Ron DeCloux, USA
Info
Adult rockfish are usually found in shallow rocky areas and tidal pools.
Micrometrus minimus and Micrometrus minimus are of great scientific interest as they are among only one or two fish species worldwide whose males are born sexually mature, i.e., immediately ready to mate.
Females carry the developing offspring, with the reproductive periods of the females varying systematically with their size:
Small females become pregnant later in the season and give birth later than large females.
Two hypotheses have been proposed for this
- Energy reserves directly limit the timing of reproduction, so small females breed later because they have less stored energy.
- Small females delay reproduction as a size-adaptive tactic to maximize reproductive success.
Date of birth had a significant influence on fitness in the first two phases. Early-born females were more successful in their first breeding season than late-born females (directed selection by birth date), but early-born females were less likely to survive the period between birth and first reproduction than females born in the middle of the season (stabilizing selection by birth date).
Micrometrus minimus is also displayed in public aquariums, one example being the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The species has no commercial or economic value and is of limited interest to most people.
Synonyms:
Cymatogaster minimus Gibbons, 1854 · unaccepted
Holconotus trowbridgei Girard, 1854 · unaccepted (misspelling)
Holconotus trowbridgii Girard, 1854 · unaccepted
Micrometrus minimus and Micrometrus minimus are of great scientific interest as they are among only one or two fish species worldwide whose males are born sexually mature, i.e., immediately ready to mate.
Females carry the developing offspring, with the reproductive periods of the females varying systematically with their size:
Small females become pregnant later in the season and give birth later than large females.
Two hypotheses have been proposed for this
- Energy reserves directly limit the timing of reproduction, so small females breed later because they have less stored energy.
- Small females delay reproduction as a size-adaptive tactic to maximize reproductive success.
Date of birth had a significant influence on fitness in the first two phases. Early-born females were more successful in their first breeding season than late-born females (directed selection by birth date), but early-born females were less likely to survive the period between birth and first reproduction than females born in the middle of the season (stabilizing selection by birth date).
Micrometrus minimus is also displayed in public aquariums, one example being the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The species has no commercial or economic value and is of limited interest to most people.
Synonyms:
Cymatogaster minimus Gibbons, 1854 · unaccepted
Holconotus trowbridgei Girard, 1854 · unaccepted (misspelling)
Holconotus trowbridgii Girard, 1854 · unaccepted
