Spawning behaviour of Sakhalin taimen, Parahucho perryi, from northern Hokkaido, Japan

• Published in: Environmental biology of fishes Vol. 85; no. 3; pp. 265 - 273
• Main Authors: Esteve, Manu, Ann McLennan, Deborah, Kawahara, Mitsuru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01-07-2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal migration; Animal reproduction; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brachymystax lenok; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Fish; Freshwater; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics; Hucho; Hucho taimen; Life history; Life Sciences; Marine; Nature Conservation; Oncorhynchus; Parahucho; Parahucho perryi; Sakhalin taimen; Salmo; Salmon; Spawning; Spawning behavior; Taxonomy; Vertebrata; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Zoology; Sakhalin; Russian Federation; Hokkaido; Asia; Eurasia; Japan; INW, Japan, Hokkaido; Japan, Hokkaido; Underwater video; Spawning act; Phylogeny; Salmonines; Sakhalin; Vertebrata; Spawning; Pisces; Sexual behavior; Underwater
• ISSN: 0378-1909; 1573-5133
• DOI: 10.1007/s10641-009-9495-2

A video camera mounted in an underwater housing and remotely operated was used to monitor the behaviour of five different Sakhalin taimen (Parahucho perryi), females and attendant males spawning in three coastal tributary streams in Northern Hokkaido, Japan. Based on three complete and two incomplete spawnings, we describe in detail for the first time the complete spawning behavioural repertoire of this species. The Sakhalin taimen was originally placed within Hucho, then removed from that genus based on morphological, life history and molecular data. Our study supports that removal--none of the behavioural traits we recorded clustered Parahucho with Hucho uniquely. Similarities between the two genera were all plesiomorphic traits that are widespread throughout the salmonines. The immediate behaviour right after spawning was found to be a major difference between Hucho and Parahucho. Like female Oncorhynchus and Salmo, Sakhalin taimen females cover their eggs by beats of their tails immediately after spawning. This is different from the “rest, then cover” behaviour shown by Siberian taimen (Hucho taimen) as well as lenok (Brachymystax lenok), supporting again that the Sakhalin taimen be removed from Hucho and placed in its own genus.