Dynamics of a Pelagically Spawning Coral Reef Fish

产卵期是鱼类生产的关键时期，也是捕捞的脆弱时期，必须了解其因果关系。本研究项目探索了一个新的假设，以解释远洋产卵海洋鱼类的交配模式：该假设是，选择产卵地点和时间，以提高受精成功率。先前的研究表明，对于蓝头濑鱼，双带海锦鱼，交配的时间在当地种群之间变化很大，平均受精率出奇地低，似乎受到珊瑚礁上的湍流和位置的影响，雄性释放的精子数量与它们交配的雌性的大小和繁殖力显着相关。本项目将进行三个相互关联的调查：1。交配的时机，2.交配的位置，以及3.施肥成功

Spawning periods represent critical times for production and vulnerable times for harvesting of fish stocks and it is important to understand their causal basis. This research project explores a new hypothesis in order to explain the patterns of mating in pelagically-spawning marine fishes: the hypothesis is that, spawning sites and times are selected in order to improve fertilization success rates. Previous studies have shown that for the bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum, the timing of mating varies dramatically between local populations, that mean fertilization rates are surprisingly low and appeared to be influenced by turbulence and location on the reef, and that the number of sperm released by males correlates significantly with the size and fecundity of the female with whom they are mating. This project will undertake three interrelated investigations on: 1. the timing of mating, 2. the location of mating, and 3. fertilization success.