), Lee AY. Miller,

- R. Doyle, John L. Thomas, and Harold K. Chadwick of the

1 lifornia Department of Fish and Game for their patient assistance

t. Warden Alfred F. Giddings and Bill Thomson.
s ditor of the Point Reyes Light, provided much useful ni-
dation.
This study w, - ■ supported by Dingell-Johnson Project Cali-

■nia F-9-E, "A Study of Sturgeon and Striped Bass**.

REFERENCES

- Leon D. 1958. Striped bass fishing. Paeifie Books, Palo Alto, Calif., 228p.
• . A. J. 1952. Annual migrations of California striped bass. Calif. Fish and
G ■ le, 38 :; : 391-403.
dwick, Harold K. 1963. An evaluation of five tag types used in a striped bass
rtality rate and migration study. Calif. Fish and Game. -4ft « ii i : 64-83.
— . 1967. Recent migrations of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River striped bass
population. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soe., 96 (3) : 327-342.

Biclwrd Plant. Invert . > ilif. 94937. Accepted September 1968.

NEW NORTHERN RECORD FOR THE THREADFIN

SHAD, DOROSOMA PETENENSE (GUNTHER),

IN COASTAL WATERS OF CALIFORNIA

Two mature male threadfin shad (117 mm and 125 mm tl were
collected March 10 and April 2, 1968, in Areata Bay, the northern por-
tion of Humboldt Bay, California. They were caught in a 16-ft semi-
balloon trawl. One fish was taken near the outfall of the Areata sewage
oxidation pond; the other was collected in Mad River Slough, a tribu-
tary of Areata Bay.

This is the northernmost record of threadfin shad in coastal waters
of California. Isaacson and Poole (1965) reported the capture of one
threadfin shad in Drakes Bay in January 1963. Authorized introduc-
tions of threadfin shad have been made in the reservoirs of the Sacra-
mento and San -Joaquin river systems in 1959 and subsequent years,
but none has heeii made in coastal waters north of these systems. Cor-
respondence with Roberl Loeffel, Oregon Fish Commission, and Donald
Kaiiff'inan. Washington Department of Fisheries, revealed that the
threadfin shad has nut been reported from the coastal waters of those
states. Consequently, its occurrence in Areata Day must be the result
of either a northward coastal migration (from the San Francisco Bay
area i or an unauthorized stocking.

Hydrographic data were recorded once each month in Areata Bay.
Surface temperatures Dear the sewage pond outfall ranged from 11.6
to 14.4 C and in Mad River Slough from 11.2 to 15.4 C for the
months February through April 1968. 6as1 i L962) recorded tempera-
tures below 8.0 C only once during a 2-year hydrographic study of
Humboldt Bay. Parsons and Kimsey (1954 reported high mortalities
in threadfin shad at temperatures below 45 P (7.2 C), and almosl no
survival at 40 F '4.4 (' in fresh waters.

Briggs (1958) described the threadfin as euryhaline. -Miller (1963
indicated that threadfin shad less than 100 mm long preferred salinities
less than 15'rc and that larger fish occurred more frequently in higher
salinities. In Areata Bay. surface salinities in the Mad River Slough
area ranged from 12.4%< to 30.7',,. and 27.7',, to 33.3%< near the
oxidation pond during the months February through April 1968. Gast
(1962) reported that the tidal prism is large relative to Humboldt
Bay's volume; he seldom recorded salinities less than 29%£ at all depths.
However, none of his sampling stations was in a tributary of Humboldt
Bay.

Kimsey (1958) stated that the exact temperature range for spawning
was not known, but that approximately 70 F (21.0 C) was suitable. He
also stated that the threadfin shad seek fresh or nearly fresh water
for spawning. Rawstron (1964) observed threadfin shad spawning in
Pine Flat Lake in Fresno County, California, wdien surface water
temperatures were as low as 58 F (14.4 C).

