Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, growth and reproduction in Primera de Palos’ lake (Huelva, Spain)

Abstract

Some aspects of the biology of Micropterus salmoides such as growth, population structure and reproduction, were studied in the Primera de Palos’ lake. A total of 200 specimens were captured (98 females, 86 males and 16 juveniles) and distributed into seven different age-classes (from 0+ to 6+). Specimens 6+ were exclusively females. The mean values of male length and weight were slightly higher than females ones but the differences were not significant between sexes. The parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth’s curve were L∞=503.6 mm, k=0.19, t0=-1.04 for males and L∞=512.6, k=0.18, t0=-1.05 for females. The final values of the Gompertz growth’s curve for weight were: W0=36.35, G=10.61, g=0.06 for males and W0=31.81, G=6.93, g=0.11 for females. Reproduction took place in spring. Females mature older than males, in age-class 2+. The results clearly indicate that the largemouth bass population has acclimatised well to the Primera de Palos’ lake, having found environmental and trophic conditions that are favourable to its development.