ABSTRACT

Reproduction of cyprinids is of interest because of the worldwide importance of these fish. Cyprinids are prized as food in Japan, China, India, and many European countries. Reproduction in cyprinids is cyclical and timed to ensure maximum survival of the young. The onset of spawning in various cyprinid species in the temperate zone ranges from early spring to late summer. The chapter discusses the ecological implications of the various patterns of reproductive cycles. It examines the environmental factors which regulate the reproductive cycles and the mechanisms through which the environmental effects are mediated. In many tropical fish, spawning is associated with seasonal rains, flooding of rivers, or the monsoons. Cyprinids characteristically display “group synchronous” oocyte development, in keeping with their ability to spawn a number of times during a breeding season. In cyprinids, final gamete maturation is not the inevitable consequence of completed gonadal recrudescence.