(155)

156 CALIFORNIA PISH AM) Q WIK

Although delicate, the threadfin shad will invade favorable waters
very rapidly (Burns, 1965 . h appears thai proliferation in north
coastal waters, other than through emigration or stocking, will occur
only if the fish finds suitable conditions of salinity and temperature
for spawning. Favorable spawning conditions may be extant in the
spring and summer months in the lower reaches of many of the north
si streams '1*. S. Gelogocial Survey, 1965). These conditions may
exist in the freshwater tributaries of Humboldt Bay. Although suitable
temperatures are reached within Humboldt Bay proper (unpubl. data,
California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Resources Labora-
tory, Eureka . salinities may be too high.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to thank Harold Jones for assistance with field collections.

REFERENCES

Briggs, J. C. 1958. A list of Florida fishes and their distribution. Fla. State Mus.,

Bull. Biol. Sci., 2 (8) : 223-318.
Bums, .1. W. 1966. Threadfin shad, p. 481-488. In A. Calhoun [ed.] Inland fisheries

management. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game.
• Jast. .7. A. 1962. An oceanographie survey of the Humboldt Bay system. Atomic

Energy Comm., Contract AT (64-3)-395, Spec. Kept. (1) : 73 p. (unpublished).
Isaacson, P. A., and R. L. Poole. 1965. The threadfin shad. Dorosoma petenense,

in northern California ocean waters. Calif. Fish and Game, 51 (1) : 56-57.
Kimsey, J. B. 1958. Possible effects of introducing threadfin shad (Dorosoma

petenense) into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,

Inland Fish. Admin. Kept.. (58-16) : 21 p.
.Miller. R. R. 1963. Fishes of the western north Atlantic. (Part III). Sears Found.

Mar. Res.. Yale Univ.. p. 443—451.
Parsons, J. W., and J. B. Kimsey. 1954. A report on the Mississippi threadfin

shad. Prog. Fish-Cult., 16 (4) : 179-181.
Rawstron, R. R. 1964. Spawning of threadfin shad. Dorosoma petenense, at low

water temperatures. Calif. Fish and Game, 50 (1) : 5S.
U. S. Geological Survey. 1965. Water resources data for California. Part 2. Water

quality records. D. S. Geol. Surv., Water Resour. Div.. Menlo Park, Calif., 378 p.

C. F. Bryan and T. B. Sopher, California Cooperative Fishery Unit,
V. 8. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Humboldt State Col-
lege, Areata, California. Accepted December 1968.

ADDITIONAL RECORD OF A TROLL-CAUGHT KING

SALMON, ONCORHYNCHUS TSHAWYTSCHA

(WALBAUM), WITH SPAWNING FEATURES

Swartzell (1967) reported king salmon with spawning features
taken in the California commercial ocean troll fishery. A similar speci-
men was taken bv Mr. Pete Beltrano of the troller Finn nee on August
10, 1967, off Navarro Head, California (lat 39 12' X, long 123° 47'
W), and brought to my attention by California Department of Fish
and Game Warden L. 11. Redfern. It measured :!7 inches !»4 cm) pl
but weighed only Hi lb dressed, head on. compared with an average 23
lb for troll-caught king salmon of this length dressed, head on ( Fry and
Hughes, 1951).

According to Beltrano, when this fish was firsl taken from the ocean
it had a noticeable iridescence and a brillianl golden or copper color
with dark brown spots. It was dressed and the entrails discarded at
sea so that neither sex nor condition of gonads could be determined,
but it appeared similar to a spawning male.

This fish had other features characteristic of a spawning king salmon.
The upper jaw was elongated and the premaxillary •"hooked"'. Skull
radiographs revealed the presence of breeding teeth which had been
worn or broken off. leaving imbedded stumps. Scales were difficult to
remove. They were recessed deeply into their dermal pockets and gave
the fish a scaleless appearance. .Mar-ins of the scales wen' eroded and
resorbed. These characteristics were also noted in Swartzell 's two
specimens. There were several sores on the dorsal and upper caudal
fins. There was no evidence of fin wear. Previous hooking injuries were
not apparent.

