FECUNDITY IN THE CALICO SURFPERCH, AMPHISTICHUS KOELZI (TELEOSTEI: EMBIOTOCIDAE)

Abstract The Calico Surfperch (Amphistichus koelzi) shares a similar size, morphology and feeding habitat with its 2 widely-sympatric congeners, the Barred Surfperch (Amphistichus argenteus) and Redtail Surfperch (Amphistichus rhodoterus). Like the other 2 species, A. koelzi is an important commercial and recreational resource, but unlike these species, A. koelzi has received virtually no attention in the scientific literature. We found average relative fecundity to be significantly higher than in A. koelzi's 2 congeners, A. argenteus and A. rhodoterus, and the slope of the regression of brood count on female size in A. koelzi was steeper and translated to the left of the same slopes representing the 2 congeners.