W. E. Kelso

Diet composition was investigated in 3 channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus) populations in southeastern Louisiana, 2 of which were characterized by slow growth and reduced length at maturity. Multivariate analyses revealed that diets of catfish exhibiting slow growth were predominantly composed of marine prey. particularly engraulids, Corophium sp., and Penaeus sp., and were superior in quantity, diversity, and apparent nutritional value compared to diets of faster growing catfish from the Atchafalaya Basin. Slow growth and early maturity at reduced lengths did not appear to be forage-...

Parasite loads of 4 larval fish species in a lower Mississippi River overflow pond were compared. Differences in parasite loads appeared to be related to adult spawning locations and larval fish habitat preferences. Allacanthochasmus sp. was the only parasite found in larval fishes, with maximum infestations of I metacercarial cyst in bluegill and 2 cysts in shad and inland silverside. No parasitism was observed in crappie. Total percent parasitism was highest in silverside (mean ± SE, 2.2 ± 0.5%), followed by bluegill (0.9 ± 0.2%) and shad (0.9 ± 0.3%). Results indicated that adult...

Channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus) were obtained from 3 lakes in southeastern Louisiana during the fall of 1986. A truss network of morphological measurements was developed, resulting in 10 variables measured on each individual fish. Morphological variables were adjusted to remove the effect of standard length through least-squares regression. Multivariate analysis of variance of adjusted variables yielded significant (P < 0.01) differences among lakes. Factor analysis of the partial correlation matrix of adjusted variables yielded 4 non-orthogonal dimensions descriptive of body...