Kidney smears were examined for "fish tuberculosis*' by Harold
Wolf, California Department of Fish and Game pathologist. No evi-
dence of the disease, which inhibits spawning in king salmon, was
found.

REFERENCES

Fry. Donald H.. Jr.. and Eldon P. Hughes. 1951. The California salmon troll fishery.

Pac. Mar. Fish. Comm.. Bull., (2) : 7-42.
Swartzell. Phillip G. 1967. Two king salmon with spawning features taken in ocean

troll fishery. Calif. Fish and Game. 53 (3) : 171-1T'.».
John M. Jackson, Marim Resources Branch, California Department of

Fish and Game. Accepted July 1968.

(157)

BOOK REVIEWS

Taxonomy: A Text and Reference Book

By R. E. Blackwelder; John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1967; xiv + 698 p. $19.95.

According I" tin' author's definition, "taxonomy, as the term is employed in this

I k, refers to the day-to-day practice of dealing with the kinds of organisms. This

includes the handling and identification of specimens, the publication of data, the
studj of the literature, and the analysis of the variation shown by the specimens."
In view of this definition, it is surprising that so many professional biologists are
frightened silly by the word, and shy away from being associated with taxonomy
as if avoiding the plague. Fortunately, the subject can he self taught, and what
better texl for the interested individual than the present volume.

The chapters have been laid out in a natural sequence, and Dr. Blackwelder's
coverage and style are easy to follow and understand. A 55-page bibliography is
arranged so that headings parallel those in the text and are arranged by chapters
or groups of chapters. Thus, if one's appetite for specific knowledge is not sated
by what he reads in the text he can search out some of the references and pursue
the subject as far as he wishes.

The volume is arranged in six parts, and "is planned to he used as a textbook
in two courses: a beginning course on the nature and practice of taxonomy and
an advanced one on the theory and technicalities of taxonomy." Part VI on "Zoolog-
ical Nomenclature" contains a strong critique of the latest code of nomenclature,
and to he fully understood, one must have in hand a copy of the 1904 International
Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Details that Dr. Blackwelder presents regarding
the history of zoological nomenclature and the Hemming era will not be found in
any other publication, to my knowledge. These two short subsections set the stage
for his critique of the code, and whether one "goes along" with the author or not,
the need for such a critique is clearly evident and few, if any, are better qualified
to do the job than Dr. Blackwelder.

This hook should he found on every biologist's bookshelf alongside two other
necessary (though underutilized) references: a dictionary, and a style manual for
biological writing. — John E. Fitch.

Caribbean Reef Fishes

By John E. Randall; T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Jersey City, N.J., 1968; 318 p., profusely illu-
strated in color and black-and-white. $12.50.

I was quite disappointed when I found that not all the Caribbean reef fishes
were included in this volume, but the hook does serve its stated primary purpose
admirably, namely, "to provide for the identification of the 300 most common fishes
that one might observe while snorkeling or diving on reefs of the Caribbean Sea
or over adjacent sand Hat or sea-grass environments." Most of the 139 color photo-
graphs are outstanding, to say the least, and the black-and-white photos are also
of top quality.

The family discussions usually include some general information regarding dis-
tribution, life history, and behavior of some of the family members, whereas the
species accounts contain more exacting information on the same subjects, as well
as morphometries. There are no keys, but since each species discussed is also illus-
trated, identification should be no problem. If its picture isn't in the book, it's either
one of those not covered, or it is newr to science.

A section on methods of counting and measuring fishes, a glossary of ichthyological
terms, and an index to common and scientific names are included and useful. Be-
cause the photographs are of such high quality and show family characters to
good advantage, the book will be helpful to fishermen, aquarists, ichthyologists, skin
divers, and nature lovers regardless of their fields of interest, geographic assign-
tits, or vacation selections. — John E. Fitch.

i 158 .

