| Main Ref. | Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966 |
| Mode | dioecism |
| Fertilization | external |
| Mating type | |
| Spawning frequency | Variable throughout range |
| Spawning aggregation | Ref. |
| Batch spawner | Yes. Ref. Morrow, J.E., 1980 |
| Reproductive guild |
nonguarders open water/substratum egg scatterers |
| Parental Care | none |
| Description of life cycle and mating behavior | The spawning act occurs mostly at night, with peak activity between dusk and 9 or 10 pm (Ref. 28805, 28815). During the day the fish are more or less dispersed away from the spawning beds but return in considerable numbers in the late afternoon (Ref. 27547). Males reach spawning beds first and spend some time cleaning the rocks. Females arrive a few days later and are courted by the males. During and following courtship, the males attempt to spawn with the females. One or two males approach a female, press against her sides and quiver. The eggs fall into the crevices and the spawners disperse. The act is repeated until the female releases all her eggs (Ref. 1998, 27547). On occasion, as many as seven males and three females may engage in a mass spawning act (Ref. 28815). Spawning occurs annually in southern areas, every other year in Great Slave Lake, Northwest Terrritories, and only every other year in Great Bear and some other lakes of the arctic (Ref. 1153, 28802, 28860). |
| Search for more references on reproduction | Scirus |