REVIEWS 159

/Mushrooms and Other Common Fungi of Southern California

By Robert T. and Dorothy B. Orr; University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles,
1968; 91 p., illustrated with line drawings and color photographs. $1.75 paper.

Fewer than one-fourth of the nearly lL'."i species discussed in this small booklet
are illustrated, and without illustrations it will prove extremely difficult for a
beginning mycologist to identify a mushroom he finds. When one considers that
some of the wild mushrooms that grow in southern California are the most deadly
species of fungi in the world, the warning given on page 0 becomes even more
meaningful: "The only way to avoid danger is to make absolutely certain that the
wild fungus is an edible species." Since the ( >rrs do not inform the reader as to the
edibility of very many species, it seems prudent that a successful amateur mushroom
hunter proceed with extreme caution if he wishes to he around to partake of his
finds on more than one occasion.

Mushrooms lend themselves well to photography, and for up-to-date information
on times and places to find some of the more elusive (rare) species, as well as

a chance to identify some that are found and photographed, the I kle< is worth

owning. Nature lovers would also derive a great deal of pleasure from this small
volume, but if the only purpose in mind is to collect for the table, one should seek
enlightment elsewhere. — John E. Fitch.

The Preservation of Natural History Specimens. Volume 2

Edited and compiled by Reginald Wagstaffe and J. Havelock Fidler; Philosophical Library,
Inc., New York, 1968; xv + 404 p., 150 text figures. $17.50.

The first volume of this series discussed preservation of invertebrates. This book
is the second and final volume, which encompasses the preservation of vertebrates
(fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) and various botanical and geo
logical materials. A chapter is devoted to the Wallers plastic method for the repro-
duction of reptiles and amphibians. There are parts of chapters dealing with lie
modeling of whales and the modeling and casting of relief maps.

The zoological section gives detailed instructions on killing, measuring, prelimi-
nary treatment fixing, permanent labeling, permanent preservation and storage,
and microscopical preservation. Special techniques for the preservation of large and
small adults, as well as ova and larvae, are included.

For the botanist, there are chapters discussing the preservation of schizomycetes,
soil microflora, myxomycetes, algae, mycophyta (fungi excluding lichens), lichens,
bryophyta, pteridophyta, cycadophyta and coniferophyta, and anthophyta. One
whole chapter is devoted to pollen analysis.

A third major section deals with gcolo^v, vertebrate palaeozoology, and paleo-
botany.

The appendices are extremely comprehensive and cover instruments, apparatus,
and miscellaneous materials; preservatives; labels and labeling; storage and storage
containers; general maintenance of installed collections; photographic records;
microscopy; and first aid measures (for those who might try to add their own ap-
pendage to the collection).

Meticulous instructions coupled with excellent line drawings, by Elizabeth Begg
and others, make each technique easy to follow. This book's greatest appeal will be
to professional scientists, and will have its greatest usefulness as a reference text
in libraries, colleges, and universities. — Alec R. iStrachan.

The Sockeye Salmon

By R. E. Foerster; Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, 1968; Bulletin 162; xv +
422 p., illustrated. $8.
Let's hope this remarkable book will encourage others to write similar ones for
additional fishes. It summarizes the great bulk of scientific literature dealing with
sockeye salmon. Only a professional like Foerster, with an intimate understanding
of this fish based on much personal experience, could have sifted and organized this
great mass of information with such discernment. He begins with a chapter on
systematics, distribution, and general life history. I particularly enjoyed his discus-
sion of the evolution of the Pacific salmonids. Succeeding chapters deal with trends
in the commercial fishery, spawning escapement, reproductive success, migrations,
and spawning. The lake residence phase of sockeye is covered in great depth, with
careful attention to the whole matter of production in lakes. Terminal chapters
deal with life in the ocean, identification of stocks, and artificial propagation. The

160 U|-ni;\IA PISH AM) GAME

book is beautifully illustrated with three-color plates, some black-and-white, and a
bosl "f graphs and charts. Ii includes massive documentation in the form of sum-
inarj tables tied in with highly analytical discussions which, along with n long lisl
of references, will save a l"t of time for biologists working on this animal in the
future. Considering the great wealth of data the book contains, it reads along very
pleasantly and 1 1 1 « * primary facts emerge very clearly. I particularly liked the
way Dr. Foerster highlighted the great gaps which siill exist in our knowledge of
sockeye salmon and suggested how they might be filled in the future. — Alex Calhoun.

The Life of the Pond

By William H. Amos; McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1967; 232 p., profusely illu-
strated. $4.95.

This book deals with the natural history of ponds, which the author defines as
those standing bodies of water that are shallow and rather small with a more or less
uniform temperature throughout. The author, a consultant in biophotography at
the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, emphasizes the ecology of ponds and
the diversity of live forms that are found in them. As might be expected from a bio-
photographer, the photographs are many, varied, and, above all, superb. The book's
232 pages are packed with 125 color photos, 24 black-and-white and duotone photos,
and 72 diagrams and drawings.

With the quantity and quality of the photographs involved, the text is relegated
to a somewhat secondary status. At times, in fact, the text seems only to supple-
ment the captions. More disturbing, however, is that many of the photographs are
grouped so that as many as five pages of photographs and extensive captions in-
tervene between pages of text. Sentences are often parted in the middle to be com-
pleted several pages later. The reader, more than once, finds it necessary to return
and pick up the train of thought after looking at several pages of photos with their
captions and subcaptions.

The text is of high school level and requires no biological knowledge of the reader,
since the book as a whole is slanted toward the general public. It attempts to stimu-
late an interest in nature study, and the reader finds himself persistently invited
and challenged to investigate pond biology.

In line with this philosophy of encouraging the study of ponds, this book contains
an appendix with sections entitled "Homemade Ponds", "Keeping Pond Animals
in the Home", "Exploring the Microscopic Pond World", and "How to Learn More
About a Pond''. The latter describes simple collecting equipment and instructions
for its manufacture.

The appendix also contains a list of selected National Parks with comments about
the ponds found in them, a key to some common pond animals, a brief discussion
about the sight of fishes, and a glossary of elementary ecological and anatomical
terms.

Despite the book's shortcomings, almost any person with an interest in nature
will find that this volume, with its surprisingly low price of $4.95, will enhance
his library. — Franklin G. Hoover.

printed in California oppice of state printing
7S404— 800 1-69 5,300

Notice is hereby given that the Fish and Game Commission shall meet on
April 2, 1969, at 9 a.m. in Room 1138, New State Building, 107 So. Broad-
way, Los Angeles, California, to receive recommendations from its own officers
and employees, from the Department of Fish and Game and other public
agencies, from organizations of private citizens, and from any interested per-
son as to what, if any, orders should be made relating to birds or mammals,
or any species or variety thereof, for the 1969 hunting season.

Notice is hereby given that the Fish and Game Commission shall meet at
9 a.m. on April 25, 1969, in the Board of Supervisors' Chambers, Shasta
County Courthouse, Redding, California, for public discussion of and presen-
tation of objections to the proposals presented to the Commission on April 2,
1969, and after consideration of such discussion and objections the Commis-
sion shall publicly announce the regulations it proposes to make relating to
birds or mammals, or any species or variety thereof, for the 1969 hunting
season.

Notice is hereby given that the Fish and Game Commission shall meet on
May 23, 1969, at 9 a.m. in the Main Auditorium, Resources Building, 1416
Ninth Street, Sacramento, California, to hear and consider any objections to
its determinations or proposed orders in relation to birds and mammals for
the 1969 hunting season, such determinations resulting from hearing held on
April 25, 1969. This notice is published in accordance with the provisions of
Section 206 of the Fish and Game Code.

Fish and Game Commission
Leslie F. Edgerton
Executive Secretary

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